One of the Northwest’s oldest companies, Pendleton Woolen Mills in Washougal, is on the cutting edge of sustainable textile manufacturing.
Pendleton, an AWB member for 90 years, began moving in this direction with a 100 percent wool baby blanket woven and dyed using what is known as the cradle-to-cradle design process. This protocol carefully examines all materials, substituting any biologically or environmentally risky or unhealthy chemicals with greener alternatives. Imitating nature, cradle-to-cradle design also eliminates waste, not by throwing it away, but by recycling it as nutrients.
Pendleton is now working with McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, the Virginia product and process design firm that developed cradle-to-cradle design in 1995, to bring these principles to its thriving business in contract upholstery for office interiors.
“In particular, we wanted to create a product that would meet the criteria for green buildings under the Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design certification program,” said John Bishop, Pendleton’s chairman of the board. Pendleton wanted the credibility that comes from third-party certification, and the choice of MBDC had instant recognition and authority in the architecture community.”
Read more about Pendleton Woolen Mills’ cradle-to-cradle design initiative in the Associated Oregon Industries’ Business Viewpoint.
