Wallcoverings Assocation: New Non-woven Substrates Are Rekindling the Popularity of Residential Wallcoverings

CHICAG0—With the surge in paint popularity in recent times, the wallcoverings industry has been experimenting with new products and ideas in hopes of easing the fears of wallcovering would-be’s.

Recently, some companies have introduced a type of new non-woven substrate that does not shrink or expand during installation, does not require booking, is breathable, less messy, doesn’t split or curl at the seems and is easy it install and remove. In fact, the average room can be stripped of its coverings—without chemicals or heavy tools—in just minutes.

Sound too good to be true? Wallcovering manufacturers say it’s not. In fact, they say it’s one more way wallcoverings are creating the ultimate “Triple Play: color, texture, and design” for your home.

“Non-wovens have become a substrate of increasing interest to wallcovering manufacturers over the past 10 years in residential applications for improved performance characteristics,” said Geoff Verney, vice president of strategic customer relations and corporate communications, Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc. “In the past three years, interest in non-wovens has escalated rapidly.”

Some companies are even putting a consumer guarantee behind the new substrate. “We are so certain of the performance of our products that we put a guarantee behind it. It peels off, or we will take care of the removal for you,” said P.J. Delaye, director of marketing, York Wallcoverings.

That said, what’s not to love about wallpaper? And, the wallcoverings industry is hoping consumers will agree by beginning to reintroduce the decorating technique back into their homes.

Non-woven substrates are dry-strippable in a single sheet and dimensionally stable, meaning it won’t bubble or buckle.

So how does the trendy technology work?

According to Chesapeake Wallcoverings, it is made of three key components: wood pulp, synthetic fiber (mostly polyester) and acrylic latex resins. And, the finished product looks so similar to other types of wallcoverings, most consumers don’t notice a difference in texture or feel. This is partly because producers are utilizing every printing technique available on non-wovens, including roto-gravure.

Some of the companies using the technology in their residential market segments currently include WA member companies York Wallcoverings and Chesapeake Wallcoverings Corp.

So what does all of this mean for the wallcoverings industry?

Verney said, “These materials should steadily evolve as one of the many substrates available.”

For more information on wallpaper installation or the Wallcoverings Association, visit www.wallcoverings.org.

About Wallcoverings Association:
Wallcoverings Association is a member-based not-for-profit organization, focused on the manufacturing, distributing and over-all sales within the wallcoverings industry. For more information, please visit www.wallcoverings.org or call WA Headquarters at 312.644.6610.

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