EcoVeil™ is a non-PVC screen cloth, with healthful properties. Constructed in the same manner as ThermoVeil®, a core of TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin) fiber filaments with a TPO coating, EcoVeil™ has similar characteristics to ThermoVeil®, plus the added benefit of being very environmentally friendly.

• The first "Cradle to Cradle™" shade cloth
• Is more than PVC free
• Can be reclaimed and recycled
• Is durable and washable
• Is anti-microbial
• Is flame retardant
• Optimized and under continuous improvement by MBDC, a product and process design firm founded by William McDonough and Dr. Michael Braungart
• Selected by Environmental Building News as one of the Top-10 Green Building Products of 2004

Cradle to Cradle Traditional environmentalism perceives industry and commerce as unsustainable and proposes to reduce their impact by constricting their activities. Cradle to Cradle Design is an innovative approach to sustainability that models human industry on the integrated process of nature’s biological metabolism—its productive eco-systems— by developing an equally effective technical metabolism, in which the materials of human industry safely and productively flow. Using the C2C model, products like EcoVeilTM , are developed for closed-loop systems in which every ingredient is safe and beneficial, either to biodegrade naturally and restore the soil, or to be fully recycled into high-quality materials for subsequent generations, again and again. Utilizing biological nutrients and technical nutrients allows a company to eliminate the concept of waste and recover value, rather than creating a future solid waste problem and relinquishing material assets in the process of delivering a product to a customer.

The Cradle to Cradle Design Protocol

To assist companies in (re)designing eco-effective products, MBDC uses the Cradle to Cradle Design Protocol to assess materials used in products and production processes. The Protocol is founded on the "Intelligent Products System" developed by Michael Braungart and his colleagues at EPEA.

In applying the Protocol, materials in products are first inventoried and then evaluated according to their characteristics within the desired application, and placed into one of four categories (Green, Yellow, Orange, or Red) based on human health and environmental relevance criteria. After all chemicals are assessed, the materials in a product application are optimized by positively selecting replacements for chemicals characterized as Red and using Green chemicals as they are available.

The four categories are:

GREEN: Little or no risk. This chemical is acceptable for use in the desired application.

YELLOW: Low to moderate risk. This chemical is acceptable for use in the desired application until a green alternative is found.

ORANGE: There is no indication that this is a high risk chemical for the desired application, but a complete assessment is not possible due to lack of information.

RED: High risk. 'Red' chemicals (also sometimes referred to as 'X-list' chemicals) should be phased out as soon as possible. 'Red' chemicals include all known or suspected carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, mutagens, reproductive toxins, and teratogens. In addition, chemicals that do not meet other human health or environmental relevance criteria are 'red' chemicals. Human health and environmental relevance criteria used to rank chemicals are listed below.

• Carcinogenicity
• Teratogenicity
• Reproductive Toxicity
• Mutagenicity
• Endocrine Distruption
• Acute Toxicity
• Chronic Toxicity
• Irritation of Skin/Mucous Membranes
• Sensitization
• Carrier Function or Other Relevant Data

• Algae Toxicity
• Bioaccumulation (log Kow)
• Climatic Relevance/Ozone Depletion Potential
• Content of Halogenated Organic Compounds (AOX)
• Daphnia Toxicity
• Fish Toxicity
• Heavy Metal Content
• Persistence/Biodegradation
• Toxicity to Soil Organisms (Bacteria and Worms)

For more information on MBDC, go to www.mbdc.com

Click here for Ecoveil Guide (PDF)