As part of an ongoing effort at measuring and reducing its environmental impact, Maharam has achieved Greenguard and Greenguard Children & Schools certification for over 400 patterns in its collection. Always a trendsetter, New York-based Maharam is currently the only textile company with both certifications.
The Greenguard Environmental Institute is a national non-profit organization created to establish acceptable standards on indoor air quality, and to identify products that meet its low emission thresholds. The Greenguard certification process tests for emissions of formaldehyde, VOCs, respirable particles, ozone and other pollutants. Its testing methods follow principles set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its Environmental Technology Verification Program, and are recognized by the United States Green Building Council and LEED.
The Greenguard Children & Schools certification is tailored to the needs of educational environments. Because children are more susceptible to inhaled environmental toxins than adults, this program sets much lower thresholds than the standard Greenguard program on acceptable exposure levels. Greenguard Children & Schools certified textiles comply with CA Section 01350 requirements for schools and are accepted for Collaborative for High Performance Schools Low-Emitting Materials credits. A broad variety of Maharam textiles have received Greenguard Children & Schools certification, across all product categories and ranging from recycled polyesters to opulent wools.