Q&A on ITC’s Haven range
High-performing and environmentally friendly, the HAVEN range showcases ITC’s craftsmanship and expertise in creating forward-thinking carpets. Together with ITC’s Product Development Manager, Rudy Eggermont, we take an in depth look at this collection and unravel its strengths and uniqueness.
How would you introduce the Haven range?
HAVEN is our next generation of broadloom carpets. Made with a new polyamide yarn that we developed in-house containing recycled feedstock, HAVEN has sustainability embedded at its core. It truly marks ITC’s transition towards a conscious design focus: crafting long-lasting carpets with a timeless design, made with environmentally friendly materials.
The name ‘Haven’ refers to the saying ‘a safe haven’. And that’s exactly what we wanted to provide with this collection: a reliable and durable flooring solution with a warm and welcoming texture that makes you feel at home.
The HAVEN range introduces three collections – Tove, Liv and Elna – each having its own style.
What was the inspiration behind the collection?
I’ve always been in awe with the wild, untamed nature of Scandinavia and the Nordic way of thinking. They understand the soothing abilities of connecting with nature like no other. I find their love and respect for the outdoors truly inspiring.
So while we imagined the majestic fjords, the grey mountains and deep blue lakes – with a deep connection to the elements, we compiled our mood board. Durable, sustainable and natural, that were the qualities that came to mind. Ultimately, this cumulated into a collection that captures the subtle beauty of Nordic nature and brings it inside people’s homes. It harbours a deep respect for our natural environment and its resources and has the power to create a haven of wellbeing at home.
Once you had your concept and core values, how did you further develop the product?
We started off by doing a lot of research. We looked into every step of our design and production process to see how we could further improve the performance and durability of a carpet while using less of the planet’s resources and still have a product that looked great.
The first thing we decided on, was to use solution dyed polyamide yarns. This allowed us to improve the cleanability and colour fastness of the product, for rich colours that don’t fade over time. The solution dyeing process also significantly reduces the energy and water consumption that’s needed to make the yarns.
But our biggest step forward is the use of a new type of polyamide granules where a significant part of the raw material is coming from recycled feedstock. This allowed us to increase the sustainability credentials of our yarn without altering its quality or longevity.
How do you come from an idea to an end product? Talk us through your design process.
As a product development manager you get input and inspiration from different angles. It’s all about staying curious. On the one hand, I tap into trends that offer a fresh perspective on colours and patterns. On the other hand, I follow up on new technologies within the textile industry as they inspire new approaches. But most importantly, I look into macro trends because they give me insight into the needs of our partners as well as the end consumer.
These three flows spark fresh ideas that ultimately lead to new developments and flooring solutions. Once we have the functional and aesthetical properties of a new product in mind, we start turning it into an actual carpet.
On a design level, we translate our concept into mood boards with pictures and yarn and fabric colour samples. This helps visualise our ideas, but also makes it more tactile.
On a more technical level, we start selecting the type of yarn, cloth and backing. And decide on the technology we’ll use to achieve the look and feel we have in mind for the final product. We think about the settings for dyeing, heat-setting, tufting and finishing, among others, to change a carpet’s performance, softness, colour effect, structure, and so on.
Haven is crafted with a new type of yarn. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?
When we decided on using solution dyed polyamide yarns for the Haven range, we wanted to rethink our in-house production process of the yarn to make it more sustainable. We selected a type of granule in which 35% of the virgin material is replaced by recycled post-industrial waste using a pyrolysis recycling technique. Because the recycled feedstock was added during the polymer production, the exact percentage per granule, and thus per yarn, may vary. But you are always guaranteed that part of the yarn is recycled. This principle of mass-balance will be verified by a third party, REDcert².
Besides using a new type of granule, we also made adjustments in further development stages in order to improve the performance and the look of the yarn. The result is a high-performing solution dyed nylon yarn with a soft and luxurious touch in lustrous and vivid colours.
This new type of polyamide yarn also introduces the YMPACT quality label from our parent company, Belysse. This label unites different types of responsibly crafted yarns.
What’s the story behind Tove, Liv & Elna? What distinguishes them from one another?
Tove is Haven’s most luxurious offering. It’s a dense and firm carpet with a high pile and a closely tufted saxony construction that evokes sublime softness and cosiness. Tove is developed with a commercial class 32 performance rating, making it suitable for high traffic areas. I think it achieves its full potential in the bedroom where you can really create a sanctuary of wellbeing and self-care.
Liv has a more open frieze construction, which reveals the subtle two-tone and gloss qualities of the yarn. It has a welcoming and lush texture that brings comfort to any space. Just like Tove, Liv also offers high performance with a class 32 rating.
Elna’s short pile and dense tuft construction creates a velvet look that’s easy to maintain. I recommend using it in hallways and home offices because it has a sleek design that can also withstand intense use.
Curious about the Haven rage?
Go to our partner portal to access all images and technical details.
