From Plants to Performance: What Biobased Materials Really Mean for Designers

A biobased product is made — fully or partially — from renewable plant materials instead of fossil fuels.

Instead of petroleum, the raw ingredient might come from:

• Sugarcane
• Corn
• Other rapidly renewable crops

The USDA BioPreferred® Program helps verify biobased content through third-party certification. When you see that label, it means the product’s plant-based content has been independently measured and confirmed.

For designers, this matters because it signals:

• Reduced reliance on fossil fuels
• Lower embodied carbon potential
• Transparent, verified material claims

It’s not just a marketing term — it’s a measurable material attribute.

The Real Question: Does Biobased Mean Lower Performance?

It shouldn’t.

In commercial interiors, performance isn’t optional. Materials must withstand traffic, cleaning protocols, and years of use.

If a product can’t perform, it doesn’t get specified — no matter how sustainable it claims to be. The evolution of biobased materials is about eliminating that tradeoff.

Watch our 60 second video on how Biobased Xorel is made:

In 2013, Carnegie introduced Biobased Xorel — the first plant-based commercial-grade performance textile of its kind.

Derived from rapidly renewable sugarcane, it contains up to 91% plant-based content, yet delivers the same durability designers have relied on for decades.

That means:

• Highly durable in high-traffic environments
• Bleach cleanable
• Approved for hospital-grade disinfectants
• Inherently antimicrobial
• Stain resistant
• Colorfast
• 10-year warranty
• Extremely low VOCs
• No PVC, plasticizers, PFAS, or added antimicrobials

It is PVC-free and requires no added chemical finishes to perform. Its strength comes from the yarn itself — not from topical treatments that can wear off over time.

It also carries third-party certifications, including Cradle to Cradle Gold and USDA BioPreferred®, and is supported by an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), giving you documentation when you need it.

For healthcare, education, hospitality, and workplace environments, that balance matters. You don’t have to trade durability for responsibility.

Xorel

Biobased materials aren’t just about environmental impact — they can support your design process in practical ways:

✔ Help contribute toward LEED and other sustainability frameworks

✔ Support conversations around health and indoor air quality

✔ Reduce fossil-fuel dependence without altering maintenance protocols

✔ Provide verified documentation for client reporting

✔ Offer design flexibility across walls, panels, acoustics, and furniture

Instead of being a specialty option, biobased materials can function as standard specifications — just with a lower carbon footprint.

Bouquet Print color 5

For coated upholstery applications, vinyl has long been specified for its durability and cleanability. But traditional vinyl relies on fossil fuels and chemical additives that many clients are reconsidering.

Biobased Siltech offers another path.

It replaces traditional petroleum-based coatings with a plant-derived polyurethane made from corn starch, a renewable resource — while maintaining commercial-grade performance.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• 500,000+ double rubs
• Bleach cleanable
• Approved for hospital-grade disinfectants
• Inherently antimicrobial
• Stain resistant
• Extremely low VOCs
• No PVC, plasticizers, PFAS, or added antimicrobials
• 50+ SKUs with rich texture and digitally printed depth
• 10-year warranty

It performs like a coated fabric should — without relying on vinyl chemistry.

The demand for lower-carbon materials isn’t theoretical anymore. Many firms are tracking embodied carbon. Healthcare systems are prioritizing healthier interiors. Education projects are tightening material requirements.

Biobased innovation expands what’s possible in those environments — offering renewable content without sacrificing durability, maintenance, or design integrity.

Because Biobased Xorel is derived from rapidly renewable sugarcane, it has a significantly reduced carbon footprint compared to fossil-fuel-based materials. As sugarcane grows, it absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In fact, for every ton of raw material produced, approximately 2.5 tons of CO₂ are captured and sequestered during cultivation.

That means the renewable feedstock phase removes more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits — fundamentally shifting how we think about material impact.

Specifying biobased materials doesn’t require changing how you design.

It simply gives you:

• Another high-performance option
• Verified third-party transparency
• A lower-impact alternative to fossil-fuel-based materials
• A way to align performance with environmental responsibility

The future of commercial interiors isn’t about choosing between performance and sustainability. It’s about expecting both.

If you’re evaluating plant-based materials for an upcoming project:

→ Explore Biobased Xorel

→ View Biobased Siltech

→ Connect With Your Carnegie Rep

Because the materials you choose should perform beautifully — and reflect the future you’re helping to build.

Michelle Ko is the Marketing Manager for Carnegie with more than a decade of experience shaping narratives within the design industry. Drawing on her background as a textile designer, she brings hands-on expertise in researching and developing innovative materials, including Xorel. Her passion lies in storytelling, education, and collaboration—uncovering the deeper truths behind trends and innovations, and exploring not only what captivates us, but why.