Why Designers Trust Xorel: Real-World Use Cases
By Aliesha Crosby
In a world of constant change, one material continues to set the standard for performance, sustainability, and enduring beauty in design: Xorel.
For over 40 years, designers across every market—workplace, hospitality, education, multi-family, and beyond—have turned to Xorel when they need a textile that does it all. It’s a choice backed by legacy, innovation, and one of the most rigorously tested performance profiles in the industry.
So what makes Xorel the designer’s trusted go-to?
A Material That Delivers—Every Time
From elevator lobbies to executive boardrooms, Xorel brings a rare combination of attributes together in one textile:
- Extremely durable (up to 1 million double rubs and exceeds Type II criteria)
- Stain-resistant and easy to clean
- Tackable, colorfast/lightfast, and inherently antimicrobial
- Free of PVC, plasticizers, heavy metals, and toxic chemistry
- Backed by a 10-year warranty and 40+ years of global performance
And when it comes to sustainability, Xorel doesn’t just meet the standard—it redefines it. Biobased Xorel, made from rapidly renewable sugarcane, is the only interior textile to achieve Cradle to Cradle Gold and Living Product Challenge certification, with a carbon-positive raw material footprint.
What does “carbon-positive raw material footprint” mean?
Biobased Xorel is made from rapidly renewable sugarcane, with up to 91% plant-based content. As sugarcane grows, it captures and stores carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. For every ton of raw material produced, 2.5 tons of carbon are captured and sequestered, making Biobased Xorel a carbon-positive product. This means its raw material footprint actually removes more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits—helping reduce the overall impact of the built environment.
Left: Oglivy NYC, Right: Lofts at River East
Real Projects. Real Results.
Lofts at River East: A Balance of Beauty and Performance
“It was important to specify a wallcovering that not only added to the overall aesthetic of the space, but could perform in these high-traffic areas for years to come. Xorel offers me both beauty and function.”
—Loren Stanton, Stanton Interior Concepts
In this high-end multi-family development in Chicago, designer Loren Stanton needed a product that could elevate the ambiance while standing up to the constant wear of daily tenant life. The choice? Xorel Nexus, applied across elevator lobbies to create a rich, elegant first impression.
Even residents took notice. “The wallcovering which reflects light beautifully, establishes once and for all that elegance matters,” shared one tenant.
This is where Xorel excels: performance you can rely on, aesthetics that make an impression.
Ogilvy NYC: Still Beautiful, Over 10 Years Later
“There was constant use as a tackable surface over 10 years and it still looks brand new. I’m a huge fan of Xorel.”
—Cynthia Lindberg, Senior Partner, Ogilvy
When international agency Ogilvy redesigned its Manhattan headquarters, they needed materials that could withstand years of creativity, collaboration, and constant use. Xorel Meteor was specified on tackable panels and acoustic walls throughout the open-plan space.
More than a decade later, the walls still look fresh—unfaded by sunlight, unblemished by pins, and unphased by time.
For Lindberg, Xorel wasn’t just a product—it was a symbol of forward-thinking, sustainable design. And as Ogilvy plans its next office, Xorel is going with them.
What Designers Say
“Why do I love Xorel, let me count the ways… This product is perfect for high traffic areas, and it is easy to clean. Biobased Xorel has a wonderful sustainability story and is Red List free, so you can feel good about specifying this product from an environmental and wellness perspective.”
—Cara Paglia, NCIDQ, LEED-AP, Alliance Architecture
“There are endless ways to enhance wall designs with Xorel… it reflects what I as a designer want to achieve: a beautiful end product that enhances the wellbeing of the end user and supports the environment.”
—Emma Keller, Interior Designer, Page
"When working on high-end hospitality projects where functionality, durability, and sustainability must deal also with aesthetic, quality, and elegance, Xorel is one of the magic ingredients. Xorel is not just a wall covering for high-traffic corridors, or easy-to-clean surfaces, Xorel is the perfect "skin" to elevate any high-end space while delivering efficiency and durability"
—Giuseppe Amato, Senior Designer/Architect, Vocon NY
Designers love that Xorel offers one unified material language—with the same pattern or color available for wallcovering, wrapped panels, upholstered walls, acoustic solutions, and upholstery. It simplifies coordination, streamlines sourcing, and delivers a consistent, elevated look.
One Textile. Infinite Possibilities.
Xorel doesn’t just outperform—it transforms. Knit, woven, crocheted. Bold or minimal. Structured or fluid. There are no limits to how Xorel can be applied:
- Wallcovering
- Wrapped panels (acoustic or tackable)
- Xorel Artform
- Upholstered seating and headboards
- Indoor/Outdoor
- Architectural Textiles and drapery
- Architectural doors, walls, and partitions
- Custom installations
And with hundreds of colorways and dozens of patterns—including the sustainable elegance of Biobased Xorel—the design possibilities are as limitless as your vision.
The Carnegie Difference: Innovation with Integrity
At Carnegie, we don’t believe in cutting corners. We believe in doing it right, even when that means doing it differently. Our journey with Xorel began over 50 years ago with one radical idea: to create a performance textile without PVC or toxic additives. We didn’t stop there. With the introduction of Biobased Xorel in 2013, we raised the bar again—replacing fossil fuels with plants.
And we continue to lead the industry with:
- Responsible return programs for end-of-life material
- Complete transparency through HPDs, EPDs, and certifications
- Material innovation backed by science, not greenwashing
When you choose Xorel, you’re not just selecting a surface material. You’re choosing trust, performance, and a partner committed to the future of sustainable design.
The Bottom Line: Designers Trust Xorel—Because It Delivers
Whether you're designing for a hotel, hospital, or a multi-family property, Xorel offers a foundation you can count on. It’s more than just a beautiful textile—it’s a powerful tool for creating environments that are high-performing, health-conscious, and built to last.
About the Author
Aliesha Crosby is X
