Xorel: From Plastic Pioneer to Biobased Powerhouse - A 40+ Year Journey

Left: Xorel Red Book; Top Right: Cliff Goldman and Bob Goldman; Bottom Right: Xorel Yarn

Our first innovation was Xorel® – our commercial textile that broke into a market that previously only knew vinyl wallcovering, paint, and less durable textiles. The motivation to seek this solution stemmed from the risks posed to firefighters when facing burning vinyl, as it releases harmful fumes when burned, and therefore posed a danger for building occupants and first responders during a fire.

Trials with an incredibly strong and durable yarn that had only been used for industrial purposes began in 1974. This period of experimentation with a yarn and backing system that had all the aesthetic advantages of a textile, but the ease of maintenance of vinyl wallcovering lasted between 1971 and 1981. In 1981, the first sample product of Xorel® was launched with ~30 colors in 3 neutral patterns. It was named after Jorel, Superman’s father, and an X was used as an ode to the scientific approach to the development. 

Riding the wave of an innovative victory, the potential of Xorel® drove major forward momentum. The development process informed much about material safety and its effect on the built environment, and it was clear that commitment to the environment and the end-users of Carnegie products meant a 100% PVC-free promise. Because Xorel® is made from polyethylene, no topical finishes, coatings, plasticizers, or chemistry are needed for it to attain performance features, it’s all inherent to the yarn. Aesthetically speaking, the innovation was just getting started.

During the 1980s, the market design aesthetic was mostly based on natural-looking textiles and materials. Xorel’s appearance was slightly different with a more lustrous yarn, and its deviation from the design norms challenged market acceptance. Eventually, though, designers sought something beyond industry norms that was innovative, versatile, and sustainable, and Xorel® gained popularity. 

As a market driven organization, designer need has always been at the forefront of our design process. Experimentations with color and alternative yarn concepts began in 1984 with the launches of Strie, a collection of 40+ saturated colorways, and Nexus, a linen-like textured textile in 1987. In 1996, I joined the team with the mission to elevate Xorel® beyond its high-performance nature to a textile that designers felt inspired to use. From 1990-2013 innovations ranged from flame retardant yarn, Jacquard designs, and other variations including handwoven, emboss, embroider, graphic, and appliqué.

Clockwise from bottom left:  Xorel Nexus, Xorel Strie, Xorel Graphic, and Xorel Jacquard

In 2007, Xorel® became the first wallcovering product to earn Cradle to Cradle Silver Certification. This sustainability victory was pivotal as it ignited the desire to push the sustainability implications of Xorel® even farther. Like all plastics, Xorel® was manufactured using fossil fuels (natural gas), and seeking a greener alternative was the clear next step in our sustainability commitment.

In 2007, the journey to harnessing bioplastics (plastics derived from plant sources) began. After more than 6 years of testing, this new concept became a reality. Biobased Xorel®, made from rapidly renewable sugarcane, was officially launched in 2013. This new yarn was comprised of 60%-85% plant based content, which far surpassed USDA regulations of 25% in order to be considered biobased. And so, another sustainability milestone was achieved – a rare Cradle to Cradle Gold certification. 

The process of Biobased Xorel®: Sugarcane waste → PE Pellets → Biobased Yarn → Textile

The process of Biobased Xorel®: original 2013 launch and 2024 launch

As a textile and materials company, our sights have always been set on providing holistic design solutions for industry needs. At this point, Xorel® was a successful wallcovering and upholstery solution, and had been being used with certain acoustic applications. However, with the popularity of acoustic management in commercial spaces continuing to increase, we sought out to create a pathway for ease of installation. 

The launch of Xorel Artform brought this radical and innovative textile to new heights in 2016. It was an artful acoustical panel solution that addressed the resilience needed for high-traffic environments. The design capabilities and aesthetic made sure that the acoustic management was not only functional and easy to use but also beautiful, like a piece of art. 

Xorel Artform, fusing the artful performance of Xorel® textiles with superior sound-absorbing capabilities.

In the same year as Xorel Artform launched a new ceiling baffle product, a major construction innovation took place. Previously, Xorel® had been used as a wallcovering product and functioned well on certain upholstered applications, but it was clear that designers were seeking a more versatile construction that could handle the curves and shapes of all types of upholstered surfaces. 

In 2019, we launched Xorel Knit. This launch officially catapulted Xorel® into a whole new era with even more possibilities on the horizon. Making sure that our design process was aligned with solving real designer needs, we knew creating a design system informed by market insights was the ultimate goal. This perspective on the industry landscape led us to major yarn innovations such as a matte version of Xorel yarn in 2020, bi-color textiles in our Biobased Xorel® expansion in 2022, our major innovative feat of bringing Xorel outdoors with our introduction of Xorel Biobased Outdoor in 2022 and 2023, and finally, in 2024, the optimization of our Indoor/Outdoor Xorel Knits with a softer and more luxurious hand that designers have been asking for.

This year, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of our legendary Biobased Xorel®, we are launching a refreshed color palette of Xorel Strie, which has become the #1 choice for wallcovering, wrapped panels, and upholstery. In addition to that, we are proud to share that we have secured an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for Biobased Xorel® and an embodied carbon footprint of 1.12 kg carbon dioxide (CO2) per yard. It is clearer than ever that access to sustainable choices that can co-exist in harmony and meet the needs of our design community is paramount, and will always serve as the foundation of our design ethic. As designers ourselves, and also as a brand, we are deeply committed to responsible innovation. Every product we release is solely for the benefit of our design community and as we move forward with our revolutionary textile, we will always align with what is best for people, the planet, and the process.

Heather Bush, Carnegie CCO, in 1998 and today

• 1971 – First Textile Wallcovering program in industry launched by Carnegie
• 1974 – Trials begin with Xorel yarn
• 1981 – First Xorel sample product launches - 30 colors in 3 patterns, neutral colors only
• 1984 – Strie – a technical plain weave launches in 40+ saturated colorways
• 1987 – Nexus – a linen like textured plain launches
• 1990 – An inherently flame retardant Xorel yarn is launched – sales outside USA begin
• 1994 – First Xorel Jacquard designs launched
• 1995 – Xorel Chair - designed by Brian Kane launches: wins IDSA Industrial Design Award
• 1997 – Anne Beetz Designs Structured Xorel collection exploring handwoven looks
• 2006 – Xorel Emboss Patterns Introduced
• 2007 – Xorel receives Cradle to Cradle Certification at Silver Level – 1st wallcovering product ever
• 2008 – Xorel Embroider Introduced
• 2009 – Xorel Graphic - digital printing
• 2010 – X-Protect Sit backing launches to create a completely waterproof seating option
• 2011 – Xorel Responsible Return Program begins
• 2012 – Appliqué patterns launches
• 2013 – Biobased Xorel launches achieving rare C2C Gold Certification
• 2014 – Carnegie becomes Certified B Corp – only manufacturer in our industry
• 2015 – Xorel Couture launches
• 2016 – Xorel Artform launches – artful and acoustical panel solution
• 2017 – Xorel Artform 3D panels launch
• 2018 – Xorel Architectural Textiles launch
• 2019 – Xorel Knit Launch, Xorel Artform Baffles Launch
• 2020 – Xorel Matte Launch (major yarn innovation), Boost Ottoman featuring Xorel Knit, Xorel Artform Cascade & Connect
• 2021 – Xorel Meteor- 81 new colors launch, Canvas featuring Xorel Launch
• 2022 – Xorel Biobased expansion (major yarn innovation bi-color) patterns Ashford Galway, Dover, Windsor)
• 2023 – Xorel Biobased Outdoor Launch (major yarn innovation, First launch late Dec 2022 second Fall 2023)
• 2024 – Xorel Biobased Expansion, refreshed Strie, Nexus, Dash

Heather Bush is the Chief Creative Officer at Carnegie.