Sustainability

So is sustainability. It’s a journey, not a destination. Progress, not perfection. And this can be all too easy to forget. As designers, we are challenged every day to balance beauty with practicality. This ongoing give and take provides valuable perspective, because it’s a reminder that the product and its purpose are one and the same. 

Chilewich was born in 2000 out of designer Sandy Chilewich’s passion for reimagining overlooked materials and underused processes to transform the way people around the world set their tables. In designing textiles that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also durable, versatile, and easy to wipe clean, we offer products that address a key element of sustainability: longevity. Every Chilewich product is made to endure decades of daily use and to look good doing it, while conserving the resources required by machine washing and product replacement.

Sustainability is also the quest for better, and we’re committed to continuing to make choices that are better for people and the planet. From raw materials to finished goods, design to production, we recognize that this is an evolution that encompasses manufacturers, consumers, and policymakers in a complex interplay of economics, engineering, and chemistry.

Made to retain their refined look through decades of daily use, our textiles are renowned for their beauty and practicality. They’re also the product of 25 years of continuous innovation to maximize performance and minimize environmental impact. We’re proud of the strides we’ve made, and we’re committed to continuous improvement in our materials and our processes, milestone by milestone.

EXTENDED LIFESPAN
Strengthened by integrated antimicrobial protection, our products retain their beauty and functionality for decades, reducing energy-and cost-intensive replacement and the associated waste.

GREEN CLEANING
Our textiles can be washed with water and biodegradable detergents.

MORE SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION
Designed by our in-house design team, all our woven and tufted textiles are made with pride in the United States. Working with local and domestic suppliers reduces transport-related environmental impacts.

FREE OF PHTHALATES AND HEAVY METALS
It all starts with the yarn. Ours are extruded, and 100% free of the phthalates and heavy metals found in conventional plasticizers.

ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE
Our products have been tested and certified by the Green Label Plus™ and GreenGuard® programs for low VOC emissions, and they can be found in healthcare settings that include major hospitals.

ETHICAL MANUFACTURING
From carefully sourcing polymers to ensuring that our own factory in Georgia meets or exceeds EPA and OSHA standards, we take health and safety as seriously as we do innovation.

Beginning in April 2025, our signature TerraStrand yarns will incorporate recycled content. Derived from carefully sourced post-industrial recycled materials, this content is rigorously tested and allows our yarns to remain free of phthalates and retain their high-performance properties,

including extraordinary durability, flexibility, and resistance to staining, fading, mold, and mildew. Additionally, our yarns will continue to contain a minimum of 18% rapidly renewable content. By October 2026, all products made with TerraStrand will contain a minimum of 14% recycled content.

We believe that we can do even better—for people and the planet. Beginning in September 2025, our yarns will incorporate a patented technology that will accelerate the return to nature of Chilewich products at their end-of-life. This innovation is the result of a collaboration with Worry Free Plastics, which specializes in science-driven solutions that align with the Ellen McArthur Foundation’s principles of a circular economy: eliminate waste and pollution; circulate products and materials at their highest value; and regenerate nature. Our first priority is making the extruded layer, comprising 70% to 80% of the total yarn, fully regenerative, leaving no microplastics behind and ultimately returning to the earth as nutrient-rich soil.