In a post-COVID world, being clean is one of the most critical components of upholstery, particularly in commercial settings. Whether in a hotel, on a plane or in a healthcare facility, being able to properly clean and disinfect furnishings is more important than ever.

In most upholstery, fabric applications will not stand up to the rigors of cleaning required to remove viruses and bacteria. Enter vinyl.

The best surfaces for proper hygiene are solid, unbroken and impermeable, like vinyl. They serve as both a barrier between the product and user, as well as a flat surface that can’t hide dirt and germs or let liquids permeate. A solid surface will always outperform a woven textile when it comes to cleanliness and durability.

And while leathers are mostly impermeable, they can’t handle the rigors of cleaners that eliminate bacteria and viruses. But vinyl can offer the style of leather, along with its impermeable qualities, with an added dose of durability that allows it to remain undisturbed by harsh cleaning products.

Topcoats are important, too. Vinyl topcoats for PVC impart critical performance properties. A coating can enhance abrasion and stain resistance, surface cleanability and provide UV resistance. They can also improve mold and mildew resistance.

But being “clean” isn’t just about maintenance techniques. That word also refers to a product’s sustainability and environmental impact, a factor that also has increased in importance since the pandemic.

Inherently, vinyl is a more sustainable product than most fabrics, because vinyl lasts twice as long as fabric does in the field. Meaning those fabrics often end up in landfills because of the need to replace them more often. And Morbern’s dedicated second-quality team redirects material to other markets and applications so that it is kept out of landfill sites.

Beyond that, Morbern has taken additional steps to reduce its carbon footprint and environmental impact.

Unlike other polymers such as PU, 50% of PVC (vinyl) is made up of common salt – this makes it less reliant on fossil fuel and easily recyclable. Large quantities of vinyl are re-melted into many useful products and, in contrast to silicone, numerous vinyl-recycling facilities can be found all over the world.

At the plant, Morbern uses 99% renewable hydroelectric power, and its closed-loop cooling circuits installed in 2016 reduced the company’s water consumption by more than 75%. And the water that flows out of the plant at the end of the manufacturing process is clean enough to drink.

To improve air quality, Morbern uses low-VOC (volatile organic compounds), water-based top coat finishes rather than solvent formulations. And the company installed a new coater to better control emissions and improve the air quality of its surrounding community.

Being clean—both physically and environmentally—means more than ever. And Morbern continues to innovate and improve both the cleanability of their products and the clean processes to make them.

For Morbern CEO Mark Bloomfield, the family business has been an integral part of his life, even prior to his 30 years of working for the company. And while many know him for his leadership of the business, there’s much more to Bloomfield outside the office.

We recently chatted with him about his personal philosophies on business and life, as well as what drives him outside the work arena.

What is your leadership philosophy, and what are the most important attributes of leaders today?

I believe that a strong leader’s main role is to help his/her staff be successful. This is done by allowing an appropriate autonomy for their departments. I also strive to address issues without assigning blame, and just attack the problem itself. By the nature of my role, I usually only see the serious problems, and I am there to help address these most difficult problems in the most effective manner.

Who has been the greatest mentor in your life?

My father has taught me most of what I know about business. I am one of the luckiest executives, as I was on an executive training path starting when I was 16 years old (even though I didn’t realize it at the time).

Do you have any favorite quotes?

Two of my favorite business quotes are:

“Put the right person in the right job and watch them go.”   —Unknown

“In god we trust. All others bring data”  —W. Edwards Demming

What would you put on a billboard?

“Show me the data.”

What do you like to do in your free time?

I bike, downhill ski and enjoy reading. I am a bit of a tech geek, and I listen to podcasts. Pre-COVID, I enjoyed traveling, but now staycations are the name of the game.

You have several dogs—what it is about canines that you connect with?

I had three, but one just passed away. Dogs are the best. Every time your dog sees you, they react like they haven’t seen you in years, even if you just ran to the corner store. That kind of unconditional love – who couldn’t love that?

If you weren’t with Morbern, where would we find you?

If I had the talent? Starting left defense for the Montreal Canadiens. I love hockey. Most of the people I interact with already know I am a diehard Canadiens fan.

With the talent I do have, I would find a similar job. I truly enjoy manufacturing—working with smart people, creating physical products from ideas. In almost any commercial site, I am always looking at the seating or upholstery to see if it was made by Morbern. Once I saw a Super Bowl commercial on TV with Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander, sitting on a seat made from material I was personally involved in developing. That was cool.

Mark Bloomfield, CEO of Morbern, reflects on his 30 years of experience in the textile industry. His story showcases his passion for the family business.

We recently sat down with Morbern CEO Mark Bloomfield to talk about how he got into the business. Today we talk with Mark about leadership, Morbern’s incredible workforce and the future of vinyl.

Read part one of our interview.

What do you feel is the biggest strength of Morbern right now?

We have an internal DNA throughout the company of always striving to do better. While we are very proud of winning Canada’s Best Managed, we know we can do so much more. I maintain lists of all the projects we have to improve our business year over year, and we do this for all areas of our business—raw materials, efficiencies, yields, IT, accounting, training, environmental, HR, etc.

How would you describe the Morbern workforce? 
I have enjoyed working with all the employees I interact with. Respect is important at Morbern, and I find that helps make the workplace more enjoyable. Our employees are a diligent, hard-working bunch, and a big component of our success.

What does employee leadership look like?

It is honestly seeking input from all employees, no matter how junior. It’s also being willing to admit to not knowing everything, to admit when you are wrong, to show up with a good attitude and a positive work ethic, and to be respectful.

How do you keep your team motivated despite conflicts and obstacles?

With a positive work attitude. We do not attack people, we attack problems. When there’s a crisis, we work together to fix it. We then have a debrief, and discuss how to prevent this problem from occurring again.

How did Morbern navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic?

When COVID hit North America, we used the time for R&D.  We didn’t layoff any employees, even though our sales fell by more than 50%. This R&D philosophy has driven our sales greatly, well before COVID hit.

What is your vision for Morbern and its employees over the next 10 years?

Our vision statement is “To bring innovative upholstery fabrics to every corner of the world.” We feel we can export our Canadian-designed products to anywhere in the world. We expect to continue our growth strategy and to continue to search out new markets for our technology.

How do polyurethane coated fabrics and vinyl coated farbics differ? In our previous post, we examined several elements as it relates to vinyl and polyurethane, namely durability and cleanability. This week we tackle flame resistance and environmental impact.

Flame Resistance Particularly in upholstery applications, flame resistance is an important property. Vinyl is inherently flame retardant, while polyurethane offers some flame resistance and needs added flame retardants to meet the same flame retardancy as vinyl.

Environmental Impact Sustainability has become an important consideration for many when choosing materials. And vinyl is a good choice for those looking to reduce their environmental impact. Not only does it last longer—meaning it’s less likely to be discarded—it’s also recyclable, routinely processed into roofing materials and other applications.

Polyurethane upholstery is made from cross linked plastics which means it cannot be remelted and reused. Some can theoretically be recycled after consumer use, but not as feasibly as vinyl, which can be remelted and reused.

Polyurethane is made from 100% crude oil. Vinyl is made from 50% table salt, so it uses less oil to make the same weight of material as polyurethanes. Plus Polyurethane uses isocyanates in their production, a material that is known to cause lung sensitivity and asthma.

When it comes to manufacturing the majority of Morbern’s vinyls are produced domestically so they save not only time, but also money in freight fees. Most polyurethanes are made overseas resulting in more green house gases being produced by the ocean vessels which are big contributors to CO2 emissions.

Vinyl is an attractive choice for a number of applications, from medical to marine, hospitality to home office, automotive and recreational vehicles. Next time you’re looking for an affordable, durable and cleanable upholstery covering, choose vinyl and experience how this long-lasting coated fabric performs over time.

There is a lot of information out there about polyurethane as an upholstery cover, but not so much about vinyl. Both are effective, man-made coated fabrics used in a wide variety of settings, and both form an impenetrable barrier between user and product.

So where do they differ? Here’s a look at how the two materials stack up:

Durability Vinyl has been proven to last years longer in the field than polyurethane, which succumbs to moisture loses elasticity over time.

Vinyl is not susceptible to water or moisture from occupants. That is why vinyl is used in swimming pool liners and for window frames and vinyl siding. With the correct topfinish, many vinyl fabrics feel like natural leather. Interestingly, all major automotive companies have replaced all polyurethane and most leather upholstery with vinyl fabrics.

Cleanability With the COVID-19 pandemic making it critical to properly disinfect surfaces, cleanability has become one of the most important characteristics of upholstered surfaces. Vinyl is highly cleanable, standing up to the rigors of bleach and quaternary ammonia. In contrast, polyurethane is vulnerable to many cleaning agents and disinfectants, making it more difficult to clean without damaging the material, resulting is fading, flaking and brittleness.

That cleanability, along with vinyl’s ability to serve as an effective barrier against germs, has made it invaluable for use in personal protection equipment, protecting medical professionals from some of the most virulent diseases in the world.

Since 1996, Jean Claude Chabot has been an integral part of the Morbern team. Currently vice president of process improvement at Morbern, and formerly vice president of manufacturing operations, Chabot is a trained chemist with a long history of shaping Morbern’s products and processes.

We recently caught up with Chabot to learn more about his experience and the role of chemistry in Morbern’s products.

You speak French and English—how did you become bilingual? 

I was born and raised in French Québec in a multiethnic neighborhood. I learned the basics of English in high school, but when I joined the Canadian Armed Forces Naval Reserve, I was immersed in an English environment. Because lives are at stakes in a military environment, there cannot be any miscommunication, so English was the only language spoken. The learning curve in that environment is at warp speed.

Speaking the language of another group allows one to be exposed to their history, their art and their culture, and provides a vehicle to connect personally to people who otherwise would stay foreign to you.

What other lessons did you learn in the Navy? 

The Armed Forces is a mini-society were everyone has to count on each other for a common goal—the goals are often impossible to achieve by one person alone and require a group effort. No jobs are futile, and every job is equally important.  But the most important thing I learned is that you can vigorously debate your ideas with your leader during the preparation phase, however, when a decision is made, the job has to be carried out, and it’s not the time to argue.

What sparked your interest in chemistry? 

Science and understanding how things work have always been passions of mine, even from a young age. Two chemistry professors in college opened my eyes on the impact of chemistry in today’s world.

What role does chemistry play in the development of vinyl?

Chemistry defines the performance attributes of an article and the process parameters that must be observed for a product to process efficiently. However, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, statistics, finance, sales and regulatory roles are just as important.

Do you have a favorite product you’ve developed? 

The bulk of my career with Morbern was in production management and process improvement, and during that time my group developed the original automotive product lines for Ford and General Motors. My favorite endeavors are ones our customers are not necessarily aware of—I get the greatest pleasure in streamlining production operations, correcting problems, maximizing utilization of raw materials and reducing waste.

What drove you to spend most of your career at Morbern?

I am a faithful person, and I feel a sense of responsibility for Morbern’s success as a business and as a corporate citizen. Morbern provides an intellectually stimulating environment—members of my group have been selected for their creativity and excellence, and it’s very stimulating and challenging to be around them. What keeps me going is the satisfaction of the small successes realized every day.

What are the biggest changes you’ve seen since joining Morbern?

The biggest change is the reduction of cost for acquiring and manipulating data. Sensors and software to manage large databases are more accessible today. It’s not unusual for a factory of our size to capture and control 1,000+ variables spread over several processes.

How do you translate high-level scientific concepts when talking to non-science-based teams?

As a young chemist, I remember giving a technical presentation to an audience composed of technical and lay people. I could clearly feel the interest of the technical members and the complete boredom of the others. I quickly learned that technical people will mentally fill in the gaps in a conversation where the level of language is more suited to the lay person, but the opposite is not true. You have to ensure the concepts are clearly explained with words that are meaningful to your audience.

If money was no object, what would we find you doing?

I’d hire help for housework, yard work—I wouldn’t even change a light bulb. I’d be more available for my family and spend more time with my grandchildren.

Sustainable. Environmentally friendly. Green. Ecological responsibility. Various phrases describe the same thing, but the nomenclature isn’t important. What’s critical is the action behind the words.

Lowering a company’s and a product’s environmental impact is a long-term and ongoing endeavor. A “one and done” fix doesn’t work. Continual improvement is the mindset that drives ongoing, successful changes that result in real progress. It’s a mindset Morbern adopted decades ago. The company was among the first manufacturers of coated fabrics to completely eliminate heavy metals, and it ensures that the water flowing out at the end of the manufacturing process is clean enough to drink.

Some of the largest product changes in the company’s history have come in the last year as part of MorGreen—the story of Morbern’s journey toward sustainability. A significant portion of the company’s vinyls for the contract, healthcare and hospitality markets have been reformulated to lower environmental impact. The new formulas also ensure most materials contain bio-based renewable ingredients.

These new formulas are:

And critical to doing business in the Golden State, the company also developed a group of vinyls that comply with California AB2998, a bill which prohibits the sale of new juvenile products, mattresses and upholstered furniture with flame retardants.

Morbern’s flame retardant free and AB2998 Compliant products include: Abbey, Allante Free, Arc, Aristo, Bantam, Cinema, Flair, Hexx, Natural Linen, Verve, Vitality and Freedom. Additional product lines are scheduled to become compliant in the next few years.

The majority of Morbern’s vinyls are manufactured here in North America, for use in North America, eliminating the need for costly (and carbon filled) overseas shipping. Making products close to home helps not only the environment but eliminates costly and unpredictable delays for customers.

Want to learn more about Morbern’s sustainability efforts? Check out the MorGreen section of the website.