It's Easy Being Green
  
           
 
 
left to right:
Timothy Schoenheit
Clayola Brown (Chairperson of NAACP)
Andrew Schoenheit
Detra Palmore (President of idesigns Events)
 
Backstage at the luxurious ECO Lux Lounge at the 39th NAACP Image Awards last night in Los Angeles, amid the swirl of evening gowns and murmur of tuxes, another fabric was making its debut splash. Draped dramatically from the ceiling and enclosing the 36’ by 72’ “green products” gift lounge, the eco-friendly wire-mesh fabric from Cascade Coil officially made its debut as part of the sustainable design movement.

“Cascade Coil has always maintained a strong dedication to producing ecologically sound products,” says Ron Schoenheit, president and CEO of the Portland, Oregon-based Cascade Coil. “We’ve been reinventing recycled scrap metal as wire-mesh fabric for years, ever since the wire suppliers began using recycled content, although until now we didn’t really think of ourselves as ‘green.’ But in fact we’ve been green all along, and now we’re ready to stand up and say so.”

Demand has soared for “green” interior and exterior elements, according to Timothy Schoenheit, vice president of marketing for Cascade Coil. “Suddenly we realized that we’d always made a concerted effort to use recycled materials and meet and exceed industry manufacturing standards.” Why not tell people about it? he thought. “The NAACP Image Awards’ ECO Lux Lounge dovetailed perfectly with our readiness to ‘debut green.’”

 
left to right:
Timothy Schoenheit
singer Jordin Sparks
Ron Schoenheit
Andrew Schoenheit
 
The wire-mesh fabric gracing the NAACP ECO Lux Lounge was twelve feet high and 283 feet long, made of 18-gauge aluminum. “We source our wire from manufacturers that use a high percentage of recycled content, usually ninety percent scrap base,” Tim Schoenheit says. “The manufacturing process uses minimal energy, no toxic chemicals or solvents and produces almost no scrap. The small amount of scrap that is produced is in turn recycled.”

Designers and architects in the know have tapped in to Cascade Coil’s products despite the fact there’s been no fanfare about their being eco-friendly. Cascade Coil was invited to showcase their wire-mesh fabric by Vernare in Los Angeles, a firm devoted to high-end sustainable design. “Cascade Coil fit our needs, in keeping with Vernare’s dedication to high design and low impact to our planet,” says Daniel Vandenbark, founder and owner of Vernare. “I've had Cascade Coil specified on projects before but hadn't realized its full eco-story. The wire-mesh fabric is made of recycled material, it’s recyclable, flexible, colorful, and, with our nearly 283 linear foot circle, it was over-the-top for the NAACP event!”

Beginning this year, Cascade Coil is adding more details to their product information about the company’s environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and the fact that the company exceeds the Department of Environmental Quality standard in the painting process. Plus, Tim points out, many of the natural finishes on their fabric need no painting at all.

Cascade Coil wire-mesh fabric has been used in settings as diverse as the set of Oprah, the Museum of Modern Art Bookstore, Wolfgang Puck’s CUT and sidebar, the Sheryl Crow Concert Tour, the Detroit Auto Show and many more.

“From my grandfather’s original fencing business in the 1930s to fireplace screens to cutting-edge interior design, Cascade Coil’s rich history is a testament to innovation and moving forward with the times,” says Ron Schoenheit, reflecting on the business, which is still family-owned and operated. “Cascade Coil’s commitment to environmentally friendly products remains strong and can only grow as we raise our standards even higher.”

Host D.L. Hughley with
Detra Palmore of idesign Events		 Vanessa Williams, winner of
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Show, and friend		 Laura Clemons of Lowe Gallery with Jordin Sparks, winner of Outstanding New Artist