Piana Technology Achieves UL Formaldehyde-Free Claim Validation For Tintoria Piana Products

The textile technology company continues its sustainability mission after successful CES product announcements

Cartersville, GA /PRNewswire/ - Piana Technology, the 439-year-old textile company known for innovations within the fiber and nonwovens textiles markets, kicks off 2022 by receiving UL formaldehyde-free certification for their flame retardant (FR)-treated fibers. UL's environmental claim validation (ECV) program validates claims that a product does not contain formaldehyde or formaldehyde precursors. The certification comes after their announcement of E/SMART™, their high-performance nonwoven fiber technology named a CES® 2022 Innovation Awards Honoree.

Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound (VOC) that quickly off-gasses but very slowly breaks down in the environment, and typically enters the body through inhalation. Bioaccumulation of this compound has been linked to serious health issues such as cancer and hormone disruption. The EPA states that every American is exposed to at least small amounts of formaldehyde off-gassed from household products.

Such risks have inspired demands to remove formaldehyde from fire retardants in consumer products, specifically in the textile industry. Piana Technology's patented FR chemistry is a solution to this problem, as it have never contained formaldehyde. To verify this, Piana Technology partnered with UL to audit their processes and raw material inputs, testing chemical residue from their FR treated fibers at their Tintoria Piana facility in Cartersville, GA. The findings showed that no formaldehyde or formaldehyde precursors were present.

"We are always working to improve our technologies in meaningful ways. This achievement exemplifies not only our commitment to creating safe products for everyday use, but also the deep importance we place on transparency," said a sustainability spokesperson at Piana Technology.

The company's listing is live on the UL website here.

About Piana Technology:
The Piana family's roots began in the textile business in 1582 in Biella, Italy before evolving to develop novel solutions in its industry, starting with traditional textile dyeing in 1950 and the opening of their first American factory in Cartersville, Georgia in 1995. Today, Piana Technology is a multinational company tackling common problems with uncommon solutions with nonwovens, digital printing, and fiber treatments. Piana makes the hidden technology behind many everyday consumer products—from automotive to home furnishings—replacing conventional materials with socially and environmentally responsible technologies.