Northern Contours has done it again. Its long legacy of industry leadership continues, with the introduction of a new, more sustainable 3DL surface made from rPET and the use of climate-positive composite wood materials from suppliers of MDF, particleboard, and TFL from companies dedicated to moving the needle on climate change. 

This all adds up to raising the bar on environmentally friendly options for closet, kitchen, and commercial furniture designers and producers, with one important added benefit: 

Climate-positive furniture components do not have to cost more! 

Northern Contours specializes in high-quality custom furniture components, offering a versatile product range that includes cabinet doors, drawer fronts, mouldings, worktops, and panel solutions. Utilizing materials like veneer, TFL, 2DL, and 3DL, the products are crafted in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in the United States and Canada.

Over the decades, the company has become known for its expertise in 3D lamination, working with materials, sometimes known as thermofoils, PVC, or vinyls, from most major producers selling in North America. 

rPET: New benchmark in sustainable 3DL

For decades, “3DL” meant PVC thermofoils, which have proven to be stable, safe, durable, and budget-friendly surfaces for all varieties of furniture and millwork components. 

“But the material world is changing, and PET and recycled PET have become so established as 3D laminates in Europe that you hardly even heard the term ‘PVC’ anymore,” said Missy Sjerven, Northern Contours’ vice president of Marketing. “We decided to get out ahead of this trend in North America with the launch of our new Ecos Collection.” 

PET is the stuff water and soda bottles are made from, and it offers several advantages as a furniture laminate. Topping the list are: it can be recycled repeatedly with less degradation, compared to PVC it’s lighter, and it’s naturally clear and glossy without additives, making it an excellent base for vibrant, high-quality finishes.

Making the leap to rPET 3DLs

“PET and rPET have been on our radar for a long time,” Sjerven said. “We were watching its progress in Europe, meeting with our vendors to learn what we could and, honestly, waiting for customers to start asking for it.” 

With early versions of the material, there were reports that it required different press setups than PVC, sometimes didn’t form well around tight radii, and the available colors and designs were limited. And it was 15-20 percent more expensive. So, what nudged the company off the fence? Serendipity. 

Niles Technology, a Florida-based distributor, dropped off samples of rPET from Neodecortech, an Italian producer of rPET 3DL. 

“They had matches for all of the popular designs and colors from big TFL suppliers like Arauco, Tafisa and Uniboard, which is really important in the closets market. We already had a nice collection of neutrals, but we were looking for some ‘hot’ colors and designs that we know designers love. They’re bringing it into stock in North America, easy access for us, and it performs well with our current press setups, no changes were necessary. We just hit the ground running!”

At that time, a major customer — Organizers Direct Industries — was looking for a 3DL match for Arauco’s Roja design. When they heard Northern Contours could get it in a sustainable rPET material, Sjerven said they jumped on the chance.

Organizers Direct Industries (ODI)

“We are thrilled to introduce PET 3DL products to our portfolio, a move that aligns perfectly with our commitment to sustainability and luxury,” said Alicia Barker, president of ODI. 

“Partnering with Northern Contours to offer these eco-friendly options is an exciting opportunity for ODI to lead the charge in providing beautiful, sustainable solutions for custom closets and home storage. PET 3DL not only supports a greener future, but it also delivers high-quality, on-trend colors that our clients will love. 

“As a brand dedicated to enhancing the efficiency and beauty of luxury homes, we are proud to offer products that meet the growing demand for sustainable choices without compromising on style or performance. This is just the beginning,” Barker said, “and we look forward to expanding our offerings of PET 3DL in the future.” 

In a world full of “safe” colors, this new collection adds world-class sustainability to Northern Contours’ leadership portfolio with virtually no difference in price. 

“We were instrumental in helping make the super-matte anti-fingerprint surfaces popular here,” Sjerven said, “and we plan to do the same with rPET.”

Climate-positive substrates

“We’re realizing that most of our customers don’t know that the substrates we use — wood, MDF and particleboard — are actually the only truly climate-positive building materials out there,” said Sjerven. “They store more naturally captured carbon than is released in producing them and our suppliers buy their fiber only from sustainably managed forests, which helps keep them healthy and productive for generations.”

The particleboard and TFL from Tafisa actually contain recycled wood, thanks to their ReWood program, making the story even better. 

“We’ve joined the Climate Positive NOW movement to help share this story with companies like ODI, who are also very dedicated to sustainability education,” said Sjerven.

“Composite wood makes up something like 95 percent of the content of our components, which is why we can still say even our PVC 3DL products are a sustainable choice…just not quite as sustainable as the rPET Ecos Collection.”