#3 Product Selection Criteria

 Product Selection Criteria 

Gina Christopher 


Product selection for furnishings used in commercial spaces is very important because commercial furnishings are used in public settings. Furnishings used in public settings need to be selected to all the best standards and criteria due to being placed in a high traffic area. Based on the class material a good product selection criteria list may include client preferences, fire rating, durability, ACT, aesthetics, color fastness to light, stain resistance, cleanability, maintenance, antimicrobial finishes, and sustainability standards such as lead and well.

Developing a personalized product selection list is important as an interior designer so that you have something to reference when choosing products for a certain use or project. For a commercial product selection list, appearance retention and durability are properties of high importance.  Sustainability is also significant in the selection of furnishings for commercial buildings because public spaces strive to become more sustainable and eco-friendlier. Also, maintenance and cleaning in public spaces is done professionally by cleaning staff so it is important that material selected for commercial furnishings sustained their use over an extended period. Potent chemicals are used more frequently in commercial settings, which makes maintenance and care extremely important. Abiding by codes and regulations is also of high importance once selecting commercial furnishings, this includes ADA accessibility laws and fire codes. These are usually mandatory for product selection in all commercial spaces based on its jurisdiction and use. For example, NFPA 701 Is used for fire testing and commercial settings, determining the flammability rating and how quickly fire spreads.

Furthermore, Durability, stain resistance, and the use of antimicrobial finishes is important for commercial spaces. Durability can be tested using certain tests such as the Wyzenbeek (double rubs). Double rubs determine a fabric’s ability to hold its integrity and withstand tearing. Colorfastness to light plays a role in durability. Stain resistance ability of a fabric is also important in a commercial space to make sure that the material can hold its integrity when accidents happen. Same resistance of fabrics is also important for commercial spaces in the medical field to allow for easy cleaning. Antimicrobial finishes are good for healthcare settings because they fight bacteria.

 The last couple things on my product selection criteria list for commercial spaces include aesthetics and client preferences. The client or company preferences are extremely important to use as a guideline when choosing products. The client and end users must be satisfied at the end of the day. If your selections do not meet those specific needs, then you will probably not get hired again. Aesthetics are also important to consider. Aesthetics are more of a concern in residential projects rather than commercial projects. With that being said it is still important to make sure that you are not choosing products that are eyesores or unappealing while still meeting all the important criteria needed for a commercial space.    


One Step Further:

For my one step further, I decided to focus on recycled fibers. The benefits of recycling waste include reducing costs of purchasing materials. increasing profitability. minimizing cost of disposal and treatments. minimizing environmental impacts by reducing use of new raw materials and producing products from earlier ones, textile recycling requires less energy than any other type of recycling, and textile recycling does not create any new hazardous waste or harmful byproducts. The recovered fibers from waste can be used to produce blended yarns in different portions. These fibers can be reused for the open-end spinning and friction spinning but nowadays attempts on ring spinning are also in progress.

Processing costs associated with recycled products as compared to new products may be contributing to the lack of a market. These costs can be addressed if the industry views textile waste as a valuable commodity. I think now is a time more than ever where considering the use of recycled materials should be a high priority. Landfills are bigger than ever, which is negatively impacting global change in our lived environment. As people and designers, we need to start considering cradle-to-cradle methods of use in all the products that we are using. 



References:

Bhatia, D., Sharma, A., & Malhotra, U. (2014). Recycled fibers: an overview. International Journal of Fiber and Textile Research, 4(4), 77-82.

Grasso, M. M. (1995). Recycled textile fibers: the challenge for the twenty-first century. Textile Chemist and Colorist, 27(5), 5.

Yates, M., & Concra, A. (2019). Textiles for residential and commercial interiors. Fairchild Books, Bloomsbury Publishing Inc.

Comments

  1. INT323 Textiles BlogFebruary 1, 2026 at 3:27 PM

    This is an a excellent analysis with good references! One Step further that you included is very interested and informative. Please go on the eLEARN portal under Course References. The listing of product selection criteria we have summarized for this course is located there.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anna ShultsFebruary 5, 2026 at 6:21 PM

    Hey Gina! Great job this week on your blog post. Your one step further was so intriguing. It is such an important thing to think about the materials and resources we already have. Recycled fabrics are using the goods that we have already created to now make something new. After reading about your research, I looked up some videos, and I found this interesting video about recycled fabrics! This is mainly about the process and stages! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuqaWMdFilY

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rebeca HerreraFebruary 6, 2026 at 1:16 PM

    I really enjoyed reading your blog! I really liked how you explained why durability, color fastness, and maintenance are so important when choosing textiles for commercial spaces. Your points about fabrics holding up to light, cleaning, and heavy use connect well to the article, which goes deeper into how these qualities are tested to make sure materials perform well over time.
    ISO 105 Guide: Rubbing, Washing & Light Fastness Standards

    ReplyDelete
  4. INT323 Textiles BlogFebruary 15, 2026 at 5:17 PM

    This is an excellent post. The detail you provide is very helpful and practical. I appreciate the resources that you provided. Good work!

    ReplyDelete

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