What is BiOH polyols? And why is it important for us to know about it??

Okay I am still "green" excuse my pun, to all the eco-friendly products and materials out there and I am in the industry. There is just so much to learn and it is forever improving!! I had a question the other day, that I thought I would share with all of you. "Is your upholstery made with soy blend foam made with BiOH BRAND soy polyols?"Leslie. I knew the foam I used was made out of a soy blend and that it was an environmentally friendly product. But, I would have to do some research to truly find out the rest of the question, and I am glad I did! because the result was better then I thought it would be. "BiOH polyols are a soy-based ingredient for flexible foam used in upholstered furniture and bedding, carpet backing, and automotive seats . . . Current BiOH technology allows our customers to create foam products with typical levels of renewable content from 5 to 20%. Considering that only 3 years ago all of these products were 100% petroleum-based, we think this is a significant step! However, we’re not satisfied yet; the BiOH team is committed to developing new chemistries that create products with higher levels of renewable content." Very interesting, but how much crude oil (petrolem) does using BiOH polyols really save? "For every 1 million lbs of BiOH polyols that replace traditional petro polyols in foam cushioning, approximately 2200 barrels of crude petroleum is saved for other uses." Wow now if furniture companies and the consumer started requesting this foam and using this product, the impact would be significant to our environment! BiOH polyols did a study to show how they have a smaller carbon foot print then raw material manufactures who use traditional petrochemical polyols. "36% less global warming emissions -61% less non-renewable energy use, 23% less total energy demand." From my last blog on the carbon footprint, we all know now how important it is to lower our carbon foot print and here is another great way to start that movement. So, ask the question when purchasing a furniture piece or mattress, is BiHo polyols used??( http://www.bioh.com/index.html )

Thought you might find this interesting too, it explains how foam is made:

http://www.bioh.com/bioh_how_its_made.html

Keep up the good work with making your life more GREEN! A movement might start with just a small step but as you move, the steps get bigger and stronger and before you know it the world is moving with you!

Until next time,

w&c designer girl!