PA Van Mulders - De Knibber
Manufacturer of traditional painting canvas, frames and art supplies
GREEN LINE
Ecological painting canvas made the traditional way
Challenge
100% recycled polyester
We used 100% recycled polyester as raw material for our new series. This canvas fabric is made from PET bottles collected from coastlines by NGOs and volunteers.
Curious how the production of rPET fabrics goes? Then make sure to watch this video.
28 bottles per running meter
Yes, for every running meter of our green line canvas, no fewer than 28 PET bottles were recycled. These bottles are collected along the coastlines of Asia and then shredded into their smallest possible unit: pellets. These pellets are melted and then re-extruded into filaments or yarns. Our canvas is ultimately made from these yarns!
Handmade
Once the canvas has been delivered to us, it is processed in our studio according to our traditional method. From now on everything is done by hand, just like our forefathers did it. The canvas is stretched, glued, sanded and painted in several layers until we obtain a perfect canvas.
Processed with natural and/or environmentally friendly products
In order not to limit the sustainable aspect of our 'green line' to recycled canvas, we looked for products for processing the canvas that do not harm the environment. We already used rabbit skin glue, a product that is completely natural and not harmful to the environment. Our white priming for oil cloth is based on linseed oil, chalk, titanium and lithopone white and therefore does not harm the environment. As an alternative to white spirit, we now have BIAL 168, an ecological substitute.
Locally made in Belgium
The canvases are processed in our own studio in Erembodegem. The linen that we use for our traditional canvas is produced in Belgium and is therefore 'Belgian linen' certified. For this range within our range we can therefore assume 100% local production.