Innovative Shading Solutions For a Brighter Future
At Mecho we don't build products for a season or a trend, we build them to stand the test of time. That means we’ve always thought ahead — to how our products impact the health and comfort of people and planet; how they can operate in harmony with evolving building systems; and where they will go once they eventually leave the building. Thinking ahead and thinking holistically are foundational to our sustainability program. It’s why we took on health and circularity through Cradle to Cradle before it was even a formal standard, and it’s why we never quit on the next innovation, no matter what seems possible today.
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Sustainability is about Leadership, Not Ownership
Here’s how we’ve been working to foster and inspire innovation and well-being from our early days into the future.
Origins of our Sustainability Program
When designing our first roller shades, our founder closely studied how people interacted with light while indoors. He saw the way that well-lit spaces make people happier, and was fascinated by their intuitive desire to connect with the outdoors. These observations would spark decades of innovation to enhance occupant health and wellbeing outcomes.
Our Current Focus Areas
As a company, we remain committed to providing customized, manufactured-to-order products that support occupant comfort and health. But over time, we've widened the lens on our commitment to human needs as the industry has expanded its definition of holistic sustainability. This means evaluating our material ingredient choices in design, disclosing and reducing our environmental impacts; improving system automation for whole-building benefits, and striving for materials that stay in buildings and in material circulation, and out of the landfill.
Our work advances every day. Here’s what this looks like:
- Material health transparency through Declare labels
- Disclosing our embodied carbon impacts with Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)s
- Product certification and optimization leveraging Cradle to Cradle
Where We’re Headed
The building industry has a challenging road ahead to rapidly reduce its impacts on humans and the environment — and so do we as a manufacturer. Change doesn’t accelerate in isolation, so we’re actively engaging with established building frameworks and industry groups that share our goals and values.
Whether through participation in product certification committees, providing industry education, or involvement in leadership collaboration groups, here are a few ways that our partnerships are leading toward a more sustainable future:
- Signatory on the Manufacturer Materials Pledge
- Catalyst Members of the Mindful Materials Manufacturers Forum
- Supporting LEED v4.1 Alignment and WELL Alignment
Speaking A Common Sustainability Language
What does Cradle to Cradle guarantee about a product? What can you learn from a Declare label? What products support a Circular Economy or Human Health? These questions have been floating around the building industry for decades.
When mindful MATERIALS built the Common Materials Framework to establish a common language for sustainability, and launched the Catalyst Manufacturers Forum to accelerate the Framework’s adoption and industry collaboration, Mecho was first in line to participate.
SolarTrac Automated Shades
SolarTrac is Mecho’s state-of-the-art, scalable solution for shade automation. Our system is designed to optimize the natural daylight and increase energy efficiency in your project, all while ensuring occupant comfort.
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EcoVeil Shade Cloth
EcoVeil is composed of a technically advanced material and as a Cradle to Cradle Certified shade cloth, it can be reclaimed, recycled, and remain in a perpetual loop of continuous use.
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ElectroShade Motorized Shades
ElectroShade motorized roller shade systems are the industry’s first fully C2C certified shade system. Mecho motorized shades utilize patented technology to provide power and performance to create an optimal shade lift experience that is smooth and quiet.
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PENN 1 - Cisco Smart Building Technology
Cisco partnered with Mecho to take an integrated approach and provide a smart building solution that simplifies building systems management, reduces operational costs and enables an effective hybrid work environment.
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Johns Hopkins Hospital - Bloomberg Children's Center
Biophilic design is a defining feature of the facility – featuring shade cloth printed with imagery of the Chesapeake Bay and the surrounding area.
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Where to Find US
Mecho is a Member of:
Mecho's products can be found on:
Let's Talk Sustainability
Reach out: sustainability@mechoshade.com