Fabrics
The Deutsche Bahn
Ideas Train was an
excellent platform
to introduce
materials that are
not traditionally
used in transport
James Newton, Camira
Sustainability has long been a priority in
engineering, with many manufacturers and
operators investing heavily in creating and
adopting hybrid trains. With the UK seeking to
phase out diesel-only trains by 2040, the issue
is becoming increasingly critical. Innovations such as Rolls-Royce’s
Hybrid PowerPacks (which are able to convert diesel trains into
hybrid vehicles) respond to these trends.
Cross-pollination
Crossan says the advanced technology beginning to power trains
With sustainability a growing concern for travellers, operators,
designers and manufacturers, it certainly seems that the future of
rail interiors looks green.
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ANNUAL SHOWCASE 2019 Railway Interiors International 79
TRACK AND FIELD
The rail industry has long held an
affiliation with that most natural
of materials, wool. “With plush
moquette fabrics rapidly growing
in popularity following their
introduction to transport seating
in London in the 1920s, these woolrich
textiles have remained firmly
in fashion ever since – present
everywhere from the London
Underground to the LA Metro,”
says Ciara Crossan of Camira.
“Highly durable and ultra-intelligent,
not only is wool able to offer the
resilience needed for highly used
train seats, it can even enhance
the air quality of rail interiors with
its ability to absorb harmful gases.
It’s no surprise wool textiles remain
firmly in favour in trains and trams
across the globe.”
ABOVE: Moquette
designs by Camira
LEFT AND BELOW:
Fusion by Camira, a
moquette with a great
environmental profile
to the daily commute, the designers
opted for fabrics created by Camira
to be environmentally sustainable.
They selected wool flat-woven
Blazer Quilt, the recycled polyester Rivet and the company’s bast
fibre textiles, Hemp and Main Line Flax.
“The Deutsche Bahn Ideas Train was an excellent platform
to introduce materials that are not traditionally used in transport
interiors,” says James Newton, director of transport sales at
Camira. “We were thinking of aesthetics and performance, but
also sustainability to ensure the trains of the future are considered
with both the passengers and environment in mind.”
is also having an impact on interior aesthetics. “Trends
by their very nature are symbiotic; developments,
changes and influences blend together and
feed into diverse and different areas,
and the advances in engineering
technology are echoed throughout
the rail industry, with a contemporary
look and feel becoming more and
more popular,” she comments.
“Chairs are becoming sleeker,
considered colour schemes are
replacing the traditional, sometimes
garish patterns, fabrics are
becoming lighter, with trend-led tones
increasingly in demand, and even
onboard technology is developing, with
wi-fi becoming an expectation rather than
a luxury. These elements combine to create
an almost futuristic travel experience; one that is
much more enjoyable for the traveller, whilst also being
much kinder to the environment.”
ranges and all-loop moquettes from the
company’s transport ranges, alongside fabrics
traditionally used in commercial and hospitality
interiors, such as wool-based fabrics Synergy, Blazer and
/prii
