SUPEREVO® SHAPING DESIGN

7 min readMay 11, 2022

At Superevo we have been producing revolutionary upholstery materials and structures since 2012

FABIO SALVADORI
Amministratore Unico SUPEREVO

We offer a complete bespoke service, including everything from the design and realization of the structure, to the padding and plain fabric finish. We work closely alongside our clients throughout all phases of the design and manufacturing process, to produce unique and distinct padded furnishings and accessories as per the client’s individual specifications.
As a dynamic company we take advantage of strong innovation. Innovation in the product itself, resulting in new patents on the marketplace, as well as innovations in the production processes involved. We continually strive to ensure that our products are as sustainable as possible when they enter the circular economy, which is the foundation of any modern ethical production cycle. From this a futuristic business project was born, based on one of the most innovative structural materials ever created for upholstery: Polimex®, a new high-performance material capable of changing the rules of design. Our team takes advantage of a solid foundation in the upholstery sector and works continuously with the objective of overcoming the limits of traditional production technology.

WHAT IS POLIMEX®?

Based on a solid foundation in the upholstery sector, our team is constantly working with the objective of exceeding the limits of traditional production technology. This is what led to the birth of Polimex®: A technological solution trademarked and exclusive to Superevo. Polimex® is a composite material ideal for creating load bearing structures for soft furnishings, due to its specific blend of polystyrene and minor percentage of polyurethane (which lends structural integrity). Compared with traditional furnishings, those made with Polimex® are lighter, can take on more complex forms, do not require an initial financial outlay and are sustainable and fast to produce.

Throughout history different materials have been combined to obtain finished products with improved characteristics. In materials science, a composite material is one comprised of multiple different simple materials. Each compound is congruous with a specific phase of the process, so a composite material by nature has a non-homogenous structure; the materials which make up a composite material are separated by a net interface of zero thickness each of which has its own chemical physical properties at a macroscopic and structural level. By sandwich panels (or sandwich structures) we mean an element comprised of two external resistant layers, called the “skin “or “face”, separated by a connective internal material known as the “core”.

POLIMEX® is the name of a patented material made up of various combinations of skin and core. The skins are comprised of various types of polyurethane of elevated mechanical resistance, adapted to the eventual usage of the finished product. The skin contributes to both the flexural and impact resistance.

Varying densities of expanded polystyrene foam are used for the core depending on the required end result; by “foam” we intend the cellular material obtained by the dispersion of a gas into a solid plastic material. Based on the requirements of the object, foam can be:
- open cell
- closed cell
- flexible, semi-rigid or rigid
- in thermoplastic or thermosetting material

Foam provides excellent thermal and acoustic insulation and has a remarkable capacity for absorbing vibrations and impacts. Polimex® is therefore a new performing material capable of changing the rules of design.

ADDED VALUE

Trademarked in 2008, thanks to its versatility, Polimex® imposes no limits on form or dimension, thus leaving the interpretation of design and creativity in the hands of the Client. Thanks to its structural characteristics it is infinitely lighter than its traditional counterparts. In addition, the semi-processed material requires a smaller amount of padding or foam to achieve the end product, thus reducing the overall quantity of materials used. Thanks to its composition, the finished product is comprised almost exclusively of Polimex® and the reduction of other components (wood, plastic) facilitates its recycling at the end of its lifespan. We work with internationally certified materials and are able to meet the specific needs of the Client. Polimex® is certified class 1-IM fire resistant thus reducing fire risk.

SUSTAINABILITY

In the furniture’s industry, environmental sustainability is a problem to which there are no simple solutions and therefore, as far as possible, it is a problem that the industry tends to postpone. The regulations in force often locally, are most often dictated by the logic of commercial protectionism rather than by a real, integrated and clear strategy for safeguarding the environment.
At Superevo® the problem of environmental sustainability comes first, and consequently, Polimex® was born and developed with interesting characteristics also from the point of view of sustainability. The lower use of raw materials, energy and waste, limits the environmental footprint and ensures less impact on the planet compared to similar products made with traditional technologies.
At Superevo®, the approach to production based on the circular economy represents the only possible future for companies committed to protecting the environment. For this reason, technologies are being tested to divide the Polimex® semi-finished product into its primary components on an industrial scale, in such a way as to be able to recover the raw materials in an economically sustainable way and reuse them in a new production cycle. Superevo® has already been collaborating for some time with important national and foreign companies with the aim of making these technologies available to its customers within 5 years, which will be applicable to all items produced.

SUPEREVO® FOUR PILLARS
SUSTAINABILITY

At Superevo®, the path of sustainability has long been chosen by studying various innovative solutions with the aim of improving our green vocation more and more. Since Polimex® is obtained from the coupling of mutually compatible and recoverable materials, it is in fact recyclable. Its use reduces energy consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 60%. Another aspect on which Superevo® has drawn attention is the problem of how to recycle waste polystyrene. Once the first shape of a semi-finished product has been cut, there is always a bit of waste which is in the jargon “briquetted” or collected and inserted into a briquetting machine that deals with shredding waste and rebuilding “brick” polystyrene bricks. These bricks are then put back on the market and reused to create new products. The goal is to contribute to a circular economy, reusing as much as possible the end-of-life material of a product, processing it and making it suitable for the creation of new products.

LEADTIME

Forget about traditional lead times! At Superevo® moulds are considered obsolete, a waste of time and money for the Client. Thanks to the innovation and robotization of the plant, and the optimization of all phases of production, the production to shipping time has been reduced to just a few days. From receipt of the 3D vector model from the Client, our team of technicians and engineers can create a prototype in just 48 hours. Reducing the lead time and avoiding the cost of creating a mould are the key factors which establish a privileged relationship with the Client and define our competitive advantage in the marketplace.

CUSTOMISING & COMFORT

Unleash your creativity. No design is too complicated or too contoured for Polimex®. We have the capability to create any padded form to the exact specifications of the 3D image. Our objective is to work closely with architects, designers and brands who are looking to develop products with unique and complex shapes. Even the search for comfort has now become customizable as the Client has the possibility to choose their own personal comfort level in the various contact zones on the product. Support and softness, density and elasticity are all measured and defined by detailed specifications, even within the same contact zone. The result is unrivalled comfort.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Up to 70% lighter than traditional UPHOLSTERED furnishings; we have always aimed to make our products as lightweight as possible. Structures built with Polimex® are considerably lighter and easier to handle than their metal or wooden counterparts. Increased flexibility means easier internal processing at the Clients premises, ease of transportation and easier handling for the end customer. Padded furnishings which are more lightweight but just as resistant as traditional ones. Polimex® products are tested to ensure they maintain shape and integrity over time. At Superevo® technological innovation and the search for an increasingly sustainable productivity never stop, which is why strategic relationships are being developed with important national and international companies.