The latest innovation in healthcare from Shaw Contract is Vitality, a homogeneous sheet product that is ideal for areas of higher level of acute care, namely operating rooms. Vitality’s through-body construction is ideal for these high-impact areas where nicks and cuts are common and infection control protocols are at their highest. In these environments, cleanliness is top of mind; Vitality’s non-porous construction resists moisture, which is the primary contributor to mold and mildew growth. The collection can also stand up to heavy static and heavy rolling loads per ASTM test methods and is warranted against underbed failures.

Vitality’s most recent update includes an expansion of colorways as the collection now offers 72 different options. “We made sure we developed colors that best represent healthcare with a focus on tones that are calming, biophilic, and can lend brightness to areas such as pediatric spaces,” explained Allison Wolff, Shaw Contract’s director of senior living and healthcare. “The tones also reflect the needs of high-intensity environments that are subject to a lot of stain agents. There is an expectation of cleanliness in healthcare; the quality of care is impacted if there is a perception of an area being dirty.”

Photo: Shaw Contract.

Traditionally, healthcare settings, like operating rooms, stick to dark colors in the brown family because they are best at hiding common stains like iodine. But because the current Vitality line and new additions have a formulation that resists iodine, hand sanitizer, blood and betadine, the flooring is offered in just about every color of the rainbow between the two groupings of Vitality Hues and Vitality Tones. 

“All selections go through our stain battery in the development process and we noticed iodine was pooling on the surface; not all products do that,” Wolff noted. “Vitality became perfectly clean by simply using a wipe containing 70% alcohol while we saw competitive products stain. It’s remarkable.”

A bonus is Vitality’s environmental basis. With up to 20% pre-consumer recycled content throughout the collection, it helps contribute to the circular economy that’s paramount in designing today’s interiors. Plus, Vitality touts several certifications:

• LEEDv4 Contribution: IEQ--FloorScore IAQ Certification and low VOC emissions.
• Ortho-Phthalate Free: Manufactured to be free of ortho-phthalates.
• Floorscore Certified: Meets Floorscore and IAQ certifications for low VOCs.
• Product Transparency: Vitality will soon have a Health Product Declaration (HPD), a transparent disclosure of product content and associated health information.

Vitality comes complete with a long-lasting warranty that covers manufacturing defects, wear, and topdown moisture. It is ready to ship today.

For more information, visit shawcontract.com.