Dune & Reef: Fabrics focus

What’s your role at Silver Cross?

I’m one of the Fabric Designers. My job role is focussed on sourcing and designing innovative fabrics and trims for new and existing products, combined with pattern cutting and fit and function – ensuring the fabrics are beautifully fitted to the hardware and perform to the highest standards.

What inspired the colourways for the new Dune and Reef pushchairs?

With sustainability being a key focus for Dune and Reef, the colour palettes used have all been inspired by nature, combining raw earthy tones such as Stone, Glacier and Earth with the deep, rich colours of Neptune, Orbit and Space. As a team, we also gather inspiration from various trend-led sources, ensuring we are always looking towards the future.

How important was the sustainability element?

Sustainability is very important to us, not only in the products we make but as a business on the whole. As a brand that creates products for the next generation, we believe sustainability is the key to a better future, and it’s important that we create a positive impact on the environment for generations to come.

As well as using recycled fabrics across Dune and Reef, we have also introduced a new packaging scheme, with every element of our packaging being 100% recyclable. All our paper and cardboard is 100% FSC accredited, and any plastic element is landfill biodegradable, meeting the GRS global recycled standard.

How do the fabrics differ on Dune and Reef?

Built for city living, Dune’s fabrication is considered and innovative, with the fabrics being engineered to fit seamlessly, providing ultimate comfort with an effortless modern interface. Sculptured and debossed surfaces have been used across Dune to create a modern, architectural direction.

Reef is our refined, modern travel system, inspired by a desire to value every day, the environment around us and the natural beauty within it. Tactile tailoring is portrayed through using detailed recycled woven fabrics, combined with a soft knitted fabric on the seat, ensuring comfort in all the right places.

Contemporary polished touch points across both products combine beautifully with metallic surfaces that refract light and heighten luxury. Vegan leather on handlebars, bumper bars and detailing creates an honest interface showcasing our new brand logo.

Explain the process behind developing the recycled yarn.

All our outer fabrics used on Dune and Reef are made using 100% recycled plastic bottles. The process starts by shredding the plastic bottles down into flakes. These are then melted down into pellets, which can then be extruded into yarn and either woven or knitted together to create our finished fabric.

We’re proud to say each seat unit alone is made from 35 recycled bottles, with 24 used in the compact folding carrycot, and 12 in the first bed folding carrycot.

What’s your favourite part of being a fabric designer?

Being able to work on a product all the way through from the initial design concept to a final production item is amazing. Seeing one of your products being pushed down the street is just the best feeling ever!