In celebration of Crypton's 25th anniversary and their foundational partnership with Designtex, the two innovators have teamed up once again to introduce a special collection that pays homage to art, design, technology, performance and two pioneering leaders in the contract textile industry. Designtex 5x5, A Crypton Collection features five contemporary artists from around the world, whose work is translated into five patterns in five colorways each, digitally printed onto Crypton-backed upholstery textiles to celebrate 25 years of innovative, intelligent fabric solutions.

Designtex commissioned the five artists—each with a distinct vision, unique approach and process, and amazing use of color—and expanded their works into five colorways each to complete the collection. The 25 colorways are then digitally printed onto Crytpon-backed upholstery textiles at Designtex’s state-of-the-art digital printing facility in Portland, Maine using a cutting edge digital printing process that insures a clarity of image and striking color. The featured artists include: Arturo Guerrero (Line Variations), Elizabeth Atterbury (Social Dance), Ellie Malin (Five Cities), Kapitza (CrissCross), and Phillip David Stearns (BitDrift).

While the visual impact of this collection is outstanding, the inspiration behind the collection adds even more. 5x5 is a celebration of these two companies and the women behind them—Susan Lyons, President of Designtex and Randy Rubin, Co-founder of Crypton—two innovative veterans in the industry, who share a rich and successful history. Under their leadership, both Crypton and Designtex have had a tremendous impact on contract textiles and contract design as a whole. This collection is a celebration of that relationship and all that it encompasses: their shared commitment to design, to the needs of the industry, to innovation and performance—exhibited through a collection, and a medium, that perfectly reflects their partnership.

“As a design director, it was challenging and exciting to work on the initial collaboration with Crypton 25 years ago,” says Susan Lyons, President of Designtex. “Through the inherent performance capabilities of Crypton married with the technological advancements of our digital printing facility, we were able to develop a collection that is both visually and (durably) superior. Combine that with five incredibly talented artists and the result is better than we could have imagined.”

The initial collection of high-performance Crypton textiles that was introduced 25 years ago was cutting edge and paved the way for the performance fabric category, allowing decorative fabrics to be placed in high-use applications, which was a true breakthrough for the contract textiles industry. In that spirit, this new collection offers a boundless look towards the future, utilizing Designtex’s technical breakthroughs in print technology, with limitless scale and colors, with awe-inspiring results.

“It is a privilege to be able to work with Susan Lyons and Designtex again on such a special project,” says Randy Rubin, Co-founder of Crypton. “The first collection that we introduced will always have a special meaning to me and to the industry. This new collection takes art, design, and performance to a whole other level and we are so excited to see how the design community embraces and utilizes the capabilities for future projects in all of the various markets.”

Last, but certainly not least, the Designtex 5x5, A Crypton Collection pays homage to the amazing power that art and design have on a space, a mood, and even the healing process. To emphasize that power, Designtex and Crypton are partnering with RxArt, a non-profit organization whose mission is to help children heal through the extraordinary power of visual art. A portion of the proceeds will benefit this worthwhile cause.