Carnegie Fabrics: products and EPD coverage snapshot
Carnegie Fabrics is synonymous with Xorel, a performance textile that shows up on walls, panels, and acoustics. The portfolio is wide and design driven. The EPD coverage is thinner than the range, which matters when projects prefer product‑specific, third‑party verified declarations to stay on track for carbon and materials targets.
What Carnegie Fabrics makes
Carnegie Fabrics designs and sells interior materials used across commercial markets such as healthcare, offices, education, and hospitality. The core ranges include Xorel wallcoverings, upholstery and upholstered wall fabrics, Xorel Artform acoustical panels, window sheers and shades, plus architectural textiles. Their catalog spans multiple categories with hundreds of SKUs across colors, patterns, and backing options.
Explore their sustainability lens on the Xorel platform here: Beautiful. Functional. Sustainable. Xorel.
A material-first brand, not a single-product pure play
Although Xorel is the flagship, Carnegie is not a pure play in one use case. The same yarn system shows up as wallcovering, panel wrap, and upholstery. The company also markets accoustical systems through Xorel Artform and offers drapery and window solutions. This versatility helps designers standardize look and cleanability across surfaces.
EPDs today: the state of play
Carnegie has a product‑specific EPD for Biobased Xorel Unbacked Textile registered in the International EPD System. It is valid through February 1, 2029 (EPD International, 2024) (EPD‑IES‑0012334:002). Carnegie also communicates a cradle‑to‑gate carbon figure of 1.12 kg CO2 per yard for Biobased Xorel on its site (Carnegie Fabrics, 2025) (Why EPDs Matter to Us).
What likely is not covered yet
We could not locate product‑specific EPDs for backed Xorel wallcoverings (with X‑Protect Wall), Xorel Artform acoustical panels, or for the broader upholstery and window portfolios as of December 19, 2025. If a spec calls for a certain percentage of permanently installed products to carry product‑specific, third‑party verified EPDs, those gaps can push teams toward alternatives that keep their credit and carbon math simple under LEED v5 era expectations (USGBC, 2025) (LEED v5 overview) and USGBC’s EPD guidance on cradle‑to‑gate scope (USGBC, 2025) (EPD guide).
Competitive landscape on typical projects
Carnegie frequently squares up with wallcovering houses and acoustic panel specialists in healthcare corridors, classrooms, and open offices.
- Wall finishes: Koroseal publishes product‑specific EPDs for several wallcovering and rigid wall protection lines verified by a program operator (SCS Global Services, 2024). That gives design teams easy documentation when EPDs are requested.
- Acoustic panels: Autex Acoustics lists multiple EN 15804 EPDs for interior acoustic panels and tiles, current to January 24, 2027 (Global GreenTag, 2025) (Published EPDs).
These examples show how direct substitutes can remove friction during submittals. When a project’s material strategy prefers products with EPDs, having them prevents late‑stage swaps that can quietly drain share from a brand without anyone noticing.
Commercial read on the gap
Xorel wallcoverings and panel wraps are clear best sellers, with patterns like Linen and Mojave Matte positioned as everyday standards. If those backed wallcovering SKUs and common panel configurations each had a product‑specific EPD, sales teams would keep more seats at the table when LEED‑targeted jobs filter options. The ROI tends to show up as inclusion rather than exclusion. You are less likely to be value‑engineered out for a near‑match that happens to have the paperwork.
Fastest path to fuller coverage
Start with the smallest number of product families that cover the most volume, then expand.
- Prioritize Xorel wallcoverings with X‑Protect Wall backing and top panel wraps in standard cores. Treat each backing and typical weight as its own declared product to avoid ambiguity for specifiers.
- Use the same PCR family as peers when appropriate (program operator selection can remain agnostic) to ease comparisons in submittals and LCAs.
- Add an acoustical panel EPD for common thicknesses and NRC classes to defend that category against PET‑panel competitors that already publish.
Bottom line for manufacturers watching Carnegie
Carnegie’s design equity is strong and the materials story is credible. The EPD footprint is improving but still narrow relative to the catalog. Closing the backed wallcovering and standard panel gaps would materially increase specability on LEED‑leaning projects without changing how the products are made. The heavy lift is data workflow, not brand reinvention.
Frequently Asked Questions
What EPD exists for Carnegie’s Xorel today and how long is it valid?
Biobased Xorel Unbacked Textile has a product‑specific EPD registered with the International EPD System and is valid until February 1, 2029 (EPD International, 2024) (EPD‑IES‑0012334:002).
Does LEED v5 still value product‑specific EPDs?
Yes. USGBC materials guidance continues to direct teams to EPDs as part of Materials strategies. Project teams aim for third‑party verified, cradle‑to‑gate EPDs for installed products to keep documentation clean (USGBC, 2025) (LEED v5 overview) (EPD guide).
Which competitors commonly publish EPDs for similar applications?
Koroseal in wall finishes and Autex in interior acoustics publicly list product‑specific EPDs verified by program operators. Autex acoustic panels carry EN 15804 EPDs valid to January 24, 2027 (Global GreenTag, 2025) (Published EPDs).
About the Author
Walker Ryan is a climate-tech entrepreneur focused on driving industrial decarbonization through better data. As the founder and CEO of Parq, he helps manufacturers generate high-quality, third-party–verified carbon disclosures at scale—accelerating a traditionally slow and expensive process. Before starting Parq, Walker led over $200 million in sustainability-focused investments as VP of Strategy & Growth at ReStream Solutions, following earlier experience in investment banking at Deutsche Bank. He brings a rare mix of capital markets expertise and hands-on sustainability knowledge to tackling the infrastructure of industrial emissions.
