SAINT-GOBAIN ADFORS: EPDs where textiles meet buildings
SAINT-GOBAIN ADFORS sits at the intersection of glass fibers, nonwovens, and everyday building assemblies. If your specs touch facades, waterproofing membranes, or wall finishes, their textiles probably cross your desk. Here is the fast take on what they make, how broad the range is, and how well those products are backed by Environmental Product Declarations.
Who SAINT-GOBAIN ADFORS is
Part of Saint-Gobain, ADFORS designs technical textiles used in construction and industry, with hubs in Europe at eu.adfors.com. Think reinforcing meshes for ETICS, PET and glass staple-fiber veils for bituminous membranes, coated glass mats and veils that become facers in composite layers, and fiberglass wallcoverings sold as Novelio.
What they sell, at a glance
Their construction-facing portfolio spans several families rather than a single pure play. Expect ETICS fiberglass meshes under the Vertex brand, PET or PET/glass reinforced nonwovens for waterproofing membranes, coated and wet-laid glass veils used as facers or layers in laminates, plus decorative fiberglass wallcoverings. The full catalog stretches to dozens of SKUs across these lines.
Current EPD coverage
Coverage is solid across core families. We see product-specific EPDs for ETICS fiberglass meshes, PET/glass reinforcement veils for waterproofing membranes, coated or wet-laid glass mats and veils, glass yarns and chopped strands, and multiple Novelio fiberglass wallcoverings. Most of these EPDs follow EN 15804 A2 and are posted with EPD International AB or INIES, with many valid well into 2028 and one set into 2029.
Notable gaps to watch
Two visible gaps today. First, insect screens, which ADFORS markets broadly, do not appear with product-specific EPDs in major public registries as of November 21, 2025. Second, asphalt reinforcement grids under the GlasGrid brand are not represented by current, product-specific EPDs in those registries either. If these are high-volume sellers in your region, that is a priority short list.
Where EPDs help them compete
- Facades and ETICS packages. Specifiers increasingly expect the reinforcement mesh to come with its own declaration, not just the render or insulation. ADFORS has coverage here, which reduces the chance of conservative default factors being applied at bid stage.
- Waterproofing membranes. PET or PET/glass veils with EPDs keep membrane suppliers on track for whole-system accounting. That saves cycles when owners require complete product documentation per lot or per project.
- Interior wall finishes. Novelio wallcoverings with EPDs make it easier to satisfy submittals on healthcare, education, and office projects that now ask for third-party verified transparency.
Where competitors show up on the same spec
- Wallcoverings. Vitrulan publishes EPDs for woven and nonwoven glass-fiber wall coverings, valid through 2029 (IBU, 2029).
- Paving composites and asphalt reinforcement. TenCate Geosynthetics has current EPDs for paving composites that blend nonwovens with glass or basalt grids, valid into 2028 (EPD International AB, 2028).
- Roofing reinforcement veils and technical nonwovens. Freudenberg Performance Materials lists several technical textile EPDs used in civil and envelope applications, with expiries extending to 2029 (Kiwa, 2029).
The commercial takeaway for product teams
If you sell into projects where EPDs are requested, missing declarations push you into price-only comparisons. Worse, some owners and rating tools apply penalties when a product lacks a product-specific EPD, which can tip the short list against you. One missing document on a hero SKU can quietly cost opportunities your team never sees.
A practical playbook if you manage the line
Map your top sellers to their nearest EPD status. Start with insect screens and GlasGrid if they drive volume in your market. Choose the common PCR used by competitors to stay apples-to-apples on metrics, then publish with the operator your customers already check. Capture one clean reference year of data and keep plant utilities and yields tight so updates land quickly. It is not glamorous work, but it is what wins specs.
What we like and what we would fix
We like that ADFORS has covered the backbone textiles other brands depend on. That gives upstream customers fewer reasons to look elsewhere when a project turns transparency-centric. We would prioritize EPDs for screens and asphalt grids next, since those products are highly swappable at submittal time. Adding them would close an avoidable gap and definately reduce last-mile friction.
Why this matters now
Procurement teams have learned to ask for proof, not just promises. When the paperwork is complete and current, bid cycles move faster and substitutions slow down. Put simply, strong EPD coverage keeps ADFORS products in the cart when carbon and compliance are part of the brief.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ADFORS product families already have product-specific EPDs?
ETICS fiberglass meshes, PET/glass staple-fiber veils for waterproofing membranes, coated and wet-laid glass mats and veils, glass yarns and chopped strands, and several Novelio fiberglass wallcoverings are covered with EPDs posted primarily at EPD International AB or INIES.
Are there ADFORS product areas that appear underrepresented by EPDs?
Yes. As of November 21, 2025, insect screens and asphalt reinforcement grids do not show current product-specific EPDs in major public registries.
Who are typical competitors with EPDs in similar applications?
Vitrulan for glass-fiber wallcoverings (IBU, 2029), TenCate Geosynthetics for paving composites with glass or basalt grids (EPD International AB, 2028), and Freudenberg Performance Materials for technical nonwovens used in building and civil works (Kiwa, 2029).
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.
