ITA Launches Certification Program for
Environment-friendly Window Fashions

St. Augustine, FL—July 6, 2005— ITA Inc. has introduced GreenAssured™, a standards-based certification program to assess the compatibility of its Meridian Home® brand of window fashions with officially recognized international environmental protocols. The program is supported by independent laboratory testing in certified 9001:2000 facilities. To become certified, products must meet strict environmental standards for criteria that include airborne chemical emissions and product content.

The company, which markets a full range of window treatments to distributors and fabricators around the world, says the GreenAssured program is designed to address the growing international awareness and concern about the effects on indoor air quality of commercial, industrial and household products. Some home furnishings have been found to give off unhealthy amounts of various chemicals and gases.

Under the GreenAssured program, hard and soft window covering materials are tested for emissions of airborne chemicals and particulates cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, Section 313 (SARA 313). To achieve certification, products must comply with emissions limitations and other standards for the criteria below. ITA said that customers can request detailed technical data, including test results.

• Total aldehydes, including formaldehyde
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Respirable particulates
• Heat-induced off-gas emissions

Controlled Air Chamber Testing
For airborne pollutants, products are tested in specially designed, controlled-environment chambers using American Society of Testing Materials standards ASTM D5116-97 and D6670-01. The dynamic testing method calls for product samples to be placed in the tightly sealed chambers and exposed to controlled streams of pure air for periods of up to several days. The chambers are rigorously controlled for such factors as temperature, humidity, air exchange rate, ambient pollutants and air velocity.

The exhaust air is sampled and analyzed for a wide spectrum of chemical emissions. Data are collected on emission volumes, emission rates, and predicted air concentrations. By modeling the ratio of exposed product surface area to room volume, these test methodologies simulate “real world” indoor environments and provide reliable, predictive results of product emissions and chemical exposures.

Evaluating Wood Products
GreenAssured products made of natural wood must pass a separate evaluation using guidelines set by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a global nonprofit organization. FSC forest management standards protect local environmental, social and economic values, and avoid habitat destruction, water pollution, and the harvesting of endangered species of trees.

For these GreenAssured products, an FSC “chain of custody” certification assures that raw materials are sourced from FSC-certified forests, labeled, and tracked from the point of origin to downstream users. The GreenAssured certification thus verifies to fabricators and consumers that the finished window fashion product complies with FSC standards.

GreenAssured - A New Class of Window Fashions
To launch its GreenAssured product line, ITA has tested and certified two styles of Meridian Home® Pleated Shades—Satinesse FR and Crepe FR, both of which are also certified as fire retardant.

An ITA spokesperson said the company recognizes the growing concern over the environmental impact of home furnishings, and is committed to expanding its GreenAssured programs to include an increasing number of certified products. He also noted, “The GreenAssured program will bring substantial added value to a growing number of ITA's Meridian Home brand window fashion products. The distinctive GreenAssured logo will assure our customers that the product will be preferred by consumers who share our values of corporate responsibility and environmental awareness.”

About ITA
Since 1986, ITA has become a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative window treatment products for distributors and fabricators around the world. Its flagship Meridian Home® product family includes Capri® woven grass shades, Caslan® Designer Shadings, Meridian Home® Cellular and Pleated Shades, Meritec® Interior Design Series, MikronWood™ composite slats, and LaPlaya® Shutters.

For more information about ITA's GreenAssured program, including detailed test results, contact the company at 386-449-0880 (toll free 800-387-2045) or e-mail info@itainc.net.