JCDecaux launches “Pearlflex” PVC-free advertising canvas

JCDecaux has announced a collaboration with Senfa, a subsidiary of the Chargeurs group, to develop a PVC-free advertising fabric. Dubbed "Pearlflex", this new product will be available from September 2023, notably for the Extime JCDecaux Airport advertising sites at the Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly airports, as well as other French airports. This solution offers several advantages over current practices, including a reduced carbon footprint and optimised end-of-life treatment. This high-tech product also guarantees excellent image quality.

This new fabric results from co-development between two experts in their sector: JCDecaux is present in 153 airports worldwide and offers a complete and innovative range of media solutions for brands, combining bespoke formats, digital screens and event solutions. Senfa, a subsidiary of Chargeurs PCC Fashion Technologies (Chargeurs group), is a French manufacturer based in Sélestat, Alsace, and an expert in technical textiles for the visual communication, interior architecture and custom textile development markets.

The new fabric is made in France via 100% European sourcing. The weave is made from recycled PET yarns. An aqueous coating of the fabric replaces the solvents used for PVC, carried out in Sélestat. Finally, the fabric offers an improved end-of-life treatment, with energy recovery in solid recovered fuel. Thanks to this new material and manufacturing process, the carbon footprint of Pearlflex fabric is more than halved compared with current fabrics, thereby contributing to the 2050 Net Zero Carbon objective, announced last June by JCDecaux.

Available from 1 September 2023, these canvases will be gradually deployed across most Extime JCDecaux Airport advertising sites.