MATERIALS AND MAINTENANCE
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INDEX P.06 P.10 P.12 P.14 P.16 P.18 P.20 P.22 P.24 P.26 P.36 P.38
TEAK WOOD POLYWOOD WICKER ALUMINIUM CERAMIC SPRAYSTONE PARASOLS PROTECTION COVERS TEXTILENE CUSHIONS MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
INDEX
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MATERIALS AND MAINTENANCE LIFE Outdoor Living sells a wide range of products consisting out of multiple materials. In this overview we describe how to maintain your garden furniture product for an optimal lifespan. For the use of our LIFE Outdoor Living treatment products we recommend to read the instructions on the back of the product carefully before applying. Although the LIFE garden furniture is designed and manufactured for outdoor use it is important to maintain and clean the furniture regularly and protect it as much as possible against the weather influences. As these factors will effect the lifespan of the furniture.
“Just compare it to a car, you can leave it outside, but you have to clean it once in a while to keep it in good shape or if possible store it in a garage.”
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TEAK WOOD - ROBUST ‘‘Protect your garden furniture against the weather elements”
Teak is a hardwood type that lends itself very well to the manufacture of outdoor furniture. The reason why this particular wood lends itself well to this is because it expands and shrinks minimally and is splinter free. Scratches, dents, cracks, knots, is inherent to the natural product and these do not have an impact on the life span. Normal use of the product will result in small cracks (hairline cracks) and openings appearing in the wood; this does not detract from the quality or the life span of the table, but to the contrary is characteristic of the charm of this product. Normally teak is a light brown wood that discolors to a beautiful platinum gray wood over time. The teak we sell is factory-colored to enhance the structure of the wood.
ROBUST
LIFE only uses certified teak for all our wooden products. Our teak wood products are 100% sustainable certified. We work mainly with SVLK teak, produced in Indonesia and also FSC certified teak. Meaning that the full process in manufacturing is registered and monitored. Guaranteeing the sustainability of the wood itself and the plantation.
SVLK TEAK
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FSC® TEAK
Time to clean your teak furniture?
Before using any maintenance product on teak you need to make sure the surface is clean and dry. You can use our special LIFE Outdoor Living teak cleaner. Do not use any aggressive detergents or pressure cleaner. To clean more easily you can use the aluminium sponge. It is important, when using this sponge, to move directionally along the grain. To protect your teak wood product against stains and marks, we recommend to maintain the product 2-3 times a year. Weather influences will make the robust teak wood table slowly turn grey. If you want to prevent this, you may use the “Life Outdoor Living Vintage Teak Protector”. By using this product you will get a warm brown colour. Always test on a small surface before applying it to the entire product. To protect against the weather conditions even more you can use the “LIFE Outdoor Living – Teak shield”. This product should be used after cleaning or using the teak protector Note: As Teak wood is an naturel product it has to ‘breath’. Do not cover teak with a protection cover to prevent moulding.
TEAK SHIELD
TEAK PROTECTOR
TEAK CLEANER
ALUMINIUM SPONGE
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GREY
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SVLK TEAK
FSC® TEAK
TEAK WOOD - GREY The grey teak LIFE furniture products have a grey wash layer over the naturel teak wood. Over its lifespan the teak will lose its colour gradually, returning to the original colour of the wood. When you would like to keep the grey colour as long as possible you may use the “LIFE Outdoor Living - Teak Colour Grey” Like our robust teak wood, before using any product for maintenance you need to make sure the surface is clean and dry. You can use our special “LIFE Outdoor Living - Teak cleaner. Do not use any aggressive detergents or pressure cleaner. To clean more easily you may use the aluminium sponge. It is important, when using this sponge, to move in the direction along the grain, 2-3 treatments a year will maintain your product optimally.
TEAK SHIELD
TEAK COLOUR GREY
To protect against the weather conditions even more you can use the “LIFE Outdoor Living – Teak shield”. This product should be used after cleaning or using the teak colour grey. Note: As Teak wood is an naturel product it has to ‘breath’. Do not cover teak with a protection cover to prevent moulding.
TEAK CLEANER
ALUMINIUM SPONGE
TEAK WOOD GREY
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P O L Y W O O D Our polywood products are difficult to separate from our real wooden products. It is an artificial product and you will benefit from its minimal maintenance. Polywood is lightweight and splintering will not be happening. Available in a pitch black colour and a fresh light grey colour. You can maintain the polywood using the “LIFE Outdoor Living - Polywood cleaner” and using the protector you create a protective layer for stains and marks. Be aware for glass work standing on polywood for a longer period as it can work as a magnifying glass to the sun leaving marks.
POLYWOOD CLEANER
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POLYWOOD
POLYWOOD PROTECTOR
‘‘The look of real wood, but minimal maintenance’’
BLACK
GREY
POLYWOOD
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CAMEL
YACHT GREY
WICKER The LIFE assortment consists of the more familiar garden furniture products made with synthetic wicker. The wire used for this is processed in its entirety, giving it a high color fastness. Wicker is made of: - Plastic PE granules, - UV filters (against discoloration) - Plasticizers (to make the thread flexible).
By the use of naturel coloured weaving and 100% weaved by hand, nuances in colour, thickness and weaving pattern can occur. This only strengthens the “naturel” look of the garden furniture. The weaving is UV proof and colour fast.
Wicker is made of a full flat wire where an embossed pattern is applied. This is applied to give the wire a more natural look. Wicker has a timeless look and fits both a classic and a modern garden. You can leave wicker garden furniture outside all year round.
Cleaning wicker furniture is easy. If there is a stain on the material, it can TEXTILENE AND WICKER CLEANER be removed by using the “Life Outdoor Living Textile and Wicker Cleaner”. This also provides protection for the material so we recommend doing this at least twice a year, preferably in the spring and autumn.
The frames are made of aluminium selected because the material is lightweight, easy to work with and does not get rusty. The wire is then braided around the frames by hand.
WICKER
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ALUMINIUM LIFE Outdoor Living has a wide range of aluminium furniture. The reason why the majority of the LIFE collection is made of this material is because it has many advantages for outdoor use, it is rust-free, lightweight and very easy to work with. How is our aluminum manufactured? The products go through a powder street, here powder is applied to the furniture and then baked in. This process affects the quality of the coating as it makes it less susceptible to scratches and stains, better color fastness and prevents coating to come off. A minimum thickness of 1.2 mm is sprayed with structure. We do this because less dirt sticks to the coating and it is easy to clean. With some products it is necessary to add reinforcing profiles to prevent bending. Most of our products are equipped with: - Wear plugs - Adjustable feet - Mechanism to connect parts - Drainage openings against condense
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ALUMINIUM
LIFE has its own basic colors, this means that all our furniture colors are the same so it can be combined well with different types of furniture. This also has the advantage that if (for whatever reason) damage occurs to the aluminum, a paint pen/spray can can always be ordered to touch this up again. For cleaning and extra protection, you can use the “LIFE Outdoor Living Aluminium cleaner and protector”
ALUMINIUM CLEANER AND PROTECTOR
LAVA
WHITE
ALUMINIUM
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CONCRETE LOOK
CERAMIC
C E R A M I C ‘‘A very strong, scratch proof material which is very easy to maintain’’ Our unique ceramic table tops have a remarkable strength. Ceramic tops have 2-3 layers of ceramic material on top of a shatterproof glass plate (about 8mm thick). Ceramic is one of the hardest materials used in garden furniture. It has an extremely high scratch threshold, it is UV proof, colour fast and it is easy to maintain. Ceramic is a very low maintenance material. Nevertheless, it is wise to clean the product a few times a year. This can easily be done with the “LIFE Outdoor Living – Ceramic cleaner and protector”. The cleaner also ensures that the product is provided with a UV protective layer so that the lifespan of the ceramic is extended.
CERAMIC CLEANER AND PROTECTOR
CERAMIC
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BLACK
SPRAYSTONE
SPRAYSTONE ‘‘Protect your spraystone against stains’’ Our popular low maintenance spraystone is about 8 mm thick and has a beautiful finish. The sides of these tops also have the same finish confirming its luxury appearance. Spraystone is a mix of grinded natural stone and resin. When you leave flower pots or other glass too long on the table, it may cause stains. For cleaning you can use our “LIFE Outdoor Living - Spraystone Cleaner”. It is highly recommended to give the spraystone an extra layer of protection using “LIFE Outdoor Living – Spraystone protector” to prevent stains.
SPRAYSTONE CLEANER
SPRAYSTONE PROTECTOR
SPRAYSTONE
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PARASOLS ‘‘Hold on to the colours of the canopy longer and enjoy your parasol’’ Our parasols have the following characteristics: • Spuncrylic - 240gr/m2 • Comforma - 280gr/m2 • Can withstand a wind force of maximum 5 (be careful for wind hoses going over this maximum) • UPF 50+: meaning almost 100% of UV light will be stopped Our parasols have two options of canopy fabric spuncrylic and comforma fabric. The canopies of the parasol are protected with a coating but naturally discolour over time. FABRIC PROTECTOR
To make sure you create the highest durability for the colour you should wash them multiple times a year. They come easily of the frame. Wash them by hand on 30 degrees and with water and green soap you can remove stains. When done washing, you can use the Fabric protector to give the canopy an extra layer of protection. This helps water and dirt to slide off more easily. When done with the treatment, preferably you put back the canopy in the parasol frame when it still wet.
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LIFE COLLECTION CANOPY FABRIC COLOURS
MOUSE GREY
CARBON
GREY
TAUPE
IVORY
MIST GREY
ANTHRACITE
OLIVE
SPUNCRYLIC
COMFORMA
SPUNCRYLIC
COMFORMA
SPUNCRYLIC
COMFORMA
SPUNCRYLIC
COMFORMA
PARASOLS
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PROTECTION COVERS The protection covers are made of a highquality ripstop polyester and are equipped with membrane and air vents. This ensures that condensation is transported outside, the cover is breathable and resistant to dirt and water. Our advice is to replace them every 2 years. The covers are: - Fitted with a drawstring to ensure secure fastening and to prevent them being blown away - Lightweight - Strong and easy to handle - High colour fastness Make sure there is enough ventilation so that the cover can breathe. It is wise never to lay the cover flat on the product, you can use a water raiser for this. This also ensures that no water pockets can form. The product should be covered dry in connection with mould formation. Covers have a one-year guarantee, because it is a protection product.
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PROTECTION COVERS
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CARBON
KHAKI
MOUSE GREY
ALL WEATHER
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TEXTILENE Textilene is made of woven polyester fibres that together form a strong fabric. Textilene is strong, durable, keeps its shape, is colourfast and has a long lifespan. Perfectly suitable for outdoor use. Textilene is used for lounge sets, garden chairs, sun loungers and garden benches. The material can be stretched over an aluminium frame creating a luxurious look with high seating comfort which is quickly dry and water permeable. Textilene is durable and retains its shape The fabric is low-maintenance and the special dirt-repellent coating prevents stains from penetrating the material. In addition, textilene is UV resistant so the colour does not fade.
Maintenance of textilene
Textilene is a very low maintenance material. However, it is wise to clean the product a few times a year. This can be done easily with the “LIFE Outdoor Living Textilene and Wicker Cleaner”. This also ensures that the product is provided with a UV-protective layer, which extends the lifespan of the powder-coated aluminium and improves the permeability of the TEXTILENE AND WICKER water. CLEANER
TEXTILENE
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ALL WEATHER |
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SOLTEX |
COMFORMA
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SUNBRELLA
C U S H I O N S All LIFE cushions are specially made for outdoor use. The different versions also have the same inner lining that has had an antibacterial treatment to prevent the growth of mould. The cushions have a polyester inner lining, one of the most important properties of which is that it is water-repellent. Around the lining there is a fleece cover that keeps everything together and the inner cover around it is made of 100% polyether which makes it breathable and water repellent. There are 4 different fabric options for the outer cover, each offering a different type of use. The cushions all have a high colour fastness and are divided into the following options: ALL WEATHER | SOLTEX | COMFORMA | SUNBRELLA
CERAMIC
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ALL WEATHER The Soft-Touch textile All weather cushions are waterproof and dirt-repellent. This means that the cushions will be wet after rain, but the special inner lining minimises the drying time. The “LIFE Outdoor Living – Textilene and wicker cleaner” ensures that the fabric is well protected and can be cleaned when necessary. It also ensures that the cushion structure remains “open” and will therefore dry faster. The cover of the all-weather cushions is made out of textilene and the fibre anti-bacterial material provides long colour fastness. Water can be wiped off easily and wringes through the cushion. These cushions can be left outside the entire season and do not need any protective layer. Although it will not need an extra protective layer, you do need to clean the cushion regularly to keep its All-weather abilities and prevent moulds.
Cleaning All-weather cushions
To clean the inner cushions, you remove the cushion cover and clean the inner cushion using a mild detergent. You can clean the cushion cover with “LIFE Outdoor Living Textilene and Wicker Cleaner”. This is a non-foaming cleaner for open-woven fabrics and wicker. The outer cover can also be cleaned at 30 degrees in the washing machine, with a small amount of laundry detergent. We advise to wash 1 cover at a time.
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CUSHIONS
TEXTILENE AND WICKER CLEANER
ALL WEATHER 29
CARBON
KHAKI
MOUSE GREY
TAUPE
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ANTHRACITE
IVORY
MIST GREY
OLIVE GREEN
SOLTEX Sit comfortably on the LIFE Soltex cushions. This cushion combines a polyester fibre with a special softer outdoor threat. The combination of All-Weather and a softer thread gives the cushion a more natural look and feel. Bringing both worlds, interior and exterior, together, these cushions are even softer to sit on than the All-weather variant. The Soltex version is waterrepellent and resistant to prolonged rain. Our advice is to bring them inside in winter and to cover them with a protection cover. In contrary to the All –weather cushions you do need some extra maintenance for these cushions by using an extra protective layer using the “LIFE Outdoor Living – Soltex protector”. The protector ensures that your cushion remains protected against dirt and stains and that it remains water resistant.
SOLTEX CLEANER
SOLTEX PROTECTOR
Cleaning is just as easy using the “LIFE Outdoor Living – Soltex cleaner”.
CUSHIONS
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CARBON BEIGE CHINE
NATTE GREY CHINE
CHARCOAL CHINE
SUNBRELLA® The Sunbrella® cushions can remain outdoors for the entire season. The fabric feels like an interior fabric, but has the properties which allow it to remain outdoors in All-weather conditions. These cushions are very soft and comfortable to sit on. One of the best ways of ensuring that your Sunbrella continues to look good is clean them regularly.
Cleaning Sunbrella® cushions
• Brush off loose dirt • Spray on a cleaning solution of water and mild soap • Use a soft brush to clean • Allow the cleaning solution to soak into the fabric • Rinse thoroughly until all soap residues are removed • Allow to air dry There is no need to add extra layers of protection as the fabric, used in the cushion has already been provided these characteristics during the production process.
CUSHIONS
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COMFORMA These cushions can remain outdoors for the entire season. The fabric feels like an interior fabric, but has the properties which allow it to remain outdoors in All-weather conditions. These soft fabric cushions are ideal for under a veranda or roof. Even if you don’t expect these cushions to belong on an outdoor set, it is most certainly possible because they can withstand rain and are water repellent. This is because they are treated with a Scotch Guard layer. We do, however, advise you to store these cushions inside in the event of prolonged rain. These cushions have a very soft touch and are comfortable to sit on. One of the best ways of ensuring that your cushions continue to look good, is clean them regularly. The outer cover can also be cleaned at 30 degrees in the washing machine, with a small amount of laundry detergent. We advise to wash 1 cover at a time. There is no need to add extra layers of protection as the fabric used in the cushion has already been provided these characteristics during the production process.
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CUSHIONS
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STEEL
BASALT
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MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS
TEAK SHIELD
TEAK PROTECTOR
TEAK CLEANER
TEAK COLOUR GREY
ALUMINIUM SPONGE
SPRAYSTONE PROTECTOR
SPRAYSTONE CLEANER
POLYWOOD PROTECTOR
POLYWOOD CLEANER
ALUMINIUM CLEANER AND PROTECTOR
CERAMIC CLEANER AND PROTECTOR
SOLTEX CLEANER
SOLTEX PROTECTOR
TEXTILENE AND WICKER CLEANER
MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS
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CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY SVLK (Standar Verifikasi Legalitas Kayu) Our teak products have the SVLK/V-legal certificate (the other products have the FSC certificate). With this certificate we comply with the latest regulations in force since March 2013. The certificate stands for sustainable forest management and a declaration of legality. Indonesian forest owners and companies in the supply chain must demonstrate that the wood has a legal origin by means of a statement issued. In order to comply with this SVLK/V-legal certificate, all containers are checked on the legal origin of the wood before shipping. The European Wood Regulation prohibits the marketing of illegally harvested wood.
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FSC®
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) is an international organisation committed to conservation and responsible forest management worldwide. FSC® speaks of responsible forest management when the ecological, social and economic aspects of forest management are taken into account in a balanced way. Wood and paper products that originate from an FSC®-certified forest can be recognised by the FSC® label. In order to ensure that products carrying this label actually come from a responsibly managed forest, all links in the product’s trading chain must be certified. Only when, for example, a forest manager, paper factory, paper wholesaler and printer can prove that they comply with the FSC® rules can a product be sold as FSC® and may the FSC® logo be placed on it. The certification of these companies is done by independent certifiers.
“We are increasingly aware of the world around us. That is why we use the following certificates:”
BSCI
The Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) is an initiative of companies committed to improving working conditions in their global supply chain. BSCI offers a common code of conduct and a step-by-step plan for companies that is applicable to all sectors and manufacturing countries. BSCI offers companies a code of conduct that supports them in their efforts to establish an ethical supply chain. This code of conduct is based on international treaties that protect the rights of workers. The following key concepts are involved: • A socially responsible policy • Freedom of association • Working hours and overtime • Non-discrimination • Prevention of child labour and forced labour • Special protection for young workers • Payment of a minimum wage • Provisions for a safe and healthy workplace CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
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