Martin Ballendat
Martin Ballendat has received more than 60 international design awards, designed the magnum, eviva, stretto and girado collections for TEAM 7. Born on 26th May 1958 in Bochum, studied Industrial Design at the Folkwang-School, University Essen. He started his activities as designer and designing engineer with the company Sedus, Waldshut, located near the Swiss border. In 1986 he took over the management for Design and Technique for Wiesner Hager, Altheim in Austria. After 10 years of employment Martin Ballendat took the change to open his own design office in Austria in 1995. In 1999 he bought and restored a 300 square meter art nouveau villa in Simbach, based his business in Germany and since then expands it continuously. Since 1988 the father of 4 children lives with his wife in Simbach. Besides his own business Martin Ballendat works as lecturer and visiting professor at the College of Design in Graz and Salzburg for 10 years. With his 13 exployees he was awarded with over 70 international prizes, among them Best of Neocon Chicago, Best of The Best Interior Innovations Award Köln, 8 Red Dot Awards, twice Best of the Best, IF-Award, Focus in Gold LGA Stuttgart etc. His work mainly focuses on product development and graphic design. The company works for well-known producers of brand-name articles in 9 different countries.
Design Ballendat
The design studio was founded in 1994 in Altheim Ballendat (Upper Austria) and engaged in design and product development with emphasis on volume production. Since 1998, graphic design and advertising has been added, and a second office in Germany in the border Simbach was founded. The two companies employ the owner and sole proprietors Martin Ballendat and currently 10 employees (Engineers / designers / modellers / designers, etc.).
Green Design
Green Design is design that goes beyond being attractive, efficient, on time and on budget. It is design that cares HOW such goals are achieved; about the effect design has on people living or working in these buildings, and on the environment as a whole.
TEAM 7 is the source for high-end, well designed furniture that will enhance – not pollute – our home, workplace and nature.
TEAM 7 furniture is also the natural choice for all projects where indoor air quality is important either in a home or at a workplace:
TEAM 7 exclusively uses a non-toxic wood finish of natural oils and waxes:
The all natural, open pore wood finish is made of walnut oil, olive oil, lavender oil, kumquat oil, soybean oil, thistle oil, castor oil, linseed oil and Tung oil, wood rosin as well as bees wax and carnauba palm wax. Because no stains, varnishes or lacquers are used on the natural hardwood, the furniture has very low VOC emissions and does not off-gas any toxic chemicals. Furthermore, no particle or MDF boards are used, because they are also a possible source for harmful chemical off-gassing. TEAM 7 also does not use any PVC plastic.
Certified Green:
Already in 1980 TEAM 7 started to manufacture solely green, non-toxic solid wood furniture and in 1996 was awarded the European Business Award for the Environment. The whole TEAM 7 production process as well as the solid wood furniture product has been certified since 1999 as environmentally friendly according to the standards of the Austrian Ecological Quality Certification, representing one of the strictest standards worldwide. Furthermore, in 2005 TEAM 7 also achieved certification from the Environmental Institute in Cologne, Germany.
Team 7 Materials
Wood
Solid natural wood has many benefits as it improves the room climate and indoor air quality. Solid wood breathes and regulates indoor humidity levels. Solid wood is naturally antistatic and dust repellent. Solid natural wood does not off-gas toxic chemicals and is very easy to maintain and repair. Solid wood is a renewable, natural material and simply decomposes at the end of its useful life.
100 % of the hardwood TEAM 7 uses come from certified sustainably-managed European forests that comply with the International Protection of Species Act. TEAM 7 does not use any endangered wood species or tropical wood as not to encourage illegal clear cutting of the rainforest. TEAM 7 offers its furniture in a selection of solid European hardwoods: Walnut, Cherry, Oak, Beech, Core Beech and Alder. View........
Wood finish
TEAM 7 exclusively uses a non-toxic wood finish of natural oils and waxes. TEAM 7 does not use any paints, stains or lacquers on the wood. The wood is finished only with herbal, non-toxic oils and waxes like walnut, olive and lavender oils and beeswax, and does not off-gas any toxic VOCs. Read all about the natural components of Team 7 furniture oils......
Wood Glue
TEAM 7 uses only non-toxic, formaldehyde-free white glue.
Wood sawing technique
To fully bring out the beauty of the wood grain as well as to minimize wood waste TEAM 7 uses the quarter sawn technique for the cutting of our wood boards in TEAM 7’s own saw mill in Hungary. TEAM 7 controls the production chain of its furniture, from the cutting of the wood to the board production in TEAM 7’s on board plant, the design of its furniture to the final manufacturing.
Kiln drying of the wood
Wood is a natural material that breathes and moves. Due to TEAM 7’s long experience with wood working and their exceptional care in the preparation of the wood, there is hardly any danger of warping or cracking. After it has been delivered, the wood rests for several weeks to dry naturally and very slowly. Then it is kiln dried to an internal humidity level of 30 %; at this level the wood reaches its maximum stability. The quality of TEAM 7 hardwood is so exceptionally high that ‘left-over’ wood is sold to premier US piano manufacturer Steinway.
Steel and Aluminum
Promoting the use of low VOC, recyclable materials is a fundamental element of our philosophy at TEAM 7. Steel and aluminum are used in the furniture programs because all scrap material from the manufacturing process is recyclable, and at the end of the product lifespan the material is still recyclable. Furthermore, we design our furniture for easy disassembly.
Glass
The glass TEAM 7 uses is tempered safety glass. The high quality flat glass is made of natural and plentiful occurring materials (sand, soda ash, limestone and feldspar) and is recyclable. Glass is inherently very low in VOCs. The paint TEAM 7 uses for its colored glass are water-based and also very low in VOC emissions. We don’t use any acrylic glass, as acrylic is a plastic and made of petroleum, a non-renewable, scarce material. Acrylic glass also scratches very easily and has higher VOC emissions.
TEAM 7 also offers an opti-white glass option for some of its table models. This glass options has no natural green tint and is available in a gloss or matte finish. View options...
Stricktex
Strick-Tex, the innovative material of the MAGNUM chair cover (trade name: Trevira CS), is a polyester fiber that is fully recyclable. Strick-Tex is tested for harmful substance according to the German Oekotex Standard 100 and meets the very stringent health and safety requirements established for baby articles. Strick-Tex is inherently flame retardant and therefore not treated with PBDE; a health and environmentally hazardous chemical commonly used as a flame retardant. For the MAGNUM chair cover the fiber is knitted (not woven) with different tension points and than pulled over the chair with no additional screws, so it is very easy to dismantle. The knitting technique also allows for a semi-transparent, breathable seat cover with superior ergonomically seating comfort. View options...
Leather
TEAM 7 promotes the use of leather because leather is a renewable material and a‘left over’ from the food industry that otherwise would go to waste. Also, leather is much more durable than conventional upholstery fabric and, when properly taken care off, can last for a very, very long time.
The supplier of TEAM 7 leather, Car Trim GmbH (Weida Leder) uses a chromium tanning process for quality reasons. The leather TEAM 7 uses as upholstery material is semi-aniline dyed, that means it has a thin protective coating on the surface for better water and stain resistance. The company has its own fully biological water treatment plant for effluent as well as a process for closed loop chromium recycling. Nevertheless, in the medium term our goal at TEAM 7 is to replace the chromium tanned leather with a chromium-free tanned leather.
Furthermore, TEAM 7’s leather manufacturer is ISO 14001 certified and has an Environmental Management System (EMAS) in place with regular audits taken place to ensure the most stringent care regarding the environment. The leather supplier is a German company that also manufactures in Germany and, therefore has to comply with the very strict German environmental regulations regarding product and emissions standards as well as with the regulations from the European Union.
All of TEAM 7 leathers are free of PCP, CFC and forbidden Azo compounds.
Hardware
TEAM 7 uses only first-grade hardware with main components made out of high quality steel. Minor hardware components are made out of plastic. TEAM 7 does not use any PVC plastic at all.
TEAM 7 drawers and sliding doors are equipped with a shock absorbing mechanism so that they close in absolute silence, especially parents will value that feature.
Furniture handles are available in a selection of wood, glass or stainless steel styles.
Upholstery Foam and Glue
TEAM 7 uses a CMHR (Combustion Modified High Resilient) polyurethane upholstery foam that conforms to the California Bureau of Home Furnishing Technical Bulletin 133 regulations regarding flammability standards. Additionally, the foam complies with the German OEKOTEX Standard 100, and meets the very stringent health and safety requirements established in this standard for baby articles.
For upholstery foam applications TEAM 7 uses water-based glue. The glue consists of a solvent-free dispersion of acrylic resin and synthetic rubber in water (trade name: SIMALFA, a technical data sheet is available per request).
Care & Maintenance
Wood is a living and breathing material. Proper care and maintenance preserve these qualities.
The oiled, open-pored surface of Team 7 furniture has distinct advantages over varnished surfaces:
It regulates the humidity exchange and improves the air in a room.
Since it is static free, it does not attract dust and dirt.
Stains from water, oil, red wine, ink, etc. can be easily removed.
Scratches and dents can be easily removed, even without the help of an expert. The surface of the furniture can continue to look brand new after years of use.
By observing the following tips for care, cleaning and repair, all these advantages will be yours, and you will enjoy your Team 7 furniture for years to come.
Periodic Care:
To care for and polish up the furniture surfaces (every 2-4 years), apply the Team 7 herbal oil thinly and sparingly with a clean, dry woolen cloth. After about 15 – 20 minutes, polish with another clean, dry woolen cloth. The surface then has a satiny gloss finish and will feel velvety soft.
Cleaning:
To clean furniture surfaces, treat the dirty/stained areas of the furniture using Team 7 herbal oil and a non-metallic scouring pad, rubbing in the direction of the wood grain and applying slight pressure. After the dirt/stain is removed, polish with a clean, dry woolen cloth.
Scratches and Dents:
Scratches and dents can be almost completely removed. While smaller scratches will disappear completely, deeper trouble spots can be restored by about 80% by steaming them out with a clothes iron.
Repairing small scratches:
Sand the surface with 120-grain sandpaper until the scratch can no longer be seen.Before applying oil, sand the surface to a fine finish with 150-grain sandpaper, progressing to 180-grain and ending with 240-grain. Then, generously apply the Team 7 herbal oil with a clean, dry woolen cloth. After about 15 – 20 minutes, polish with another clean, dry woolen cloth.
Repairing deeper scratches and dents:
Lightly sand the damaged area with 120-grain sandpaper then moisten the area with water. Next, steam the damaged wood fibers by placing a damp cloth over the area and applying steam from an electric clothes iron on top of the damp cloth. The cloth must be sufficiently damp and the iron must not come into direct contact with the wood surface. Repeat as often as necessary.hen the wood fibers have swollen up and the area is completely dry, sand the treated area flat finishing with 240-grain sandpaper. Apply Team 7 herbal oil generously with a clean, dry woolen cloth. After about 15 – 20 minutes, polish with another clean, dry woolen cloth.
Caution:
Please note that oil-soaked cloths and scouring pads can be combustible. All used, oil soaked cloths and pads should be rinsed thoroughly with water and disposed of in non-flammable containers
Austrian Ecological Quality Certification
All Team 7 products meet the strict standards of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water in manufacturing and production. Team 7 ecologically-friendly production practices consistently earn them the Austrian Ecological Quality Certification. Unlike many industry awards, this certification comes from a government regulatory body.
Following are some of the requirements Team 7 meets - and overachieves - to earn the Austrian Ecological Quality Certification:
Wood materials are allowed only half of the otherwise already stringent, acceptable maximum formaldehyde content. Team 7 uses only natural, solid wood.
All other products used in the production process must not be known to cause cancer or any other health risks and must have very low VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions.
Team 7 products are treated only with natural oil and wax and are free of ANY chemicals.
Packaging must allow the product to breathe, so that any remaining emissions can dissipate during transportation and storage.
Use of PVC plastic is not allowed.
Other plastics are only allowed in hardware parts, and plastic coatings are only allowed on counter tops. Team 7 uses only first-grade hardware with main components made out of high quality steel.
Regular maintenance of all production equipment is required; especially equipment used for drying and surface treatment.
For children furniture, separate and much stricter regulations apply.
All woods used must comply with the International Protection of Species Act and must be from certified, sustainably-managed forests.
All certified companies must have a policy on waste and environmental management and meet minimum standards for employee safety. Focus areas are dust, noise and chemical (hazardous) emissions.
There are minimum requirements for product quality and lifespan, ease of repair, availability of spare parts and after-sales service.
