Brading

The Window Quilt shade was created and developed by a few energy conscious engineers in Brattleboro, Vermont during the early to mid 1970’s. By the mid 1980’s, the company had grown to enjoy a distribution network of over 500 dealers throughout the USA and Canada.

Brading Specialty Shades was one of the first Canadian dealers and came onboard in the fall of 1979. At that time, Dr. Wolfgang Zenker of Oakville, Ontario held the Canadian rights for Window Quilt and started manufacturing the product locally.

During the mid 1970’s, the Federal Government had introduced a program call the “Canadian Home Insulation Program” (CHIP). A homeowner could receive a free grant of up to $500.00 for the supply and installation of thermal insulation for their homes. These materials had to be tested and approved by the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). This included products such as fiberglass, rock wool, cellulose, rigid Styrofoam and urea formaldehyde spray foam insulation.

Window Quilt was the ONLY certified product (CMHC# 9524) for use on windows. No other type of shade or window covering qualified for this grant. The reason was the superior design and performance of the Window Quilt insulating shade. No other product could match the exceptional R factor (R 4 thermal resistance) as well as its “four sided” edge seal.

In 1986, Dr. Wolfgang Zenker hired Ed Bonisch of Brading Specialty Shades to train other Window Quilt dealers. This was accomplished by providing product and installation seminars for the Canadian dealership network.

Though the original company, Appropriate Technology Corporation (ATC) was sold several times, the basic concept and focus never changed. The Window Quilt product line expanded over time to include Panel Quilt, Window Quilt Showcase, Le Pli folding shades, Skylight Quilt and Window Quilt Solarius for curved sunrooms.

ATC was sold to Northern Cross Industries in the mid 1990’s and the company started its slow downward spiral. Weak leadership and lack of commitment by the new owner led to reduced staff and stock reductions. In 2005, the company was sold for a “fire sale” price to The Warm Company, their only competitor with a similar product called “Warm Window”.

The Warm Company tried to make a go of it but the internal damage was too great to be reversed. Window Quilt stopped all production in April of 2007. This ended 32 years of fabricating the most unique, energy efficient shading system manufactured in North America.

Brading will continue to support the Window Quilt program with our large inventory of replacement parts including brackets, take up pulleys, track guides, cord and cord lock assemblies.