Fine weaves
Despite the popularity of hardwood flooring, carpeting still plays an important role in residential and contract projects. Comfort is one obvious advantage, with new designs playing up texture and materials. But carpet production requires a lot of energy for an end product that has a short lifespan before ending up in a landfill. Manufacturers, however, are getting wise and implementing green-minded initiatives to produce a better broadloom.
One of the easiest choices for a greener carpet is an investment in natural and renewable materials. Tai Ping and Edward Fields offer wool and silk carpets; Hanna Korvela’s Fino is made of 100 per cent silk; Merida Meridian’s Bengal series is woven completely from jute; and Woodnotes’ mix of wool, paper yarn and cotton makes for an intriguing combination.
Recycling carpeting presents a major challenge, because it requires sophisticated plants and significant energy consumption. Larger mills, including Mannington and Shaw, will take old product back for reclaiming and recycling. Modular carpet tiles, offered by InterfaceFlor and the New Patcraft & Designweave, among others, are a popular option that allows for spot replacements and leads to longer carpet life. European companies appear to have a stronger foothold on environmental practices. Germany’s Carpet Concepts, for example, adheres to standards that exceed those in North America. According to Brian Greenberg of Toronto’s Relative Space/Floorworks, which carries Carpet Concepts, “They are lightweight, produced with low energy, have low embodied carbon and life cycle cost, and are excellent candidates for recycling.”
It’s easy to get tangled up in the carpet industry’s environmental jargon, but clearly the challenge of manufacturing eco-friendly carpeting is sizable. While no carpet solves every problem, the variety of approaches suggests that greener carpets are gaining ground.
Above: Designed by Johan Carpner for Kasthall, Storm’s wall-to-wall design is made from wool and anti-static nylon, with warp and weft of jute and cotton. The subtle chiaroscuro pattern is only available made to order. www.kasthall.com
Shannon Anderson
Wake Up Pretty by Nood Fashion
This web-based company specializes in custom commercial carpets, in a seemingly endless palette of colours. Everything is handled online, eliminating wasteful samples and display showrooms. With such carpet titles as White Lies, Rush Hour and 3rd Shift, Nood Fashion aims to infuse the industry with humour and style. Wake Up Pretty’s modular design is part of the Urban Optimist line. www.noodfashion.com
Thread by Shaw Contract Group
This rough broadloom pattern is part of Shaw Contract Group’s Texture Study collection of nine broadlooms and four carpet tiles, which exaggerate the textures of layered knits and coarse twills for a funky effect. All of the products use an EcoWorx backing. www.shawcontractgroup.com
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