As carpet manufacturers change and adapt to new consumer demands, they are beginning to shift to a new demographic: the Millennials. One of the defining characteristics about Millennials is that they are more focused on environmentally friendly products. How does that affect the flooring industry? First, it means reducing the use of disposable carpet, specifically the carpet that will be installed, pulled up within a decade, and then tossed into a landfill. By choosing the option of hardwood floors plus area rugs, homeowners have already been making more environmentally friendly decisions for decades. The next frontier is recycled carpet.
Not Just Recycling, Recycled Carpet
Manufacturers have been sourcing carpet material from recycled materials for years. What kind of recycled materials do they use? Today’s carpet is made primarily from plastic fibers, so they are sourcing material from all of the plastic people recycle every day, particularly plastic water and soda bottles. Foss now produces carpet tiles made from beverage containers. They are easy to install and replace if they get damaged which is good because to make one square of carpet tile, it takes approximately 50 two-liter bottles.
The goal is that by producing carpet with already recycled materials, this carpet will also be recyclable. This could save at least some of the 3.5 billion pounds of carpeting that goes into a landfill annually. Carpet America Recovery Effort is working with carpet manufacturers to make that a reality. Right now carpet is being sourced to make composite lumber that is used to build decks and rails that are easy to clean, stain resistant, water resistant, and UV light resistant. Also, unlike wood decks, decks made from plastic lumber are not consumed by bugs like termites – which means they do not attract those bugs to homes either as rotting decks so commonly do.
Since 2002, CARE has kept 3.6 billion pounds of carpet out of landfills. If you are looking for a collection site near you to recycle your carpet, check out their national map.
Reduce and Reuse
Of course, Bond Products has always encouraged our customers to create their own rugs with Instabind. Anyone can bind a remnant and make an area rug from a piece of carpet that might otherwise be tossed out. We also offer a spectrum of supplies that let you take an antique rug that needs some help and revitalize it for your floor. It’s less expensive and more environmentally friendly to clean that carpet and add new rug fringe. If you are an environmentally focused homeowner, check out our catalog for products that can make your light footprint design ideas happen.
