What are flooring suppliers doing to ensure flooring sustainability?

Recently the City of Vancouver declared it was committed to a Climate Emergency Action Plan. This would put Vancouver on track to reduce it’s carbon pollution by 50%. So we at Beatty realized we needed to better understand which products we use that would best serve our clientele to help Vancouver be successful.

We asked a few of our flooring suppliers what their companies were working on to reduce the global carbon footprint, and I was pleasantly surprised that many had been working on this project long before Vancouver City’s initiative. Check out our video below or read the transcription that follows.

Transcribed Video:

“We asked a few of our flooring suppliers what their companies were working on to reduce the global carbon footprint, and I was pleasantly surprised that many had been working on this project long before Vancouver City’s initiative. Apparently there has been a real move to not only make flooring products healthier by removing chemicals that are toxic to humans and our climate, but there is a real movement to reduce, recycle and reuse torn out flooring products.

Some companies, like Interface, have started this path early in 1994. Shaw soon joined the global mission as well as Tarkett, Shaw Contract and Milliken totally on board as well.

After talking with representatives from each of these suppliers, we soon learned it was a very important part of their business plans. All have been very transparent in providing declaration statements that list all the raw goods used in each individual flooring product, and are not using red listed items that could harm the environment. Now these red list free declarations are useful, but most likely to the average consumer a little over our heads unless we have a chemistry degree. To make things simpler to the consumer, a 3rd party evaluator, developed a certification called Cradle to Cradle.

Essentially, 5 areas are evaluated on a product on whether it has a positive impact on people and the planet. Thus generating a product rating of Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum. The standard encourages continuous improvement over time and the evaluation must be done every two years.

The 5 areas assessed for flooring sustainability are:

1. Material Health; This category ensures products are made using chemicals that are as safe as possible to humans and the environment.

2. Material reuse; Aims to eliminate waste by ensuring products remain in a continuous cycle of use and reuse.

3. Renewable energy and carbon management; Encouraging manufacturing using a low impact renewable energy.

4. Water stewardship; watersheds are protected during manufacturing to ensure clean water is always available to humans and the environment.

5. Social fairness; Lastly ensuring that all people and natural resources are honored in the manufacturing of the product.

So, the suppliers that we asked what they were doing to help Vancouver City achieve the goal to reduce carbon pollution, all had the hardworking certification of Silver Cradle to Cradle. Not only were they cognizant of the materials they used in their products, but they are using renewable energy to manufacture, like wind power, AND they were recycling and reusing torn up carpet tiles by grinding them up to make materials for new products.

So, back to the Coles notes!

Yes, in order to help Vancouver City, and new projects everywhere, help clean up the environment, we now have some very good sustainable flooring choices. Today we’ll show the favourite choices each of our manufacturing reps who shared information with us:

Our Interface rep Matt’s favourite tile is from the Embodied Beauty carpet tile collection in the Geisha Gather style. These tiles offer interesting limitless design combinations that give a flooring result that is fresh and won’t be tired of any time soon.

Shaw Contract’s rep, Connor’s favourite tile is from Shaw’s Off the Grid Collection. He says, “These tiles are biophilic in design, meaning they’re meant to evoke a connection with nature.”

Tammy tells us her favourite tile collection from Tarkett is Substance which offers a simple, straightforward design that serves as the perfect versatile canvas that doesn’t compete with furnishings.

Lastly, Rebecca from Milliken says her favourite carpet tile collection is Remix Remastered Trimline. She says she loves the fun and playful patterns that can be customized to highlight colour and transform a space.

And I know our installers have had fun too having opportunities to be more creative. All these carpet tile patterns install beautifully without seams or other visual distractions, making them a staple for any interior space.

We hope you learned a few things about the growing trend of sustainable flooring and you will have answers the next time the phone rings regarding projects that are leading the way for a more earth friendly future in flooring.

If you want any more information, we have included links to each of our helpful reps and their product lines in the vlog transcription. And of course, don’t hesitate to give us a call with any questions.

And for those viewers out there that represent other flooring manufacturers , please reach out and we’d love to learn about your sustainable flooring options as well.

As always, our large board room is open to book privately to show multiple samples to your clients. See you at Beatty Floors.”

Give us a call at 604-254-9571, or visit our website at www.BeattyFloors.com to schedule an appointment with one of our professional sales consultants and we’ll help you every step of the way!”

What ever your needs or desires in flooring, we got you covered!