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Mohawk Industries has won a GPEC 2009 Recycling Award from the Society of Plastics Engineers!

The award, to be presented during the Global Plastics Environmental Conference in Orlando, recognizes companies that have created innovative ways to address recycling challenges for plastic materials. Mohawk was given its award in the category of “carpet/flooring/wallcoverings.” Mohawk was recognized for its GreenWorks Center, a recycling facility that can recycle all major types of synthetic carpet. Mohawk GreenWorks Center is unique in that it can process not just nylon 6 but also nylon 6.6 and polypropylene. What’s more, the Mohawk GreenWorks Center uses patent pending technology to process 100% of the carpet-fiber, backing, and latex-and recover approximately 90% of all materials. The GreenWorks facility is also easily replicated, so it can go to the carpet, which makes recycling more feasible. It can be scaled for the amount of material that needs to be processed. The GreenWorks Center also has the capability to process certain thermoplastic non-carpet recyclables, which makes it even more attractive to recycling companies. Most importantly, though, is that with this system, almost no carpet materials go into landfills. “We are greatly appreciative of this particular award because it is recognition from the specialists around the world tasked with solving industrial environmental challenges,” said Frank Endrenyi, Vice President, Sustainable Development. “We’re very pleased that our technology was singled out as an example by this group of technical experts.” Mohawk has been working for years with the carpet industry’s C.A.R.E. (Carpet America Recovery Effort) initiative to develop new ways of approaching the challenge of what to do with old carpet. The Mohawk GreenWorks Center is an answer to this challenge. The Mohawk GreenWorks Center is now open in Chatsworth, GA, but because the plants can be built anywhere, recyclers can keep costs down by being close to any GreenWorks processing center. Mohawk Industries has taken a leadership role in environmental issues through its GreenWorks program, an “umbrella” program that places all green projects under a single platform for customers and shareholders. Mohawk Industries has literally hundreds of environmentally-oriented projects in the works at any given time. These range from internal efforts to cut emissions at a single plant, to the industry’s largest recycling project that converts as much as one-quarter of all the recycled soft drink and water bottles sold in North America into carpet fiber. Mohawk is the largest recycler in the flooring industry. Mohawk currently diverts more than three billion pounds of pre- and post-consumer waste from landfills, and this number continues to grow. More than 500 Mohawk products—carpet, carpet tiles, cushion, laminates, and ceramic tile—contain recycled materials. Recycled materials come from Mohawk processes and from a range of other products, including old tires, roofing materials, old wood furniture, soft drink bottles, carpet, and others sources. To learn more about Mohawk GreenWorks, visit the company’s website devoted exclusively to Mohawk green projects: www.mohawkgreenworks.com.

(CALHOUN, GA – DECEMBER, 2008) – Mannington Commercial is searching for the most promising rising talent in design who will compete to win the creation of their own carpet collection plus a $7,500 cash prize. Launching December 1, tx:style is a design challenge for certified architects and designers with no more than seven years professional experience, and it uses the favorite tool of their generation—the internet—in a unique online interface with voters who will decide the top honors.

“tx:style was born from the successful collaboration Mannington Commercial had this past year with 25-year-old Kaitlin Phelps, which yielded the fashion-forward and stylish Adorn collection,” said Natalie Jones, Vice President, Commercial Brand Development and Creative Product. “We realized there is a whole new crop of untested talent who are bursting with fresh ideas and thinking, and who, like Kaitlin, deserve a showcase for their work. We created tx:style to help bring these promising stars into the spotlight and acknowledge their future potential.”

According to Jones, while online competitions are nothing new these days, tx:style utilizes the concept of a social networking Web site to encourage the entire A+D community not only to vote, but also offer their own comments and opinions on the submissions. “The A+D community is at the heart of our business and with the limitless reach of the World Wide Web, we believe tx:style will be the most exciting and effective way to involve them in the design process.”

Via a dedicated online portal, www.manningtoncommercial.com/txstyle, contestants will have until February 6 to upload their design ideas for a new commercial carpet pattern. They’ll be invited to submit, as well, accompanying visuals and personal written statements that help articulate what inspired and fueled their concepts. Online voting to determine five tx:style finalists will be conducted through February 15. Then, these top five designers will attend a weekend seminar at Mannington’s Calhoun, GA, headquarters, where they will have the opportunity to work with the experts, tweaking and refining the product samples that the company will develop based on their submissions. In late April, photos of the actual product samples will be posted to the Web site, where Mannington will once again rely on the design community to vote for its top choice. Additionally, at NeoCon 2009, the samples will be on view in the Mannington Commercial showroom, and voting will continue through the first day of the show, with the tx:style grand prize winner announced the following day, June 16, at a showroom reception honoring all of the finalists. In addition to presenting the grand prize award, each finalist will receive $3,000.

To enter Mannington Commercial’s tx:style competition, or to view the submissions and cast your vote, visit www.manningtoncommercial.com/txstyle.

Mannington Commercial has distinguished itself as one of North America’s premier manufacturers of high quality floor covering designs encompassing both soft and hard surfaces. Its deep range of choices in both categories is unparalleled. A leading voice in sustainability, the company is relentless in pursuing innovative measures to improve closing the recycling loop—reducing the waste streams from the manufacturing process while reusing waste materials. For more information visit www.manningtoncommercial.com

Have you ever walked into a carpet store looking to buy new carpet and walked past all of the patterned carpet, running your hand over the patterns thinking, “I wish I had the guts to do that!” Then, you end up purchasing a nice plush….wondering all the while what a patterned carpet would look like in your home. Don’t worry, most people have trouble making this decision!

Patterned carpets are nothing to be scared of. First let’s look at the definition of a patterned carpet.

According to wisegeek.com Patterned carpet is imprinted with a pattern in several different ways. One method is carpets are made with pre-dyed yarn to form a pattern while some have multiple colors printed on the surface of the carpet.

The patterned carpet that is created with pre-dyed yarns worked to form the carpet itself at the same time the pattern is being made can be considered the pre-dying method. The three main kinds of pre-dyed patterned carpets are woven, knitted and tufted. A tufted patterned carpet is made with tufts of pile inserted by needles into the backing material. Woven carpets are available in many different textures such as looped or velvet.

When considering patterned carpet a good rule of thumb to follow is: Large patterns work best in large rooms and smaller patterns work best in small rooms. This is because large patterns can be overwhelming in small rooms and small patterns can get lost in larger rooms. This goes for any type of patterned carpet.

When you think of small patterned carpet, don’t focus too much on the pattern. When there is a room full of small patterned carpet you tend to only see texture rather than the pattern. When considering large scale patterned carpets, don’t assume that the pattern will take over the room. It can be a compliment to all of the other design elements in the room.

Patterned carpets can be used as a focal point for a room. If you need a design element to give your room some character or personality, patterned carpet can achieve this for you. Keep in mind that if you are using patterned carpet in a room that you don’t need too may other patterns such as patterned wallpaper (especially of the same scale) to compete with the floor pattern. This can become confusing and cluttered.

If you have a printed carpet pattern with multiple colors, this can serve as your color scheme giving you flexibility and ease of choice with other selections in the room. You can pull paint colors, upholstery colors, art colors and more from the colors set in the carpet pattern.

Keep in mind if you are using a patterned carpet such as a linear stripe and the room is out of square these patterns may make that issue more noticeable.

Patterned carpet can be fun and exciting. It can open up your design scheme to new possibilities. If you are considering patterned carpet, but have hesitations try the Virtual Room Designer on the WFCA website to preview what patterned carpet will look like in a room.

The Tuftex of California division of Shaw Floors and Disney Consumer Products are launching a new collection of wall-to-wall carpet based on some of Disney’s classic stories.

The non-character based line takes inspiration from some of the most well-known Disney franchises, including Disney Princess and Disney Fairies, Winnie the Pooh, the Disney∙Pixar films Cars and Toy Story, and Disney Channel’s hit series Hannah Montana.

The collection incorporates unique patterns, color treatments and design elements that subtly bring to life these Disney properties.

Winnie the Pooh is the basis for “Friendly Old Bear,” with a silhouette of the famous bear etched into the pattern. That’s one example of many in the series.

Each assortment has its own unique color palette to compliment other Disney Home interior products.

STAINMASTER carpets already stay up to 30% cleaner than other carpets and last 50% longer. The secret to exceptional STAINMASTER® carpet traffic performance – and one of the reasons it lasts up to 50% longer than other carpets* – is nylon 6,6, a fiber with a unique molecular structure designed for superior strength. One of the reasons it stays up to 30% cleaner than other carpets is a technology called LotusFX Fiber Shield that was inspired by the lotus flower.

The fibers in STAINMASTER carpet are different. The fibers are designed for beauty and performance in order to create the innovative and stunning carpet styles that INVISTA’S STAINMASTER carpet is famous for. To protect these fibers from soil and stains without sacrificing the luxury, STAINMASTER looked to mother nature.  The lotus flower leaf has the ability to prevent soil particles from sticking to its surface. The LotusFX Fiber Shield is designed the same way.

Most liquid spills bead up on the carpet’s fiber surface which makes it difficult for spills to penetrate. What does this mean to you? This means that you have more time to get to the spill and remove it before it penetrates the carpet, making it easier to remove the spill. No carpet is fully stain proof, but having a little time to run get the proper cleaning tools gives you a better chance of removing the stain.

STAINMASTER’S website has a great tool for stain removal. To view this guide, click here. The guide is set up as an index of stains listed in alphabetical order.

Also, please see the following STAINMASTER® carpet seasonal stain removal guides.

Fall Stain Removal Guide
Summer Stain Removal Guide
Valentines Stain Removal Guide
Holiday Stain Removal Guide

For those of you out there that don’t find floor covering fascinating and spend your weekends on Google to learn all you can about floors, here’s a run down of the basics. This information may help you understand about your options and what you need to know when you decide you want new floors.

1. The main categories of flooring are:

Carpet

Vinyl or Resilient Flooring

Hardwood

Laminate

Ceramic or Porcelain Tile

Natural Stone

To learn more about these categories and to see different styles see the information outlined on our parent site or just click on the link above.

2. Technology and design styles have had significant influence on flooring. Other than the basics flooring types listed above, there are also styles of cork flooring, bamboo flooring, glass tiles, stainless and other metal tiles, rubber tiles, natural fibers like seagrass and sisal and many others – even paper!

3. Not all floors are acceptable on all foundation types.  For example, most solid hardwood floors cannot be installed on concrete slabs. Be sure to know your foundation type before you start shopping.

4. Flooring is measured and sold either by the square foot or the square yard. Be careful when comparing prices that you are comparing apples to apples. If a hardwood tag says “$4 per SF” and a carpet tag says “$18 per SY” and you don’t see the one letter than distinguishes the two, you might think the hardwood is less expensive than the carpet.

5. Allow a retailer give you an estimate on your room size to determine how much flooring you will need rather than building your budget from your own measurements. For example, if you have a room that is 13′ x 13′ you will need different quantities for different flooring materials. Some items are sold by the box and carpet and vinyl are sold from a roll that could be 12′, 13′6″ or 15′ wide. Since you have to buy items that are sold by the box by the full box (and take the waste factor, pattern match and pattern repeat into consideration) and items sold on a roll by their given width you could need anywhere from 190 SF over 300 SF for a room that actually measures 169 SF.

6. Different floors are made for different lifestyles. For example: You may love hardwood, but if you have large dogs hardwood may not be the best choice for you. If you have dark hair, white bathroom floor tiles might not be the best choice for you.  If you have small children and pets, white carpet may not be the best choice for you.

7.  Keep transitions to other rooms in mind when choosing flooring. Floors have different finish heights and those heights can vary depending on your subfloor. Floors with different finish heights will need to be treated with a transition strip. Transitioning from a (low) vinyl/resilient floor to a 3/4″ solid hardwood floor can be significant. Transition strips are no big deal, if you know in advance to expect them.

8.  Keep resale in mind. Because floors like hardwood, ceramic tile and natural stone are costly and rarely need replacing due to wear, consider how long you are going to live in your home before choosing your floors.  Your favorite color may be blue, but a house full of blue floors may be a turn off to a potential buyer. If you do choose to express your style with a house full of blue floors, be sure that you won’t tire of looking at the same color after a while. However, I am definitely not suggesting choosing all beige floors for resale purposes!

9. It is important to consider maintenance. If you don’t like to clean, there are flooring options with very little maintenance that also stand up to heavy traffic and pets.

10. Floors come in a variety of different styles and that means that they also come with different budgets. Be careful when shopping that you don’t rule out a particular flooring type because of the first priced sample you see. There are some vinyl floors that are as expensive as a hardwood floor and there are prices ranges within each type of flooring that can be as much as $20 per square foot.

The floors in your home are a big decision. They take more wear and tear than most any other item in your home. Other than your walls, your floors consume the majority of the square footage in your home. Choose a floor type based on the fact that you will probably live with it for a very long time!

In a carpet industry that has seen shrinking market share and endless “me-too” claims among competitors, the No. 3 carpet maker has shown healthier, innovative aspirations with a new technology it dubs Silver Release^TM.

Not too long ago, wall-to-wall carpet was king and a status symbol of upscale suburban living. Carpet still enjoys a slight edge in overall share of floors in the home over trendy hard surface choices in hardwood, tile and vinyl, though its popularity has suffered. This is due, in part, to the perception among some consumers that hard surface floors are healthier than their softer counterparts. Carpet makers and research scientists for the Carpet and Rug Institute (www.carpet-rug.org) have known that this is just an “urban myth”-that with proper installation, maintenance and cleaning carpet is a healthy flooring choice. Beaulieu of America, the No. 3 flooring manufacturer in the world and carpet specialist, determined to address this issue head-on.

In 2007, Beaulieu conducted extensive consumer research about carpet issues in its quest to develop a totally new branded approach to residential carpet. Among the many findings, the company learned that there is still a love affair with carpet among women (responsible for 80+% of all carpet purchases) and a pent-up demand, providing the health concerns could be put to rest.

Sensing the potential for a breakthrough, Beaulieu engineers applied an anti-bacterial technology used in bandages, surgical masks and laundry equipment to their production of carpet. In 2008, Beaulieu unveiled its Healthy Home^TM collection featuring its very own Silver Release^TM anti-bacterial technology under the newly minted Bliss by Beaulieu^TM brand. Beaulieu scored an industry-first and acceptance was overwhelming.

Silver Release is actually based on a home remedy going back to the 14th century. Being “born with a silver spoon in your mouth” comes from the practice of placing silver spoons in mouths of children to combat illness. Hundreds of years later, science proved moms and their silver spoons were on the right track. The molecular ions in silver and copper (also used in Silver Release)

penetrate the membranes of microbes that come in contact with them when activated by humidity or moisture and destroy them. The process is completely natural and harmless but effective.

As Beaulieu discovered, carpet fiber and Silver Release were made for each other. The billions and billions of fiber strands that make up a carpeted room are the perfect host for Silver Release and Silver Release invisibly and tirelessly works 24/7 against the formation of bacteria, moldand mildew. It’s a floor covering dream team.

Beaulieu is quick to point out that Silver Release won’t make you a healthier person. You (or your pet for that matter) can’t roll around on your new Healthy Home carpet and get cured of whatever ails you. You can, however, roll around on your carpet knowing that it’s as healthy, clean and fresh as it can be.

For its inaugural launch, Beaulieu paired its Silver Release technology with its new female-friendly Bliss by Beaulieu brand and Bliss Healthy Home^TM collection. Healthy Home also addresses another top-of-mind consumer issues related to carpet: the environment. To make Healthy Home, Beaulieu annually recycles approximately 1.6 billion plastic bottles diverted from landfills to make its P.E.T. continuous filament polyester fiber. Healthy Home, as well as all other Bliss carpets, also carries the Green Label certification for indoor air quality by the Carpet and Rug Institute.

Orders for Bliss Healthy Home have been brisk. Beaulieu reportsdistribution of displays to retailers is up 30% over any other launch in the 30-year history of the company. Even more remarkable is this is happening in a down economy. After only 8 months since its introduction, Beaulieu is chalking up its Silver Release as a home run. “It clearly touched a nerve with the consumer. Now she can feel more comfortable with the purchase of carpet for her home,” observed Jeff Meadows, Executive VP of Beaulieu. “We’re moving in the right direction.” Consumers can find their nearest Bliss dealer by going the company’s website: www.blissflooring.com.

So what does Beaulieu do for an encore? Already in the works is an even more effective Silver Release formulation to be launched in 2009 utilizing zinc in an expanded Healthy Home collection. Zinc is a widely used ingredient in cosmetics and shampoos and even paints and sealants as an effective anti-bacterial agent. “Carpet has so many unique characteristics that enhance the quality of life, from softness, comfort, quiet and warmth. We don’t think people should feel like they should just give that up,” said Meadows. “Silver Release is one more reason for her to believe in carpet.”

About Bliss by Beaulieu^TM Carpet
Beaulieu of America, Dalton, Georgia, makes the Bliss by Beaulieu brand (www.blissflooring.com). Beaulieu of America employs 6,000 in over 30 facilities and distributes carpet worldwide. It is the third largest floor covering manufacturer in the world and the largest sole producer of carpet. Bliss by Beaulieu was launched in 2008 as the only brand of carpet designed by and for the needs of women consumers.

Bliss Healthy Home^TM is the only carpet in the world to contain Silver Release^TM anti-bacterial protection that inhibits the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew.

For more information, contact:
Patricia Flavin
Sr. VP Marketing
Beaulieu of America

1-800-227-7211
pflavin@beaulieu-usa.com

When shopping for flooring, it seems that people with allergies and concerns for shy away from buying carpet. Most people think that carpet traps allergens making them unsafe for people with allergies to be in the same room as carpet.

The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) is trying to debunk this myth! According to The CRI:

“Gravity causes common household particles, such as dust, pollen and pet and insect dander, to fall to the floor. Carpet fibers trap the particles, reducing their continued circulation in the air. Proper cleaning with CRI-approved vacuums effectively removes dust and allergens from the carpet, locks them in the machine and helps keep them out of the air we breathe.
A misperception is that people with asthma and allergies should avoid carpet in the home. But much of today’s carpet is made from harmless materials found in clothing and other everyday fabrics, such as polyester, nylon and olefin fibers, which don’t trouble most people.

Mold and VOC misperceptions: Other misperceptions about carpet involve mold and the emission of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. In fact, it is very hard to grow mold on carpet. Mold grows in any moist environment where dirt and dust provide nutrients. When carpet is kept clean and dry, mold simply cannot grow on synthetic fibers.
Carpet is also wrongly linked to high VOC levels. Scientific studies show that new carpet is one of the lowest emitters of VOCs into the indoor environment, and that these emissions dissipate very quickly. The low-level VOC emissions and the harmless odor from new carpet disappear within the first 48 to 72 hours after installation and even sooner with open windows or doors.”

So, if you have allergies and concerns for indoor air quality – don’t discount carpet! For more information on carpet and allergies, click here.

Reader Question:

We have 4 kitties.  Last night they got rambunctious and knocked over one of our oil lamps that were sitting on the end table.  They broke the glass and the blue tinted oil spilled all over the table and dripped on the carpet.  We soaked up as much as we could with some paper towels, but there is still a faint blue stain on the carpet.  Is there any way to get this out without using a general store bought carpet cleaner?

Answer:

According to Wear-Dated’s stain removal guide:

Asphalt, butter, calamine lotion, Crayon, furniture polish, gravy, grease, hand lotion, ice cream, ink (ballpoint), ink (Fountain Pen), lacquer, make-up, mayonnaise, milk, oil, paint (latex), paint (oil), Play Dough, rubber cement, salad oil, sauces, shoe polish, shortening, tar, Vaseline, unknown spots

Remove as much foreign material as possible by blotting with a white paper towel or scraping with a dull knife. Apply isopropyl rubbing alcohol to a clean white cloth, white paper towel or cotton ball. If the spot extends deep into the pile, blot until it is removed or no color transfers to the cloth. Do not allow the alcohol to penetrate the backing, as it will destroy the latex bond. If the spot is on the surface only, rub in one direction at a time.

If rubbing removes the spot, blot dry and stack several white paper towels over the damp area. Place a brick or similarly weighted object on the towels to keep them in contact with the carpet. The towels will absorb any stain wicking up from the backing to the carpet surface. Allow carpet to dry, remove the brick and towels, and brush up the pile.

NOTE:  Never use a circular motion to remove a spot as this may destroy the texture.