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World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) Provides Trend Report from Premiere Floor Covering Show

Anaheim, CA (PRWEB) March 11, 2009 — If the devil wears Prada, then the fashion-conscious demon must walk on animal prints, nude tones, layered looks and leather. For these are just some of the hottest trends in flooring uncovered by the World Floor Covering Association’s fashion scouts at this year’s Surfaces – one of the home market’s top international trade shows – which took place in Las Vegas in February this year.

WOOD AND BAMBOO TRENDS
There were no limits at Surfaces when it came to treatments in wood. High-gloss piano-finish floors that reveal your reflection were seen. As were innovative wood tiles in a surprising variety of whimsical shapes and sizes, including Tetris patterns, puzzle pieces, bricks and even fish scales! New wood surface stains now offer 0% VOC, no off gassing, are non-toxic and of all things, are even edible. Another new process extends the lifespan of hardwood floors with stains that run throughout the wear layer resulting in a highly durable floor that offers everlasting beauty that can be enjoyed for a lifetime.

Bamboo floors were also a hit at the show with one company presenting an assortment of oil-finished “woven” bamboo floors infusing cork strands for added dimension, anti-bacterial properties, soundproofing and insulation.

CARPET TRENDS
Carpet and area rugs were all about texture this year — from shag to loops to contemporary felt discs. Also fashionable are rugs and carpets bound with a hint of metallic fiber just to catch the eye. Animal and nature-inspired looks are also the rage, including panther and leopard skin, tropical leaf and flower patterns, tree textures and tribal designs.

In addition to eco-friendly products, manufacturers were paying close attention this year to allergen reducing products and manufacturing methods. One new line includes a broad selection of carpets that incorporates silver and zinc release, which offer the strongest anti-bacterial technology on the market. Another company debuted new friezes using dye-accented color choices achieved through an eco-friendly solution that saves water and is zero-effluent into streams.

One earth-friendly standout at the show was a new shag carpet made with 80% bamboo fiber yarn and 20% cotton. It has the look and feel of silk without the price tag.

TILE TRENDS
As in the wood and laminate categories, high sheen and transparent shine were the hot trends in the tile category. Long, thin rectangular tiles reminiscent of flowing streams were seen, as well as tiles made from authentic crystal and semi-precious stones. New heat slumped glass tiles impart a sculpted, embossed effect giving the illusion of raindrops on the surface, linen textures, crinkled fabric, sand and slate effects.

LAMINATE TRENDS
The hottest trend in laminates this year was highly reflective, glossy finishes in exotic wood formats, as well as stone looks with “natural” embossed patterns and beveled edging. A brand new introduction includes a hybrid product containing natural cork, leather and linoleum surface-treatments that are stabilized on planks.

RESILIENT TRENDS
New resilient products, including vinyl, cork, leather and linoleum, offered not only environmentally friendly introductions, but product launches that were also easy to clean and offered healthful benefits.

One new launch in the linoleum category achieved the Asthma and Allergy Friendly certification mark — which has never been given to a flooring product before. Another debut was a cork and linoleum hybrid called Corkoleum. It is an eco-friendly alternative to vinyl and laminate flooring that is resilient, warm, scratch and abrasion resistant, and easy to clean and maintain. 100% recycled leather planks were also presented in a broad spectrum of natural shades and textures — from glossy bright red crocodile to supple lizard.

“With today’s economic challenges, people everywhere are focusing more on their home environments and creature comforts,” said Christopher Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer of the WFCA. “Manufacturers across the globe have listened to customers and have delivered an array of introductions that are certain not to disappoint.”

The WFCA’s website – WFCA.org — offers detailed information about these flooring categories. In addition, the website provides answers to the most common floor covering questions. Visitors can also find detailed information and practical tips on every flooring category available, including carpet, hardwood, laminate, ceramic, porcelain, resilient, vinyl, cork, stone and area rugs. An overview of each category provides the pros and cons, a product catalog, manufacturing details, varieties and styles available, things to consider before purchase and how to prepare for installation.

When it’s time to buy floors, WFCA.org offers a searchable database of reputable WFCA retail members across the country. All a user needs to do is enter their zip code to receive a list of suppliers in their area.

The WFCA, official sponsor of Surfaces, is the floor covering industry’s largest advocacy organization, representing floor covering retailers, contractors and allied service providers throughout North America. For more information about the WFCA, visit WFCA.org and WFCA-PRO.org.

Cork Oak is currently one of the most fashionable new flooring trends used by internationally renowned interior designers, and is quickly becoming a favorite option for environmentally conscientious builders today. The remarkable properties of sustainable Cork Oak have been well cherished in the Mediterranean for centuries. Take a minute to behold the amazing natural insulating, silencing, and health benefits of beautiful Cork Oak Floors.

Amorim, based in Portugal, has been the world leader in Cork Oak for over 130 years, and is proudly introducing Wicanders brand of naturally unique Cork Oak Flooring. Years of research and development performed exclusively for Wicanders have produced patented Noise Reduction Technology (NRT), Wear Resistance Technology (WRT) and High Performance Surface (HPS) which dramatically enhance the remarkable natural benefits of beautiful Cork Oak Floors. Wicanders is the only brand that extends decades of attentive dedication to each Cork Oak Floor, from seedling to installation and preservation. Behold the beautiful benefits of Cork Oak Floors for yourself. An array of innovative, alluring collections are presently being unveiled across the globe.

The WicCork and WicWood Collections represent stories collected from generations dwelling deep within the Mediterranean forestland. Nurturing, innovation, and creative design are themes ingrained within each of Wicanders Collections. Combined with the hottest international interior designers, WicCork and WicWood Collections define the latest in timelessly fashionable, timelessly functional flooring.

The richly textured WicCork Originals Collection with names such as Rhapsody, Accent, Symphony, Harmony, and Dawn, deeply draw you to their astonishing striking beauty. Nightshade, Cool Crimson, Caramel, and Champagne define the smooth elegance of WicCork’s Personality Collection. The Vintage and Classics Collections of WicWood in shades of Cherry, Beech Plank, Maple and Mahogany are as breathtaking as the forests from which they are born. Unlike other floor brands, Amorim’s Wicanders Collections of Cork Oak Floors truly are nurtured from seedling.

While Wicanders Cork Oak Floors are natural insulators from the noisy hustle and bustle of everyday life, they insulate your space from the cold chill of the outside world as well. Cork Oak Floors are truly nurturing soles! WicCork and WicWood Floors decrease thermal transfer by astonishing amounts. Natural Cork Oak Flooring seems to have the warmth of its Mediterranean roots locked into every cell. This unique cushion of Cork Oak has the ability to warmly nestle each room better than any conventional flooring on the market.

Wicanders Cork Oak Floors are safe for your family… and for their families! By choosing WicCork and WicWood Collections you are supporting an environmentally friendly, renewable, recyclable, sustainable material whose source will prosper throughout generations to come.

Click here for a retailer near you:

For more information:

• rebuildingcenter.org
• nativeart.net
• oldegoodthings.com
• Building with Reclaimed Components and Materials: A Design Handbook for Reuse and Recycling by Bill Addis. (Earthscan Publications Ltd., April 2006)

Patronize local artisans. “If your area is known for any kind of particular artwork or culture, it would be worth examining to see if there is a way to incorporate that into a project,” Connors says. For example, she recommends seeking out Native American artisans in the area. “You usually think of that as part of the Southwest, but there were tribes all over the country that have a lot of artists who do beautiful work.” In addition, if you can find local artists who create art out of recycled or salvaged materials, your green quotient skyrockets. A little research into your region’s history and culture — past and current — may yield a wealth of accessories, art and furnishings.

Look into deconstruction or architectural salvage shops. Thanks to the modern green movement, deconstruction companies are more in demand than ever. If a home or another building is being razed to make room for a new structure, deconstruction workers will be called in to carefully disassemble the facility, thus significantly reducing the amount of construction waste heading to the landfill.

Many times, deconstruction companies will sell the items they’ve retained; lumber, windows, stained glass, trim and doors are popular products for sale. Architectural salvage shops operate similarly but are more likely to offer fireplace mantels or unique tiles. “If you can get flooring that comes from a local bank, school or house that’s being demolished, you’ll have something really beautiful because it’s from your area,” Connors notes. “And you will be recycling, reusing and bringing something with character back to its best.”

Peruse garage sales, estate sales, antique stores and flea markets for accessories. A keen eye can find a potential gem amid seemingly unusable items. In fact, restoration is one of the easiest ways to go green while introducing a unique piece into your design. If you plan to refinish furniture, for instance, use an upholsterer in your town — and request that he or she use recycled fabric for the project.

Q&A regarding stone and sustainability

by John Mattke, Chairman,

Natural Stone Council (NSC) Sustainability Committee

What are some questions I might expect from architects and designers about natural stone’s sustainability?

This is an important question and underscores the importance of substantiated sustainability. The design community is highly informed and can discern fact from fiction. Some of the questions you might expect include:

• Where is the source of the material?
• Where is the stone processed or fabricated?
• What is the Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the product (in comparison with other competing products like concrete, brick, etc.) based on application/usage e.g., cladding, flooring?
• What is the life-cycle cost?
• Are there any chemicals or components on the final product?
• What is the VOC content?
• What process does the manufacturer have in place for waste reduction and recycling?
• How is the waste that is not re-used handled?
• What is the post-consumer recycled content? Post-industrial recycled content?
• What is the total energy consumed from cradle-to-gate (from extraction through processing)?
• What company programs are in place to reduce energy consumption and/or greenhouse gas emissions?
• Does any program exist to reuse or reclaim stone at the end of its lifetime?
• Are there any other initiatives to minimize the environmental impacts associated with natural stone from its extraction to its disposal?
• What steps has your company taken towards becoming socially (planned leadership, employee, community programs) and environmentally sustainable?

A good reference for where we believe the green movement is headed is Cascadia’s Living Building Challenge — www.cascadiagbc.org/lbc/resources1/materialsqnaire/building%20materials%20questionnaire. This not only asks questions about the material, but it also gets into your company’s social and environmental initiatives. Ultimately, that is how we believe companies will be evaluated in the future — the triple bottom line.

What are some ways you’ve implemented sustainable practices at Cold Spring Granite Co.?

We have done our best to be ahead of the curve. We began implementing lean practices in the late 1990s. Recently, we completed consolidation of several of our operations, which has reduced transportation costs, eliminated waste, updated/modernized stone processing, optimized energy efficiency and reduced water usage. We’ve seen an increase in energy efficiency by modernizing our equipment, and we’re proud that our water reclamation facility processes and re-uses over 95% of industrial water. Even our new headquarters building is LEED registered, pending certification. And it has all paid dividends. When visiting our facilities, architects and designers have frequently made comments about the approach we are taking. The truth of the matter is that we have been environmentally focused for a long time. My involvement in the NSC, and specifically as the chair of the sustainability committee, inspired me to form a sustainability committee within Cold Spring Granite Co. and take that commitment to another level.

What are the NSC’s plans for 2009?

We will continue to build our library of research-based documents and share them with the industry, including a comparative evaluation (Life-Cycle Assessment) of stone products versus other products in selected product classes to substantiate the benefits of stone in the marketplace. The NSC will be working to educate the industry and design community about the sustainability of Genuine Stone. The University of Tennessee will be presenting at the National AIA Convention in San Francisco this spring — using our industry as their case study for sustainability. We will also begin a road mapping process to chart key opportunities and challenges facing the natural stone industry in the immediate future with respect to sustainability. We want to stress that the success of the road map process relies on the active involvement of professionals and companies throughout our industry. If you would like to participate, or would simply like more details about the process as they become available, please contact us by phone, through the Genuine Stone Web site at www.GenuineStone.com, or notify Amanda McKenna at the University of Tennessee via e-mail at AMcKenna@utk.edu.

I’m on board in theory, but what can I personally do to help move the sustainability agenda forward?

Get in the game. Get involved. Take advantage of educational opportunities. Visit the Genuine Stone Web site and read the research documents housed there. Share them with your colleagues and customers. Join us in the road mapping process. Take a hard look at your company’s sustainability practices, and make improvements wherever you can. Engage in conversation with others in the industry — at industry meetings or conferences, by phone or even E-mail. We are all in this together. Keep in mind the environmental slogan, “Think globally. Act locally.” It certainly fits.

If you’d like to learn more about the NSC and their sustainability efforts, please visit www.GenuineStone.com, or contact John Mattke at 320-685-3621 or jmattke@coldspringgranite.com.

Source: Stone World Fabricator E News by Stone World Magazine

 Q&A regarding stone and sustainability

by John Mattke, Chairman, Natural Stone Council (NSC) Sustainability Committee

What exactly is LEED?

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) — the nation’s leading coalition on sustainable building — established the LEED® Green Building Rating System^TM. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) is a third-party certification program and a benchmark for the design, construction and operation of green buildings.  

LEED is the most widely used rating system for green building. This system defines standards for environmentally responsible, healthier and more profitable structures, and it awards points to new construction and major renovation projects in five categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources and Indoor Environmental Quality.

Is LEED certification more trouble than it’s worth?

Some believe the costs to file and become certified is cumbersome; however, the LEED guidelines have become the norm for green design standards or architects even for projects that do not seek certification. The actual LEED certification process helps gauge the level of authenticity. It’s a broadly accepted standard, and there is substance behind the claims. There are over 14,400 registered projects, and the number of certified projects is almost 2,000. LEED certification continues to grow exponentially since its inception. Many projects report cost savings (within three to five years) that offset the additional cost to become certified.

Do you think green building will become standard practice?

It really already has become the norm. With such an increased interest in protecting the environment, we rarely hear of design and construction projects that don’t have sustainable elements incorporated in them. Honestly, it isn’t an option to discard the green movement. Green building is in everyone’s best interests, including Genuine Stone. In fact, there are talks underway to globalize green building practices. LEED has been implemented in India and the United Arab Emirates. The United Kingdom has its own version — BREEAM — which is gaining acceptance across Europe. Green building is here to stay, and the stone industry should serve as part of the foundation.

Source: Stone World Fabricator E News by Stone World Magazine

Q&A regarding stone and sustainability

by John Mattke, Chairman, Natural Stone Council (NSC) Sustainability Committee

What do the NSC’s sustainability efforts mean to individual businesses?

As you are probably aware, we undertook a very large survey initiative in partnership with the University of Tennessee’s Center for Clean Products. The data we collected from individual businesses forms the foundation for establishing the baseline environmental footprint of the stone industry. By offering the facts about natural stone and environmental considerations, we hope to increase market demand, improve the perceptions about our companies and our industry and challenge our competitors with solid information.

Right now, as you read this, the design community is making product selection decisions and comparisons based on environmental and life-cycle impacts. There are many other industries such as carpet, concrete and wood that are already prepared to respond to the market with this information. We need to make sure that genuine stone is adequately represented.

Finally, the NSC’s sustainability efforts should help to educate the industry about the growing trend toward social responsibility and the importance of what we call the “triple bottom line,” which refers to key selection criteria — including financial, social and environmental measures.

What is the NSC doing with all of the surveys they collected earlier this year?

Since the University of Tennessee has received and analyzed all of the data collected earlier this year, they have started to produce several sets of information — life-cycle datasets, best practices, case studies and material fact sheets. If you haven’t been to www.GenuineStone.com lately to see all of the documents there, you should do that today. Anyone can access this information and each new piece as it is published.

Life-cycle datasets: To accurately assess the environmental profile of natural stone products, impacts over the entire life cycle of these products must be identified. Information characterizing stone fabrication was amassed through a rigorous survey of the industry, and life-cycle datasets have been established for granite, limestone and sandstone quarrying and processing operations. The datasets can be accessed through www.GenuineStone.com and downloaded from the University of Tennessee Center for Clean Products’ Web site.

Version two, which is projected to include additional sandstone data, a marble dataset, and begin to add specific transportation data, is currently in development.

Best practices: The NSC is committed to supporting sustainable initiatives and innovations at all levels of the production of Genuine Stone® products. As such, best practices of the industry have been identified, and these guidance documents were created to provide assistance in implementing environmentally-preferable operations.

• Best Practice: Water Consumption, Treatment, and Reuse”
• Best Practice: Site Maintenance and Quarry Closure (published November 2008)

Case Studies — Genuine Stone products inherently have some environmentally preferable characteristics. The case studies highlight these positive attributes of stone and its application as a green building product.

• Case Study: Application of Green Building Certification Programs to Natural Stone
• Case Study: Longevity of Stone Flooring and Associated Human Health and Environmental Impacts (published October 2008)

Material Fact Sheets — Designers are more frequently being asked to identify green building materials, but they do not always have the needed information. Using the life-cycle data, material fact sheets describing several stone types are being generated to provide useful information in this selection process, among other information. The one-page (double-sided) documents will summarize the current market for stone, regions of deposits worldwide, physical properties and  applicable ASTM standards, as well as environmental data and human health considerations. Currently, we have fact sheets for granite, limestone, marble and sandstone.

Again, all of these documents and an overview of our current and future activity can be accessed right now at www.GenuineStone.com.

In these tough economic times, how will sustainability impact my bottom line?

With regard to sustainability, you are either in the game or you’re sitting on the sidelines. If you’re not on board with sustainable practices, you will surely see a negative impact on your bottom line because your competitors get it. I firmly believe that to be in the game going forward, we will all need to be involved, well-versed in the sustainability performance of our companies and working to improve the overall environmental footprint of our industry. If people believe that sustainability is a fad, they are mistaken.

Source: Stone World Fabricator E News by Stone World Magazine

Q&A regarding stone and sustainability

by John Mattke, Chairman,

Natural Stone Council (NSC) Sustainability Committee

I’m hearing a lot about “green.” What does it mean in terms of natural stone?

“Green” is a buzzword associated with everything and anything that’s supposedly better for our environment. There is little disagreement that stone, in and of itself, is a natural material. It is, after all a natural element of the Earth, even in its final form. However, green refers to more than the natural stone material and its many characteristics that enhance its environmental profile (natural material, durable, recyclable, reusable, etc.). Green also encompasses the environmental performance of the companies that produce it — in our case, the stone industry itself. We are viewed by buyers (businesses, consumers) based on the choices we make to lessen the impact on the environment. Current perceptions of the stone industry include a dirty, unsophisticated operating environment, high energy consumption, high water consumption and high waste factors. It is our challenge to help our industry address these perceptions with hard data in a proactive way.

Isn’t “green” just marketing lingo?

Absolutely not. Green has become a concern of customers in all sectors, particularly in light of growing global concern about climate change. Unfortunately, as green marketing has grown, so has the confusion as to which products are really the best choices when it comes to sustainability and the environment. Statements or claims need to be genuine and substantiated by true science versus “green washing,” a term that refers to claims or statements made by companies and industries that are not supported by facts. The NSC is committed to providing the research and promotional support necessary to help those of us in the natural stone industry substantiate our claims about natural stone as a green product.

More Q&A tomorrow on stone and sustainability!

Source: Stone World Fabricator E News by Stone World Magazine

The sponsor of this blog is The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) where you will find a website full of flooring solutions for the way you live. Below is a breakdown of all of the helpful tools you will find on the site. Prepare to spend some time and have some fun!

In the Design Center portion of the site, you will find:

• Ask Kerry! – Looking for advice from an expert? Kerry can help you find the right design solution for your flooring project.
• Virtual Room Designer – A tool that helps you envision different floor coverings in different rooms.
• A quiz on how you live – The answers to these questions will play a vital factor in your decision-making process regarding the color, design, and products that you will select for your project.
• Design Styles – An index on different design styles.
• Designer’s Corner – A library of articles written by the design industry’s best and brightest and updated frequently to capture the latest news.
• Gallery of Floors – Room scenes of different floor coverings in different room types.
• What I like quiz - Created by our design and decorating experts, this interactive quiz is just 10 questions that are easy, fun and take just a few minutes to answer.
  There are no wrong answers; just answer as thoughtfully as you can and have fun!
• My workbook – A place to save your design ideas.
  

For each type of flooring, you will find:

• Product Catalog
• How It’s Made
• Styles
• Before You Buy
• Installation
• Care
• Glossary

New to the site, you will find Green Solutions where you can find more about:

Living in Denver, this was my first opportunity to attend the Colorado Home Decorating and Remodeling Show. There I met Jozette and Michael Griffin who are professional wall art contractors for a company called iF Walls Could Talk. They have a whole new take on reduce, reuse and recycle. Their specialty is faux finishes for walls, cabinets, furniture, floors and countertops. Other services they offer are wall glazing and plastering, stenciling and European finishes, murals, metallic paint and patinas, faux tin ceiling tiles, consultations and training classes.

The goal is for you to be able to change products like cabinets, countertops, floors, etc in your home while not having to remove the existing product that will end up in a landfill or not able to be recycled. They use decorative concrete to accomplish this. This versatile medium can be applied over laminate, tile, subflooring, shower surrounds, garages, existing slab patios, ceramic sinks, sidewalks and more – interior or exterior!

The product is very durable yet can be customized to fit any design scheme.

If you have a product in your home that is tired, worn, dated or was just a poor choice from the start you can remedy the problem without the expense on the environment or your checkbook. At the same time, you can have a completely custom design that is unique to you and your home.

Another company at the show called Architectural Laser Designs also had something unique to offer. They offer the ability to take any image and place it onto ceramic tile. This application can be used on floors, walls, murals or whatever your desire is to create. They also offer custom mosaic designs, custom mosaic pool designs, custom mosaic blends from glass or porcelain. In addition to ceramic tile, they offer a series called Laser Glass to create a glass wallpaper with detailed designs repeated throughout. The designs etch in shades of gray with 20 background color choices on 4″ and 6″ tiles. You can choose designs from their collections or create something custom of your own. For another look, they offer natural stone etchings. Any picture, design or work of art can be etched into granite, marble or slate tiles. The can etch murals, borders, photos, custom artwork, logos or designs into your choice of natural stone.

 You might not think of carpet cushion as an option in your home that can help the environment. Thankfully, Carpenter has done all of the work for you continuously making technological advancements to safeguard your home and the environment. The EnviroStep collection of carpet cushion options reflect the commitment from Carpenter to  develop the most technologically advanced environment-conscious products for your home and your budget. They are taking steps today to ensure a greener tomorrow.

Each product in the EnviroStep collection are not only recyclable, but incorporate natural organic materials reducing the reliance on non-renewable petroleum based products. All of the bonded products are ozone friendly (no CFC’s) and exceed CRI’s  Green Label air quality standards.

This collection contains standard carpet cushion, better, best, premium, Stainmaster and Odor Eaters. These environmentally friendly products are all backed by Carpenter’s “Life of the Carpet Warranty”. For more information, visit Carpenter’s website.