Milliken’s installation of its Mash Up waste reducing carpet collection at one of its own material suppliers’ offices provides the perfect example of how this innovative initiative can quickly transform a space.

When the values of two enterprises come together to create something amazingly positive, it can be a truly wonderful thing.  Last year, Milliken and Fur Clemt, a community interest company local to its UK manufacturing plant in Wigan, did just that, finding common ground through a shared concern for waste reduction.

As part of its Community Week programme, Milliken associates from its Wigan and Bury production plants donated their time to install its unique Mash Up waste reducing carpet tiles at AB-UK, a local charity supporting families with autistic children.  

By definition, ‘mash up’ refers to a mixture of different, often contrasting elements brought together to create something new. An unlikely creative combination that somehow just seems to work.

The introduction of Thrive^® matter fibre a few years ago has made a significant mark on the carpet industry’s drive to deliver carpet tiles with sustainable attributes for commercial specifiers. In this blog, we examine what makes this carpet yarn with Thrive matter fibre so important for lower impact carpet products and why the context in which it is used is equally important for specifiers to consider.

Creating sustainable work environments now goes beyond being ‘the right thing to do’ and is fast becoming a commercial imperative. The Bupa Wellbeing Index highlighted that just under half of today’s Gen Z workforce would consider leaving a job if their employer doesn’t demonstrate action on social and environmental issues. With much of our time spent at work, workplace interiors clearly have an important role to play.

As one of the largest interior finishes in terms of volume, installing carpet can have a significant impact on the design and comfort of an interior. It can also potentially be a high contributor of embodied carbon emissions, as indicated in this breakdown from architects Gensler where carpet ranks third highest in the interior materials category.

Specifying sustainable floor coverings usually requires evaluating multiple product attributes. This typically involves scrutinising materials for recycled content, material health and embodied carbon as well as checks on how responsibly a product has been manufactured. Progress made by manufacturers in all these areas has already helped to drive down carbon emissions in buildings. When it comes to disposal of used flooring however, how can this contribute?

A recent article by the World Economic Forum highlights the transformative potential for businesses that embrace the Circular Economy. Similar to how early adopters of digital technologies have outpaced their peers, it recognises why companies need to adapt quickly to this new paradigm where sustainability is no longer a choice but an essential component of success.  

As the commercial interiors industry strives towards a more circular approach to material specification, carpet tile recycling has a crucial role to play. Where manufacturers offer carpet take-back programmes, the industry has made great strides in landfill avoidance by using them in waste to energy processing or recycling into cement and other downstream products. Closed loop recycling is emerging in the industry but remains logistically challenging to transport back to specialist recycling centres.