Sustainability: Producer Update: Highlight of new programs, products and initiatives from flooring producers and suppliers – Aug/Sept 2025

SHAW INDUSTRIES

Georgia-headquartered manufacturer of hard and soft surface flooring

One of Shaw’s most substantial green programs, EcoWorx, was also one of its first, launched in 1999 as a carpet tile backing that used 40% less raw material and was 100% recyclable into new backings. And it was PVC-free-instead relying on polyethylene and polypropylene-at a time when hardbacked tile was vinyl-based. 

Last summer, a quarter century later-and ten years after its preliminary attempt-Shaw took that technology to the hard surface side with EcoWorx Resilient, sold through both the Shaw Contract and Patcraft commercial brands, expanding the cradle-to-cradle technology to the fastest-growing flooring category. And its ReTurn reclamation program, expanded last year to include resilient flooring made at Shaw’s Ringgold, Georgia LVT facility, will also recapture EcoWorx Resilient and turn it into new resilient flooring or carpet backing. The current EcoWorx Resilient formulation includes about 25% post-consumer content from recycled polyolefin containers.

EcoWorx Resilient, which has a digitally printed surface, is currently made by Germany’s Classen, in part because of Classen’s expertise in relatively compatible formulations, like its Ceramin technology. 

Earlier this year, Shaw introduced EcoWorx Bio, a backing that uses biobased content to create a polyolefin that lowers its carbon footprint by 40% compared to traditional EcoWorx backings. The biobased portion is currently made from sugarcane. EcoWorx Bio can be reclaimed and reused alongside existing EcoWorx products. It’s available in a running line and as a custom alternative to all EcoWorx products. 

The firm has succeeded in substantially lowering the embodied carbon of its products. For instance, an EcoWorx Bio-backed carpet tile with a 20-ounce face weight clocks in at 2.35kg CO2e/m2 (compared to 9+kg CO2e/m2 for average carpet tile). All of its EcoWorx-based products, including resilient, are carbon neutral, in part due to carbon and renewable energy credits, with a focus on wind and solar.

In terms of overall sustainability progress, the firm’s 2024 Sustainability Report details the firm’s 64% reduction in its Scope 1 and 2 operational carbon footprint since 2010; nearly a billion pounds of carpet recycled since 2006; a 52% reduction in water use intensity since 2010; and in 2024 alone it recycled about of 1.3 billion PET bottles into new product.

Candi Hampton, Shaw’s vice president of global sustainability, reports that nearly 90% of the products Shaw manufactures-commercial, residential and even synthetic turf-are Cradle to Cradle (C2C) certified. And the firm’s 2030 goal is to have all its products at the C2C level, though not necessarily certified to it. However, C2C does not accept PVC, so the firm’s vinyl flooring is not Cradle to Cradle.

Last year, Shaw’s Watershed Geo subsidiary installed a half-acre solar array at Shaw’s T1 carpet tile manufacturing and recycling facility in Adairsville, Georgia as a demonstration of its PowerCap system that eschews the typical rigid racking system, enabling the use of a higher concentration of solar panels and, importantly, installation in large areas that are not even and flat. Among its attributes, PowerCap is designed to be installed on a slop and remain stable. According to the firm, Powercap provides up to three times the output of traditional ballasted systems-up to one megawatt per two acres.

INTERFACE

Georgia-headquartered manufacturer of carpet tile and rubber flooring, with sourced LVT

Interface continues to plow forward in its sustainability journey and its goal of being entirely carbon negative by 2040, including hitting its targets for 2030, the halfway point from the 2019 baseline of its new mission after completing its Mission Zero 2020 goals a year early. According to the firm, it’s slightly ahead of schedule with Scope 1 and 2 emissions through energy efficiency and sourcing renewable energy, and with Scope 3 through emissions reductions for purchased goods and services, the largest Scope 3 impact category, and reducing travel impacts by leveraging virtual meetings, where feasible. 

When it comes to carbon-negative products, Interface’s first target has been carpet tile, which in the U.S. market accounts for an estimated 70% of its revenues. In 2017, Interface unveiled a prototype of a carbon-negative carpet tile, and now it already offers carbon-negative carpet tile in 400 styles. And at the BAU trade show in Munich, Germany at the beginning of this year, Interface unveiled a carbon-negative rubber flooring prototype that stores more carbon than is emitted. As it did with carpet tile, Interface will now work on issues like the logistics of scaling it up before announcing when it will start producing the carbon-negative rubber flooring.

Last year, Interface announced that it is going all in on direct carbon storage. And earlier this year, the firm announced that it is now using captured-carbon materials in the manufacturing process to lower the carbon footprints of its carpet tiles produced in Europe and the U.S., alongside its use of recycled and biobased materials. According to Liz Minné, head of global sustainability, the firm is projecting that “over 10,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions will be avoided in five years,” equivalent to over 1.1 million gallons of gasoline not consumed.

Since 2019, the firm has reduced the carbon footprints of its three flooring categories. Carpet tile’s average footprint is down 35% to 3.4kg CO2e/m2, LVT is down 46% to 6.7kg CO2e/m2 and its rubber flooring, produced in Germany, is down 21% to 8.5kg CO2e/m2. Recycled or biobased content is highest in carpet tile at 67%, followed by LVT at 39%. According to the firm, LVT saw the biggest decrease in its carbon footprint last year, down nearly 24%. Currently, 10% of materials used for rubber are recycled or biobased, and the firm is looking to increase that number by investing in new machinery to use more responsibly sourced natural rubber content.

At the Flooring Sustainability Summit held in Washington, D.C. in mid-July, Interface founder Ray Anderson, who died in 2011, was recognized with the World Floor Covering Association’s Hall of Fame Award-the industry’s most prestigious award.

MOHAWK INDUSTRIES

Georgia-headquartered manufacturer of hard and soft surface flooring

As the largest flooring producer in the world, Mohawk Industries has the unenviable task of pursuing sustainability across countless facilities scattered all across the globe, a task that falls to Malisa Maynard, Mohawk’s chief sustainability officer, who notes that, despite the complexity, the firm has made great strides in recent years. 

As an early adopter of the continuous filament PET that has transformed the residential carpet market over the last 15 years, the firm has recycled over 60 billion PET bottles in that time, including 1.4 billion just last year. Its EverStrand and PetPremier carpet average seven recycled bottles per square foot. And its new SolidTech R PVC-free resilient tile uses 20 bottles per square foot. 

In Europe, Mohawk captures huge volumes of wood waste to turn into laminate coreboard-last year it recycled about 1.5 billion pounds of it-and over the last year or so the firm spent about $22 million to scale up its Osiris technology, which enables the recycling of old MDF cores new coreboards for some true product circularity.

The firm continues to make progress against its 2010 baselines, including reducing Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas intensity by 30%, water withdrawal intensity by 45% and waste-to-landfill intensity by 47%.

Last year, the firm recovered over 50 million pounds of end-of-life materials, a 164% increase over 2023, and it also expanded its ReCover reclamation program beyond carpet to include LVT, sheet goods, VCT, laminate and engineered wood. Maynard notes that Mohawk continues to expand its network of recycling locations and partnerships to implement more sustainable solutions for post-consumer LVT, adding, “These new solutions include the reclamation of LVT into other products for several different applications, including automotive parts.”

Across the globe, Mohawk continues to make sustainability gains. It has invested heavily in solar power in Europe and Australia. In all, it has over 35,000 solar panels generating a combined 21.7 MW (megawatts) across seven countries, a 53% increase over 2023. In Australia alone, its 2.37 MW from about 5,900 solar panels accounts for 30% of its facilities’ electricity needs. It also has five wind turbines in Belgium-two account for 61% of the electrical demand at its insulation factory and the other three combine to produce 15% of the electricity at its vinyl facility. 

Mohawk Group is 5% carbon-negative across all of its products, hard and soft. A percentage of that is achieved through offsets from Green Energy GPO and verified by WAP Sustainability, varying from product to product. It has also lowered the embodied carbon on the carpet side through its Color Pulse technology, which has been out since 2021. The dyeing process uses no water, saving over 330,000 gallons of water last year.

AHF PRODUCTS

Pennsylvania-headquartered manufacturer of wood, ceramic and resilient flooring, with sourced laminate

AHF Products has been on a tear ever since it was created out of Armstrong’s flooring operations six years ago, resurrecting powerful brands and making critical acquisitions. And now it’s trying to knit them all together under a single sustainability umbrella, a task that falls to Noah Chitty, who was named vice president of sustainability and technical services in February 2024, shortly after AHF acquired Crossville-Chitty was with Crossville for over a decade. The firm is currently renewing Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Health Product Declarations (HPDs) and Declare labels-the goal is to have EPDs for all commercial products and hopefully some residential ones, too-and it plans to publish a sustainability report later this season.

AHF manufactures hardwood, resilient flooring and ceramic tile, and Chitty notes that 90% of what the firm sells is produced by AHF in the U.S. The other 10% is mostly rigid and some flex Parterre LVT from Asia and specialty ceramic products, including Laminam’s gauged porcelain panels. The firm has one non-U.S. production facility-its Cambodian hardwood operation.

For ceramic tile, the biggest challenge is energy, says Chitty, which is currently mostly natural gas along with a big chunk of electricity. Crossville has a closed-loop water system. Five of Crossville’s lines are now carbon neutral, with some help from nature-based carbon credits with third-party verification.

On the resilient side, last year the firm re-introduced, with refreshed colors, Armstrong’s MedinPure homogeneous sheet, a PVC-free polyurethane. And its densified wood, first sold to the residential market, now goes to commercial, as well, offering specifiers the wood looks they crave with the low embodied carbon and high performance they require.

ENGINEERED FLOORS

Georgia-headquartered manufacturer of carpet and LVT, with sourced laminate

Engineered Floors, which got its start 15 years ago riding the wave of PET carpet in the multifamily market, has grown into a $1.3 billion powerhouse with several residential and commercial brands. It added rigid LVT production a couple of years ago and in addition sells laminate flooring. Its commercial brands, J+J Flooring and EF Contract, sell carpet and LVT, along with its Kinetex hybrid carpet tiles.

Kinetex, a unique product with a knitted face, is made mostly of PET and features 45% post-consumer content from drink bottles. According to the firm, it’s a carbon neutral product (including some renewable energy credit offsets) and its most sustainable flooring option.

Brandon Kersey, Engineered Floors’ director of business development, reports that, from a 2010 baseline, the firm has reduced its water, energy and greenhouse gas intensity by 50% to 75%. He adds, “We are constantly looking ahead as to how we can make improvements in using technology or assets that could make a step change down the road.”

Just this year, the firm added a PVC-free urethane-based resilient product, Positive Impact, to its lineup, and last year, it introduced an alternative to its PVC backing system using polyolefins-giving its commercial brands PVC-free options across all of its product platforms.

AQUAFIL

Italy-headquartered global manufacturer of nylon 6 face fiber

Aquafil, which produces the Econyl 100% recycled nylon fiber, is changing its carpet recycling strategy, closing down its recycling facility in Phoenix, Arizona, where it was processing all carpet types as part of its effort to harvest used nylon 6 for depolymerization in its Slovenia facility. The overwhelming volume of PET carpet in the waste stream created a barrier for extracting nylon profitably, according to Franco Rossi, Aquafil USA’s president. 

Instead, it’s shifting its focus from securing recycled nylon feedstock for Slovenia to working in the Los Angeles metro market to provide recycled carpet content for nonwoven applications (like carpet pad). The change in strategy will not impact the production of 100% recycled Econyl.

The firm is also increasing its focus on the recycling of carpet tiles with a strategy centered on recycled backings-the bulk of carpet tile weight is in the backing. It’s currently testing processes in a pilot plant in Italy.

MANNINGTON

New Jersey-based manufacturer of hard and soft surface flooring

Mannington has expanded its sustainability initiatives over the past year, focusing on emissions tracking, supply chain oversight and materials reformulation. The company now tracks greenhouse gas emissions across its global operations, including Scope 3.

It has implemented a supplier code of conduct and a managed substances list, requiring material disclosures down to 100 parts per million. The goal is to reduce chemicals of concern in product formulations. 

Earlier this summer, Mannington transitioned its nylon 6,6 carpet tile and broadloom offering to use Universal Fibers’ Thrive fiber, which offers 75% recycled content. 

Decarbonization remains a central strategy. While Mannington purchases carbon offsets equivalent to 105% of cradle-to-gate emissions for U.S.-made products, it does not market these products as carbon neutral. Instead, offsets are used to support projects like the Appalachian Carbon Exchange (ACE), which works with landowners to protect forested areas in the southeastern U.S.

UNIVERSAL FIBERS

Virginia-headquartered manufacturer of carpet fiber

Universal Fibers reports that for the seventh year in a row it has reduced the embodied carbon of its products by at least 10% through targeted efficiency projects and manufacturing improvements. Thrive Matter, its greenest fiber program, is made up of solution-dyed nylon 6 and 6,6, with the nylon 6 achieving a GWP of only 1.19kg CO2e/m2, which is the lowest carbon footprint for that fiber type, according to the firm.

“Our work at Universal Fibers is rooted in the belief that transparency and circularity aren’t just ideals-they’re systems we’re building into every fiber we produce,” says Ranae Anderson, the firm’s global sustainability leader. “From carbon performance to disassembly-ready flooring and partnership, we’re aligning innovation with impact to accelerate real change.”

Universal Fibers is also updating its EPDs and LCAs to align with the European EN 15804+A2 standard, which should be completed early next year. And the firm recently endorsed Circular Building Solutions, a U.K-based advisory group, to support a more holistic approach to flooring circularity, including a focus on “reversible, adhesive-free fixing technologies” that enable floorcoverings to be easily detached for reclamation at end of life. 

In May of this year, Universal Fibers appointed Jonathan Craig as CEO, succeeding Marc Ammen, who is retiring after 15 years at the helm. Craig was previously with Ascend.

NOVALIS

China-headquartered manufacturer of flex and rigid LVT, with additional U.S. production

One of the company’s most significant developments in recent years has been the rollout of a Digital Product Passport (DPP), which provides detailed ingredient data and guidance on installation, reuse and recycling. The DPP is accessible via a QR code printed on the product, allowing future users to identify materials and access disposal instructions. Most Novalis products are now designed for repair and reuse, and the company operates takeback programs in both Europe and the U.S. In Europe, local partnerships support the collection of installation waste; in the U.S., a pilot program is testing the recovery of used materials for reintegration into new products or downcycling.

The company aims to reduce its energy intensity by 30% and transition to 100% renewable energy by 2040. Emissions reductions are being pursued through operational changes, such as exploring alternatives to natural gas burners at its facility in China, and working with global energy providers to access cleaner electricity. Novalis does not use carbon offsets, citing concerns about their credibility.

Vinyl remains a central focus, both in terms of environmental impact and recycling challenges. Novalis is increasing the use of recycled content and reducing excess material in manufacturing. However, product identification, especially for older materials that may contain legacy chemicals, continues to limit recycling options, the company says.

Future sustainability targets include further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, expanded use of biobased materials and an increase in third-party certifications across product categories.

MILLIKEN

South Carolina-based manufacturer of resilient and soft surface flooring, with sourced LVT

Milliken achieved a 42% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions and a 31% reduction in Scope 3 emissions from its 2018 baseline, moving closer to its 2030 emissions goals. It also evaluated 100% of new products through sustainability assessments-up significantly from 22% in 2018-and exceeded its renewable electricity goals ahead of schedule. Milliken’s flooring manufacturing operations now run entirely on third-party verified renewable electricity, and the firm continues to invest in energy efficiency, alternative fuels and low-carbon product design.

The company’s environmental strategies are centered on expanding recycled content, growing its PVC-free resilient offerings and enhancing circularity through its Next Life program, which reclaims and repurposes used carpet and resilient flooring.

At NeoCon, Milliken introduced multiple Red List-free, recyclable and PVC-free resilient collections, along with carpet styles constructed with low-carbon recycled yarn. In addition to retiring third-party verified carbon offsets, Milliken is beginning to invest in its own renewable energy projects.

Looking ahead, the company is focused on supplier engagement and improving product-level sustainability data to further reduce its Scope 3 emissions and support industry-wide circular economy development.

GERFLOR

France-headquartered manufacturer of resilient, hardwood and sports flooring, with additional U.S. production

Gerflor reports a 45% reduction in its overall carbon footprint from 2019 to 2024, and the company has committed to reducing carbon emissions by an additional 30% over the next five years.

Its factory in France now operates on 100% renewable electricity, and renewable energy usage is expanding across other global facilities, including those in Germany and the U.S.

The company recycled nearly 60,000 tons of resilient flooring in 2024 through its Second Life takeback program, which operates in 13 European countries. Vinyl products now incorporate biobased plasticizers derived from agricultural waste, and all U.S. offerings are manufactured without phthalates. Gerflor also continues to invest in cleaner logistics, shifting from road to rail transport and incorporating electric vehicles, to reduce emissions from product distribution.

On the product side, DLW Linoleum, made of 98% natural and 76% rapidly renewable materials, features up to 40% recycled content. Gerflor’s Taraflex sports flooring brand, which now contains an average of 58% biobased and recycled content, was used extensively at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, after which all materials were reinstalled in local facilities. The firm’s Premium product, on the market since 1987, was recently reformulated to include 35% recycled and 20% biobased content while maintaining high performance standards for medical and industrial settings.

Gerflor does not rely on carbon credits to meet emissions targets, choosing instead to prioritize efficiency, renewable energy and product design improvements. The company is aligned with the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals.

FLORIM

Italy-headquartered manufacturer of ceramic tile, with additional U.S. production

Florim continues to expand its “CarbonZero” initiative, which launched in 2023 and is aimed at neutralizing the environmental impact of its tile production and lifecycle. Through investments in renewable energy and carbon credit purchases, the company now offers nine carbon-neutral tile collections, with a target of full product neutrality by 2030. These offsets are calculated based on full lifecycle emissions-from raw material extraction through end-of-life disposal-using data from EPDs.

Florim continues to expand its use of renewable energy at both its Italian and U.S. operations. The company has installed 127,000 square meters of photovoltaic panels in Italy, generating 12.3 MWp (megawatts peak) of power and helping avoid more than 164,000 tons of CO2 emissions since 2012-including 11,400 tons in 2024 alone. Its Tennessee plant is also equipped with a solar array.

Additionally, Florim USA says one of the most significant operational improvements has been a reduction in lime sorbent feed used for air pollution control. Over the past two years, Florim has decreased usage from 9,000 pounds per day to 1,500 pounds per day. This change reduces emissions tied to transportation and waste, while also lowering the environmental impact of mining and processing the material.

Water and raw material efficiency remain priorities. Florim recycles 100% of its wastewater and recovers all raw production waste at its Italian sites. More than 90% of the raw materials used in production are of natural origin.

In product development, the SensiTerre tile collection received the 2025 Green Good Design Award. Florim is also expanding its use of post-consumer recycled content, particularly glass, and is working with Tennessee lawmakers to support legislation that would establish a formal statewide glass recycling program.

CALI

California-headquartered supplier of hard surface flooring, decking and synthetic turf

In the past year, Cali reports it has increased its use of recycled and renewable materials across its flooring lines. “Our luxury laminate collections use reclaimed wood byproducts in the core layers, repurposing material that would otherwise be discarded,” says Cali CEO Doug Jackson, adding that the firm has also expanded its use of XPS backings with up to 50% recycled content. 

In addition, its Fossilized bamboo flooring is produced from a rapidly regenerating resource-bamboo regenerates in three to five years-and its Cali Decking incorporates reclaimed wood fiber and recycled plastics for long-lasting performance. It is composed of 60% reclaimed wood fiber and 40% recycled high-density polyethylene.

Its engineered hardwoods use cores from fast-growing species such as eucalyptus and acacia, reducing the volume of slow-growing hardwoods needed. And Cali continues to partner with the Surfrider Foundation, a nonprofit that works to protect the world’s oceans and beaches.

KARNDEAN

U.K.-headquartered producer of LVT through manufacturing partnerships

The company’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets were approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in 2024. These targets commit Karndean to cutting emissions by 42% by 2030, aligning with international efforts to limit global warming. In addition, the company became the first U.S.-based signatory of The Anti-Greenwash Charter, which aims to improve accountability and transparency in sustainability marketing by requiring accurate and verifiable claims.

Karndean also completed audits of its suppliers through Sedex, an international organization focused on ethical business practices. The audits evaluated suppliers across four pillars-ethics, social responsibility, environmental performance and working conditions-helping Karndean ensure that its supply chain meets high standards for sustainability.

Among the company’s products, Karndean LooseLay LVT carries certifications including FloorScore and NSF/ANSI 332 and can contribute toward LEED and WELL building projects. Its backing layer incorporates up to 50% recycled PVC.

Karndean does not purchase carbon credits, instead focusing on internal investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy and low-emission vehicles to meet its climate goals.

The company is also in the early stages of developing a sample takeback program, slated for launch in Q2 2026. The goal is to reclaim 25% of product samples from customers as part of broader efforts to reduce waste. While it does not yet operate a full-scale product takeback initiative, Karndean is participating in Resiloop through its Australian division, a program dedicated to developing recycling solutions for resilient floorcoverings at the end of their lifecycle.

UNIVERSAL TEXTILE TECHNOLOGIES

Georgia-based carpet backing manufacturer

In the past year, the company has updated its waste management system to divert recyclable materials from landfills. As part of its operational improvements, the company now works closely with customers to schedule coating of similar product types together, minimizing start-stop machine cycles and reducing material waste.

As part of its green portfolio, the BioCel backing incorporates renewable polymers derived from natural oils, recycled PET and refined calcium carbonate reclaimed from previously mined sources. The result is a backing system with 55% to 65% recycled or renewable content.

The company says one of the central challenges lies in the diversity of incoming materials due to its role as a third-party coater, making it difficult to efficiently separate materials for recycling or reuse. To mitigate this, the company says it is focused on refining processes that support waste reduction, energy efficiency and sustainable formulations across its product lines.

Looking ahead, the focus remains on optimizing internal systems to meet both environmental targets and customer expectations for sustainable manufacturing.

ROPPE/FLEXCO

Ohio-based manufacturer of rubber and resilient flooring

A key achievement has been the completion of full lifecycle assessments (LCAs) for core product lines, enabling the company to identify high-impact areas and make data-driven decisions about where to focus sustainability efforts.

In tandem, Roppe joined the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Climate Challenge, pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50% and improve energy intensity by 25% over the next decade. Flexco, participating in the DOE’s Better Plants Challenge, has already achieved a 12% reduction in electricity intensity since establishing its baseline. Waste reduction has also been a major focus, with landfill shipments per pound of mixed product cut nearly in half since 2020.

One standout product is Tuflex, a multipurpose athletic flooring engineered without tire-derived crumb rubber. Instead, it uses pre-consumer recycled content and biobased raw materials and is eligible for recycling through the company’s Impact takeback program. Several other products, including wall base and vinyl tile, now incorporate biobased plasticizers sourced from renewable feedstocks and carry USDA BioPreferred certification.

The Impact program continues to support circularity by reclaiming used flooring, though participation remains a challenge due to lack of engagement at the demolition or renovation stage. Company leaders note that increasing collaboration across the building ecosystem is critical to scaling such initiatives.

Efforts to improve recyclability also extend to product design. Rubber products are formulated without Red List chemicals to ensure safety for reuse, and the company is actively working to streamline vinyl formulations for easier end-of-life recovery. Internal scrap reuse and takeback pilot efforts are in development, particularly through collaboration with the Vinyl Sustainability Council.

Looking ahead, the firm plans to bring LCA capabilities in-house for real-time product evaluation and more agile decision-making. Other future goals include accelerating progress on energy and carbon reduction, expanding product circularity and strengthening cross-functional sustainability accountability.

CFL FLOORING

Hong Kong-headquartered producer of resilient flooring, with additional U.S. production

CFL reports a 20% reduction in electricity intensity at its Adairsville, Georgia, plant from 2023 to 2024 and is working toward a groupwide 25% reduction in energy intensity by 2030.

A major part of CFL’s strategy involves expanding manufacturing in the U.S. to reduce shipping distances and Scope 3 emissions. The company has also rolled out new production methods at U.S. facilities, including digital printing and embossing for its Digital Polymer Core (DPC) and Digital Printed SPC products. These methods reduce the use of raw materials by eliminating the need for separate wearlayers and film.

CFL launched its Eco-Composite Flooring (ECF) line in the past year. ECF is PVC-free, contains up to 50% post-consumer recycled content, features a mineral- and organic-based core, and includes a cork backing. The product is designed to be fully recyclable and matches or exceeds the performance of conventional vinyl flooring, according to the company.

Globally, CFL is adding solar installations to its facilities in Asia, with some sites now powered by 40% renewable energy. It is targeting 25% renewable energy use across all operations by 2030. Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions are being addressed through solar and energy efficiency upgrades. The company has not pursued carbon offset credits.

Water use is minimized through closed-loop systems in vinyl production lines, and vinyl waste is nearly 100% recycled back into the manufacturing process. CFL reports up to 33% pre-consumer recycled content in its vinyl products and uses packaging made from up to 90% post-consumer recycled content.

Takeback pilot programs are underway with key U.S. commercial customers.

On the transparency front, CFL is increasing third-party reporting. The company aims to complete EPDs for 80% of its product portfolio by 2030 and has already achieved coverage for 60% of its products, including SPC, acoustic SPC and ECF.

ANATOLIA

Canada-based manufacturer of ceramic tile and sintered stone with production in Turkey

The company recently installed a 21.5-megawatt solar panel system atop its 2.2-million-square-foot facility, a system that now supplies nearly all the power needed for its existing production lines. Once kiln capacity expands, the company expects solar to meet about 15% of total electricity demand. 

Water use has also been addressed. Anatolia’s closed-loop water treatment system allows process water to be recovered and reused, while a rainwater harvesting system supports fire protection and landscape irrigation. These systems have helped the company significantly reduce freshwater consumption. 

Anatolia has partnered with machinery firms to implement energy-efficient technologies that reduce overall consumption. 

Energy intensity has declined over the past year, driven by improvements in process efficiency and equipment optimization. Progress is monitored via monthly regression analysis, part of an energy management system that supports audit compliance and continuous improvement.

While it does not currently offer a takeback program, Anatolia says recovery and recycling of end-of-life materials is a future goal. In preparation, the company is working to ensure its packaging is recyclable. It also mandates that packaging suppliers use recyclable and certified materials.

FORBO

Switzerland-headquartered manufacturer of resilient flooring, with additional U.S. production 

In 2024, Forbo advanced its sustainability efforts across multiple fronts, reinforcing its commitment to circularity and environmental responsibility. 

Its Back to the Floor takeback program, now active in 14 countries, has collected 637 metric tons of post-consumer flooring waste; the company plans to expand the program in the U.S. and Canada this year. 

It also made significant strides in transparency, with 83% of its products now backed by third-party verified EPDs. Half of Forbo’s product materials are sourced from biobased, recycled or abundant mineral resources.

Energy efficiency and waste reduction were also key areas of progress. Last year, Forbo generated over 204,000 kWh of electricity through solar panels across the company and recycled 80% of its production waste, with a target of reaching 95% by 2030. These efforts align with the company’s long-term vision to create better environments through sustainable design and circular solutions, ensuring that environmental impact remains central to its manufacturing and product development strategies.

Work also continues on its Pennsylvania plant, which will produce Flotex featuring a new backing that will have a 40% reduction in embodied energy footprint. The company expects it to go online in 2026.

TARKETT

France-headquartered manufacturer of hard and soft surface flooring, with additional U.S. production

Tarkett North America has significantly expanded its sustainability efforts over the past year, with major progress in recycling, material innovation and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction.

In 2024, the company recycled 2.1 million pounds of post-use flooring through its ReStart takeback and recycling program, up from 1.5 million in 2023. Key partnerships, such as with Mycocycle and Avery Automats, have allowed Tarkett to turn old vinyl flooring into biobased or automotive products, advancing both open- and closed-loop circularity. For instance, its Ethos carpet tile backing now operates in a closed-loop system, with reclaimed backing fully recycled into new tiles.

Tarkett has made measurable strides toward its 2030 goals, which include:

• Sourcing 30% of raw materials from recycled content

• Reducing Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 30% (currently at 23%)

• Achieving a 36% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions through renewable energy use, electrification and operational efficiency

The company is also applying its MOOD (Measure, Optimize, Optimize Further, Disrupt) procurement framework to evaluate and select lower-carbon raw materials across its supply chain.

Product innovation includes the relaunch of iQ Optima homogenous vinyl flooring (25% recycled content), and new rubber sports flooring products like Triumph (40% recycled content) and Inertia (33%). Tarkett’s linoleum offering-made of 97% natural, 77% renewable and 100% recyclable materials-is Cradle to Cradle Certified Silver and carbon-negative cradle to gate. In tandem, the firm continues to explore biobased innovations such as mycelium-based recycling, which transforms post-consumer flooring waste into new material inputs.

While Tarkett does offer carbon credits via ClimeCo upon customer request, the firm’s sustainability focus is on emissions reduction at the source.

In June, Tarkett earned Platinum from EcoVadis for a second year in a row as well as an A rating from CDP earlier this year.

ALTRO

U.K.-headquartered manufacturer of resilient flooring

In 2024, the company published its first CDP environmental disclosure submission.

Altro purchases 100% renewable electricity at its U.K. sites and is rolling out efficiency measures, including LED lighting upgrades, smart meters, LPG forklift replacement and chiller upgrades. Over the next five years, an energy efficiency register is scheduled to track capital investment in low-carbon improvements.

Altro created dedicated “Sustainability Steering Groups,” recruited staff “Sustainability Champions” and ran a global sustainability foundation course completed by more than 300 employees in 2024. The firm also secured an EcoVadis award for its ESG management system last year.

In 2024, Recofloor-the vinyl flooring takeback system that operates in the U.K. and Ireland, co-founded by Altro and Polyflor, celebrated its 15-year anniversary. To date, it has recycled 2.4 million square meters of installation offcuts and post-consumer waste for recycling into new flooring or products such as road cones.

An in-house initiative to recycle waste wall cladding products, Recowall, recycled nearly 30 metric tons of PVC waste in 2024; Altro Walls also collected and reused over 500 pallets in 2024.

NOX

South Korea-based manufacturer of resilient flooring products, with additional U.S. production

In early 2024, Nox inked an agreement with BASF Corporation to advance circularity in flooring production by integrating BASF’s ChemCycling program. The initiative introduces circular plasticizers made from recycled mixed plastic waste into Nox’s manufacturing process, reducing reliance on virgin fossil materials.

Nox previously introduced a plasticizer made out of recycled PET drink bottles and continues to expand production of its Bio-Circular Balanced PVC, which uses sustainable raw material like cooking oil.

Nox also became the first in the world to incorporate Bio-Circular Balanced PVC across its entire product line, part of a broader goal to convert over 95% of key raw materials to sustainable alternatives. The company was honored with the Best of Surfaces 2024 Award for sustainable innovation at TISE for the second consecutive year.

BJELIN

Sweden-headquartered manufacturer of hybrid wood flooring

Bjelin, the sister company to Välinge Innovation that was formed soon after Välinge decided to produce its own innovation, manufactures high-performance Woodura Hardened Wood, which is topped and backed with thin, compressed wood veneers fused with wood-based powder to a moisture-resistant, low-emission HDF core, offering the balanced construction of an engineered wood. The firm started in the U.S. residential market and added commercial programs just a few years ago. And coming to the U.S. this fall is Nadura, which doesn’t have the wood veneer, instead fusing the pigmented wood powder layer to the core, with a wood powder layer on the back for balance. Both products are rated for heavy commercial applications: Woodura is rated Class 33 and Nadura Class 34.

The EPD for Woodura products made in Viken, Sweden indicates that the global warming potential of a typical board is a compelling -5.9kg CO2e/m2, with the wood-based materials (core, wood powder, veneers) doing all the heavy lifting. And according to Georg Vetter, Bjelin’s head of sustainability, the product’s long service life, which he estimates at up to 50 years, further extends the green story.

Bjelin and Välinge are in the middle of restructuring internally, including moving the Woodura production unit over to Bjelin. The firm also has production in Croatia, which will be the bigger site once it’s fully up and running. An EPD on Croation-made Woodura should come later this year or early in 2026.

PARADOR

Germany-headquartered manufacturer of hard surface flooring

Parador produces engineered wood, laminate flooring and its PVC-free Modular One, a hybrid product that features a modified HDF core, cork back, and polypropylene and mineral top layer. Production is in Germany and Austria.

The firm’s energy needs are partly met by its own solar array, a solid fuel burner for wood waste, hydroelectric and co-generation from a nearby biomass power plant. Parador, whose sustainability goals have been guided by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals since 2021, is on track to become carbon neutral at its production and manufacturing sites by the end of this year.

The firm has recently turned its sights to the U.S. commercial market, focusing on its Modular One, which has been modified from its residential construction in Europe, where it has a glueless locking system, to a gluedown commercial system in 2.5mm and 4.5mm formats, both of which are waterproof, according to the firm. And its products are now available on Material Bank.