Dalton, GA, January 15, 2007--Commercial floor coverings manufacturer Tandus has launched Retrieve, a new program to recover physical product samples and sample folders from the marketplace.
Developed in collaboration with the Carolinas Chapter of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), Retrieve guarantees specifiers that 100% of the samples and folders they return will be recycled or reused.
"Not only does Retrieve enable Tandus to manufacture fewer samples and folders in the long term, but we are able to engage our customers in our effort to make a positive impact on the environment," said Lee Schilling, senior vice president, Tandus. "By reclaiming our old carpet and unused samples and folders, we are mining buildings for resources instead of mining the earth."
Retrieve is an extension to the company's Floore carpet buy-back program, in place since the early 1990s. Since initiating this program, Tandus has reclaimed millions of pounds of vinyl-backed carpets from the marketplace. This material is closed-loop recycled into ER3, a 100% recycled content backing for its C&A brand products. Since 1997 Tandus has recycled more than 110 million pounds of waste carpet and vinyl.
Unused physical product samples and sample folders can be returned to Tandus simply by calling Tandus Customer Service at 800.248.2878. The company will provide packaging and shipping labels.
Retrieve is designed to accept all product samples and folders from its own brands--Monterey, Crossley and C&A--as well as competitors' vinyl-backed carpet samples. Product folders will be returned to Tandus showrooms for reuse while product samples will either be re-shelved or recycled.
"Instead of adding to the four billion pounds of carpet that is dumped into landfills each year, companies can now be environmentally responsible by participating in our Retrieve and Floore Programs," adds Schilling.
