SHAW INSTALLS ONE BILLION SQUARE FEET OF ECOWORX, WORLD'S FIRST CRADLE TO CRADLE CARPET
08.12.2010
Dalton, GA β One billion square feet of EcoWorx-backed carpet tile, the world's first Cradle to CradleCM certified carpet, has now been installed in more than 222,000 projects across 80 countries, Shaw Industries Group, Inc. has announced.
The milestone comes less than a year after celebrating the product's tenth anniversary β a testament to a continued rise in demand for flooring and interiors products that meet stringent standards for recyclability and environmental responsibility, according to Tim Baucom, vice president of Shaw's commercial division.
"Producing one billion square feet of EcoWorx is a landmark for us β and for our industry," Baucom said. "The growing demand for EcoWorx highlights the fact that customers are looking for that uniquely innovative combination of beautiful aesthetics, performance and environmental responsibility."
According to Jeff West, Shaw commercial director of sustainability and environmental affairs, producing EcoWorx instead of Permabac (the traditional PVC-backed carpet tile the company discontinued in 2004) has saved valuable resources like energy, water and raw materials.
"EcoWorx is one of our flagship examples of Shaw's commitment to sustainability through innovation β the Shaw Green Edge," West said. "It exceeds the performance of traditional carpet tile, but it is 40 percent lighter, making it more efficient to produce and to transport. In addition, EcoWorx is made with materials that have been evaluated for their environmental and human health and safety down to 100 parts per million as part of the rigorous MBDC Cradle to Cradle certification process."
Compared to Shaw's traditional carpet tile product, manufacturing EcoWorx has saved:
And because EcoWorx is designed to be reclaimed and remanufactured back into itself at the end of its useful life, recycling the product helps perpetuate those savings β decreasing the volume of virgin raw materials consumed in the process.
To make returning the product to Shaw as easy as possible EcoWorx is also backed by a global Environmental Guarantee that pledges the company will reclaim and recycle EcoWorx at the end of its useful life, at no cost to the customer*.
According to Jeff West, EcoWorx carpet tile backing currently contains a total of 40 percent pre- and post-consumer recycled content β a volume set to increase as more EcoWorx is returned to Shaw at the end of its useful life.
The industry's largest reclaimer of post-consumer carpet, Shaw has recently made significant investments in the expansion of its EcoWorx recycling infrastructure in order to accommodate growing returns of EcoWorx.
"More and more, our customers are recognizing the value of products that come with a clear provision in place for what will happen to those products at the end of their useful lives," said Tim Baucom. The Cradle to Cradle design of EcoWorx ensures that the materials it contains are absolutely safe for human and environmental health, and that there is no question about what happens to it at the end of its useful life: we want it back."
EcoWorx products are available through the Shaw Contract Group, Patcraft, Philadelphia Commercial and Queen Commercial brands.
About the Shaw Green Edge
Sustainability through InnovationTM That's the Shaw Green Edge®. It's our commitment to create the most beautiful β and sustainable β flooring in the world. And to help create a better planet for our customers, our people and our communities in the process.
Rooted in our drive to continuously improve every aspect of our business, the Shaw Green Edge guides everything we do, every day β from maintaining the highest ethical standards to safeguarding the health and well-being of our people and our communities, to conserving energy and water and recycling raw materials, to designing cradle to cradle products that can be remanufactured over and over again. Because setting the standard for environmental excellence, social responsibility and product design is more than our responsibility. It's also good business. And it's our legacy. For more information about the Shaw Green Edge, visit www.shawgreenedge.com.
About Shaw Industries Group, Inc.
Shaw Industries Group, Inc., a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., is the world's largest carpet manufacturer and a leading floorcovering provider with more than $4 billion in annual sales and approximately 25,000 associates worldwide. Headquartered in Dalton, Ga., the company manufactures and distributes carpeting, rugs, hardwood, laminate and ceramic tile for residential and commercial applications worldwide. A recognized leader in environmental stewardship, Shaw has implemented hundreds of sustainability initiatives and Cradle to Cradle design solutions, collectively termed the Shaw Green Edge. For more information, visit www.shawfloors.com.
