Shaw Increases ECO Solution Q recycled Content to 45 Percent
06.01.2011
Dalton, Ga. – Shaw Industries Group, Inc. has increased the recycled content in Eco Solution Q, the company's premium branded Cradle to Cradle Silver certified carpet fiber, to 45 percent. Eco Solution Q now contains 20 percent pre-consumer recycled content and 25 percent post-consumer recycled content sourced from caprolactam (the monomer or 'building block' of Nylon 6) recovered through Shaw's Evergreen Nylon 6 Recycling facility in Augusta, Georgia. The recycled content is based on allocated nylon fiber from Shaw's total nylon fiber production and determined as a percent of total Eco Solution Q nylon output; based on this method, recycled content will likely vary.
More than 400 million pounds of post-consumer carpet has been recycled through Evergreen since the facility's launch in 2007. In addition to helping divert used carpet from landfills, Eco Solution Q made with caprolactam recovered from Evergreen uses 40 percent less energy than fiber exclusively with virgin caprolactam, according to life cycle assessment data verified by PE Five Winds International. According to Shaw Vice President of Sustainability Paul Murray, the increased recycled content in Eco Solution Q will allow customers to maximize the opportunity to achieve LEED points for environmentally responsible flooring – especially in conjunction with Shaw's EcoWorx Cradle to Cradle Silver certified carpet backing.
"Combined with EcoWorx, the increased recycled content in Eco Solution Q means a typical 18 ounce carpet tile will now contain an average of 44 percent total recycled content," Murray said. "And because our EcoWorx products with Eco Solution Q are backed by a global environmental guarantee, we're also committed to reclaiming and recycling the product back into new carpet at the end of its useful life, at no cost to our customers."
Shaw offers 742 products made with Eco Solution Q through the Shaw Contract Group, Patcraft and Philadelphia/Queen commercial brands.
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, Georgia, 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.
