DALTON—Karastan has become the first company to carry the Wool: Clean Air Certified label on all of its wool carpets and rugs (FCNews, Dec. 6/13, 2010).
Products approved to carry the label are tested by an independent laboratory and must pass stringent VOC emission testing for 13 contaminants. The products are required to meet scientifically established testing standards that verify reductions of VOCs, including formaldehyde, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, in the indoor environment. Wool: Clean Air Certified is an indoor environmental quality (IEQ) program managed by Wools of New Zealand (WONZ).
“Wool has incredible attributes that deserve to be recognized,” said Connie Berry, director of marketing for Karastan. “As the largest manufacturer of wool carpets and rugs in America, we applaud WONZ for giving wool a greater voice. Solid scientific backing and high testing standards give the label impressive credibility that we are proud to carry on our products.”
The buildup of indoor air contaminants is a growing concern in residential as well as commercial interiors. Although many materials, including carpet, pass tests for minimum VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions, wool goes a step further by removing contaminants from the air and improving the health of the indoor environment, she noted.
“Wool is proven to significantly reduce indoor air contaminants within seven hours of installation and to keep contaminants out of the air for 30 years,” said Elise Demboski, executive director of North America for WONZ. “Unfortunately, this unique attribute is overlooked since wool represents only 2% of the market. Through the Wool: Clean Air Certified program, we’re bringing wool to the forefront where it will be noticed.”
In addition to meeting the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED point requirements, the certification also meets the standards for California Section 01350 and Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS). Carpets and rugs containing a minimum of 50% wool are eligible for Wool: Clean Air certification. Product samples are submitted by platform, which is dependent upon backing and latex type. Every platform is fully retested on an annual basis to maintain the integrity of the certification.
For more info, call 800.367.0462.