By Ken Ryan—It’s no longer enough for carpet to merely offer stain and soil protection. In the age of COVID-19, today’s carpet and rugs must provide durability and cleanability while supporting healthy home goals that consumers demand. With that objective in mind, mills are developing healthier carpet choices, including products that are certified Green Label Plus by the Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI)—tested and proven to emit low VOCs to help improve indoor air quality.
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ANDERSON TUFTEX
Cleanability and durability have been identified as top priorities for homeowners, and Anderson Tuftex’s Pet Perfect styles promise a most durable, pet-friendly carpet. Pet Perfect carpets boast elevated style and design and are also crafted from Anso high-performance fibers. Built-in stain protection, advanced fade- and bleach-resistance and the ability to release pet hair while vacuuming for easy clean up are just a few of the performance attributes RSAs should highlight to help consumers achieve their healthy home goals.
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ENGINEERED FLOORS
All Engineered Floors carpets are made using PureColor, the company’s proprietary solution-dyed fiber. Since the color permeates 100% of the fiber, PureColor carpets can be cleaned with a bleach solution without worrying about discoloring the floor. Having the ability to clean carpet with effective chemical compounds provides peace of mind. In addition, carpet has the innate ability to improve indoor air quality as the fibers trap potential allergens that can be easily removed by vacuuming.
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FABRICA
Fabrica wool carpets aim to look good and boast healthy attributes, too. Wool is a natural fiber with several inherent qualities that make it a great choice for a healthy home. Wool has the unique ability to stabilize relative humidity by absorbing or releasing moisture during periods of high or low atmospheric humidity. If maintained correctly, wool also absorbs and neutralizes airborne particles and fumes. Wool carpet is hypoallergenic and does not promote the growth of dust mites or bacteria. All these health benefits combined with excellent sound absorption and natural insulating properties aim to make Fabrica wool carpets an ideal choice for the home.
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GODFREY HIRST
Merino Desire II is made of the finest, softest wools, according to Godfrey Hirst. Wool carpeting is often the first choice for consumers looking for a natural floor covering for the home. Wool shorn from sheep is natural and constructed of amino acids, the building blocks of life. In soil, wool biodegrades to produce nitrogen, sulfur, CO2 and water, which are all plant nutrients.
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KARASTAN
When it comes to surfaces, clean is closely associated with healthy in the minds of consumers. SmartStrand delivers on these benefits along with the design and styling of Karastan that boosts mental and emotional well-being. Captivating Beauty from Karastan is said to offer 100% permanent, built-in stain protection that never wears or washes off; the fiber is certified to be free of harmful substances by OEKO-TEX Standard 100.
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MASLAND
Masland’s EnVisionSD Pet Solutions is inherently stain resistant and boasts built-in stain protection that never wears off. It offers best-in-class color fastness and can be thoroughly cleaned to remove tough pet stains. When installed with a moisture barrier cushion, pet accidents can be removed with hot water extraction and help prevent recurring stains and lingering odors. Masland’s Grace (shown) comes with Colorplay technology, which creates natural color movement through the pile.
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MOHAWK
Mohawk’s Thrilling Choice II lives up to all of the SmartStrand benefits as a soft, durable, easy-to-clean carpet that is now even more environmentally friendly with the ReCover backing system. The new ReCover backing system, which is hypoallergenic and latex-free, was designed and engineered with sustainability in mind. The innovative design is also 100% recyclable and reusable at the end of its first life. Thrilling Choice II also includes the All Pet Protection & Warranty covering all accidents, all pets, all the time.
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PHENIX
Phenix Flooring has developed a wide range of carpet options that feature Microban, a 24/7 performance technology that is said to be 99% more effective at preventing bacteria, mold and mildew than floors without it. As such, Phenix carpet with Microban helps maintain a cleaner, healthier home environment.
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SHAW FLOORS
Shaw Floors leverages its industry expertise and consumer research to design products that address key healthy home priorities like IAQ, moisture and sound abatement. Carpet is inherently quiet and Shaw’s pet-friendly styles like Chic Elevation (pictured) boast high-performance fibers with R2X built-in stain and soil protection and LifeGuard spill-proof backing to ensure cleanability and prevent odor-causing accidents. Shaw’s commitment to Cradle to Cradle principles lets customers and end users shop with confidence.
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SOUTHWIND
Luxmax is an LCL (level cut and loop) So Soft solution-dyed PET carpet that is eco-friendly and Green Label Plus Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) certified. Luxmax comes in eight colors, features a random grid pattern and offers superior fade and stain resistance.
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STANTON
Eva is the essence of Antrim, a thick, dense, textured wool carpet. The hand-loomed carpet is composed of 100% wool, which offers all the inherent performance properties and naturally green benefits that synthetics can’t. Eva is ideal for any home and consumer lifestyle.
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TARKETT
Tribaleigh is a handwoven flat weave that provides unique textural and design appeal. Tribaleigh is constructed of 100% solution-dyed Primus PET fiber, ideal for consumers with children and pets due to the fiber’s resistance to staining and soiling. Tribaleigh is made in the U.S. and is certified for low VOCs.
