Solon, Ohio—Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) has boomed over the past 15 years, with global flooring manufacturer Tarkett noting that LVT’s share of the resilient market grew from 10% to 40% in that timeframe. Now, many of those early LVT installations are ready to be replaced, posing a challenge as to how to handle the waste. Without a clear industry pathway for LVT recycling, Tarkett sought a collaborative solution to give reclaimed LVT new life via its ReStart program.
“Through our ReStart take-back and recycling program, we’ve been working for decades to build a circular economy where nothing goes to waste,” said Rachel Palopoli, Tarkett North America’s director of circular economy. “Sometimes that calls for creative solutions. If we can’t find a home for old flooring material and turn it back into new flooring, we make sure that we find someone who can use it.”
Tarkett found its creative solution for reclaimed LVT in a unique partnership with Avery Automats, one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of automotive carpet and all-weather floor mats, located in Dalton. Since partnering with Avery Automats in 2022, every pound of post-use LVT flooring that has come to Tarkett’s ReStart program has been recycled into new automotive products.
“It is amazing to be able to work with partners that can use old floors as a raw material and turn it into great, long-lasting products,” Palopoli said. “Our number one goal with ReStart is to avoid sending any material to a landfill because those landfills actually can release harmful chemicals into our air, water and soil.”
The collaboration represents a pivotal step in Tarkett’s commitment to reducing waste and building a circular economy. Palopoli emphasized that this is only the beginning of the company’s efforts to trailblaze a more sustainable future. “We’ll keep looking for the next innovative step forward—because at Tarkett, Every Step Matters,” she said.