Is “sustainability” just a marketing gimmick?

2019 is the year sustainability” has really taken off. Consumers are now more conscious about what they buy and where they are buying it from, which is why you’ll have noticed a lot of brands shaking things up to become a more sustainable” company. Some may say it’s just a marketing gimmick, but so what if it is? That brand is helping our rapidly melting planet.

Sustainability has definitely made its way into the flooring industry, with big brands like Interface and Desso committed to helping the environment, it’s become one of the main priorities brands think about when designing new products.

So what kicked off the sustainability trend among consumers?

The nation’s sweetheart David Attenbourough and his Blue Planet series could be the reason why consumers feel more responsible to act more sustainable. The show aired in 2017 and since then, corporate giants like McDonald’s and Starbucks have introduced waste positive steps plastic straws in a bid to reduce their plastic waste.

Major food chains aren’t the only ones that are making ethical changes, the flooring industry is right up there making moves. Interface’s UK regional director, Matt Hall, explains how Interface are committed to help climate change with carbon neutral products. When you design and spec 1,000 square yards of Interface flooring, you offset the equivalent carbon emissions of nine round-trip flights between New York and Paris. What an amazing fact to say about your brand?! You can listen and watch Matt Hall go into a little more depth about what Interface are up to in our latest Youtube video, Clerkenwell Design Week.

The DCTUK team chatted to Desso’s Michael Gellespie at CDW about how all of Desso are a Cradle to Cradle manufacturer, so every product has a sustainability story. They actually have the first carpet in the world to achieve Cradle to Cradle gold certificate. You can read more about the criteria they have to meet in order to achieve gold status here.

What does ECONYL mean?

When you see the word ECONYL on one of our product pages, it means the product has been made through the ECONYL regeneration process.These carpet tiles are made from 100% regenerated nylon, which is a strong, environmentally friendly fibre. The carpet material is partly made up from fishing nets, toys or whatever is chucked in the ocean. So you're not only getting an aesthetically pleasing, durable carpet plank/tile, but you’re also saving helpless little turtles and other wildlife creatures getting tied up in fishing nets. Want to read more about ECONYL? Our blog post explains the regeneration process.