Carpet: Mills focus on health, hygiene

By Ken Ryan—Homeowners are increasingly concerned with a healthier home, from the quality of the air to the sustainability of the building materials within the home. In fact, research conducted by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing found that more than 33% of renters and 25% of homeowners were concerned about healthy home conditions or risks, a percentage that was expected to rise.

Carpet mills have certainly taken notice as they develop carpet products that offer stain and soil protection while in some instances have added antimicrobial ingredients like Microban, for example, that contribute to a healthier home.

Following are some recent developments in the field of healthier carpets.

Anderson Tuftex

A/T’s Pet Perfect+ carpets feature LifeGuard Spill-Proof technology, providing customers with a healthier home solution. Pet Perfect+ carpets are ultra-durable and easy-to-clean, offering bleach and fade resistance, stain and soil protection, and are designed to easily release pet hairs while vacuuming. Inspired by the naturally imperfect geometric shapes carved out of sandstone canyon walls by Mother Nature, the soft, distinct styling of Caboodle provides the perfect oasis to promote well-being.

The Dixie Group – Fabrica and Masland

Wool carpets bring peace of mind for a healthier home. With today’s population spending an estimated 90% of their time indoors, this has never been more important. The natural wool fibers used in TDG’s products bind with common household pollutant gases and airborne particles to help purify indoor air for up to 30 years. With regular vacuuming, wool carpets from Fabrica and Masland can help reduce allergy and respiratory issues in the home. The addition of wool’s ability to buffer heat and moisture with its propensity to control indoor air pollutants makes it ideal for creating safe and healthy interior environments.

Dream Weaver by Engineered Floors

A healthier home is of greater concern now than perhaps ever before. Unbeknownst to most, carpet can potentially play a pivotal role when it comes to the air quality inside your home. Carpet fibers have an inherent ability to trap indoor allergens and other airborne impurities. Thanks to PureColor solution-dyed fiber, consumers can also clean their carpet with stronger substances such as a mixture of bleach and water and not have to worry about discoloring their carpet. (With PureColor, the dye penetrates 100% of the fiber itself, providing permanent stain and fade resistance.)

Phenix

Today’s consumers want flooring that helps keep their homes cleaner. As with all Phenix carpets, FloorEver PetPlus features the antimicrobial technology of Microban, which helps protect 24/7 against the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew while helping floors remain 99% cleaner than untreated surfaces. FloorEver PetPlus with Microban allows customers to spend less time worrying about whether their floor is clean and more time enjoying a cleaner home.

Mohawk/Karastan

For those who know and love SmartStrand, it has been installed in more than 11 million homes since its launch in 2005. Made in part from annual renewable, plant-based ingredients, SmartStrand is environmentally friendly for the entire family—including the four-legged ones. SmartStrand also cleans up easily with water, so no harsh chemicals are needed.

Shaw Floors

Products that support a healthy home consider both cleanability and style/design, as both impact our mood and well-being while in a space. Shaw’s Pet Perfect carpets are ultra-durable and easy to clean, offering bleach and fade resistance and stain and soil protection. Furthermore, they are designed to easily release pet hairs while vacuuming. Favoured Path, a deconstructed herringbone pattern, feels welcoming, familiar and natural. The color line utilizes high contrast pairings for a homespun, crafted look.

Tarkett Home

Tarkett Home recognizes the importance customers place on a healthy home environment. Carpet is still the largest flooring category, so it is important that Tarkett offer a product that is environmentally friendly. The company accomplishes this by ensuring it produces durable products utilizing 100% solution-dyed PET fiber, which has high stain resistance as well as being easy to clean and maintain.