Conscious carpeting
By Laurie Posted on March 22nd, 2009 in Living Green
Although many home renovators are choosing the route of hardwood, laminate, and tile over carpeting, there are still those who prefer the cushy, soft comfort that only a carpet can deliver.
Carpets have a relatively bad rap – after all, they are dirt and allergen havens. But if carpeting is the only choice flooring for you, green alternatives are cropping up left, right, and directly underfoot.
Eco-friendly carpeting is made from recycled or natural materials, such as hemp, alpaca and wool. The carpet backing, too, is developed from a sustainable material, among them jute, a sturdy plant fibre. These natural materials are sewn on, as opposed to glued, like conventional carpeting.
Mohawk carpeting is one company that has added to their line of products to create green products: The SmartStand® with DuPont™ and EverStrand™. The SmartStand® with DuPont™ contains ingredients made from corn sugar, replacing the originals developed from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. EverStrand™ is developed from post-consumer recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) from plastic beverage bottles. The company’s bonded carpet cushion is comprised of 90% recycled materials from its fiber and carpet manufacturing waste.
Other companies take a different approach. FLOR’s carpet squares are made from renewable and recycled materials, with design flexibility and style. The company’s ‘Return & Recycle’ program collects old carpet tiles from customers and make them into new carpet, so no FLOR carpet ends up in the landfill. Their catalog is even printed on 100% recycled paper, but is most eco-friendly when viewed directly online.
The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) maintains the ease of green carpet buying with their Green Label and Green Label Plus programs, which certifies companies based on their meeting requirements of very low volatile organic compound (or low-VOC) emissions. They test for and certify low emissions from all aspects: the carpet itself, as well as cushioning and 
adhesive.
Check out other eco-carpeting options from:
greengreenergreenest.com
penguin.ca
gilldeacon.ca
greenfloors.com
carpet-rug.org
cleancalgary.org
shawfloors.com
ecobydesign.com
Image courtesy of Flor.
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