Choose Green Report: Floor Coverings

December 2001

The title of this Green Seal report might as well be “Don’t buy carpet without reading this first.” It trods through a ground-level lecture on indoor air quality, but don’t let this sway you from jumping feet-first into the hands-on information this issue has to offer. In a helpful graphic format, readers are armed with terms for specifying carpet, including the construction of the carpet, fiber types, and dyeing methods. Another graphic gives a rundown on installation methods. The report also reminds purchasers to factor in total use costs, including allowances for maintenance and removal; offers practical maintenance advice; and suggests repair and recycling options such as carpet tiling, leasing, and take-back programs. Green Seal then reviews more than 30 carpets from seven manufacturers, comparing fiber type, percent of recovered fiber, the dyeing process, recommended adhesives, traffic flow, repair options, and recyclability. All of these products meet the requirements for the Carpet and Rug Institute’s green labeling program. As added bonuses, the report rolls out short case studies on Miliken Carpet’s take-back program and Allied Signal’s carpet recycling plant.