Desso receives Cradle to Cradle gold certification

C2C Product Innovation Institute Roy Vercoulen handing over the certificate to Roland Jonkhoff Desso (PRNewsFoto/Desso)

Netherland-based carpet manufacturer, Desso, has reached a major new milestone in its Cradle to Cradle (C2C) journey in becoming the first carpet tile manufacturer in the world to achieve Cradle to Cradle Gold level certification for a new carpet tile collection. The Gold certification is the culmination of seven years of hard work and effort, inspired by the goal of transitioning to the circular economy, based on C2C principles. The collection will be launched in all key markets in October 2015.

The new Gold Collection comes standard with an EcoBase backing, that contains upcycled re-engineered calcium carbonate (chalk) from local drinking water companies, which is 100 percent recyclable in Desso's own production process. In addition, the collection contains ECONYL, a 100 perent regenerated nylon made from recovered waste materials including post-consumer yarn waste from DESSO's Refinity plant.

The products in Desso's Gold Collection offer the following benefits:

• 100 percent positively defined materials;
• 100 percent regenerated yarn (ECONYL);
• on average 80 percent recyclable materials;
• on average 52 percent recycled content;
• very low VOC's (volatile organic compounds); and
• contributes to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) v4 points.

To reach this golden milestone, Desso has had to fulfil a broad range of tough environmental and human health criteria, as defined within the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard. This is a framework for innovation, which shows that 'designing with purpose' makes perfect business sense and at the same time, positively impacts the environment and human health.  Products are certified by the independent Products Innovation Institute, based in the US. Next to this collection, 93% of Desso's commercial carpet tile range is Cradle to Cradle certified, at either Bronze or Silver level depending on the backing type.

Desso has been on the path towards the circular economy since 2008 based on Cradle to Cradle principles, which enables manufacturers to make goods designed for more than one product life cycle in an ever moving non-toxic closed loop, increasingly powered by renewable energy. In this way, the circular economy helps us tackle several major global challenges: resource scarcity, toxicity, and climate change. As a regenerative model inspired by nature, it replaces the more traditional linear 'take, make and waste' system.

According to recent research, the circular economy could unleash as much as a trillion dollars a year globally through a smarter use of material streams.

Desso is committed to making the transition to the circular economy through meeting Cradle to Cradle standards, a philosophy developed by German chemist Dr. Michael Braungart and U.S. architect William McDonough. It calls for companies to search for healthy materials, effective recycling systems and processes, good water stewardship, social fairness and renewable energy.

"Through the vision and hard work of our people and stakeholders we are delighted to have reached this important new milestone in our circular economy journey," says Roland Jonkhoff, Managing Director, Desso and Vice President Carpet EMEA, Tarkett. "Alongside this, the innovations that are required on our path to becoming a C2C company, continue to contribute to our commercial success. This demonstrates to us and others that a business strategy coupled to strong CSR goals does underpin commercial success."

Desso, a Tarkett company, is a leading carpets, carpet tiles and sport pitches business, active in more than 100 countries. Its products are supplied to corporate offices, education, healthcare, government, homes and also hotels, cruise liners, airlines and premier football clubs. Desso's mission is to develop unique products that deliver a much improved indoor environment, helping to maximise people's health and wellbeing. This is driven by the company's innovation programme based on the three pillars of Creativity, Functionality and Cradle to Cradle design which underpins the shift to the regenerative circular economy. For more information please visit: www.desso.com.