DuPont and Ecostrate SFS establish carpet recycling program

DuPont Industrial Biosciences, Wilmington, Delaware, and EcoStrate SFS Inc., based in Dallas, have signed a cooperative agreement establishing the first postconsumer recycling program for commercial and residential carpet made with DuPont Sorona renewably sourced fiber.

The two companies will work together to develop and commercialize products using recovered postconsumer carpet made with DuPont Sorona fiber. EcoStrate, currently a manufacturer of signage, promotional items and mud flaps, also is exploring other applications including ballistics testing, flooring, shipping crates, pallets and building materials.

“As a biobased material, the sustainability advantages of DuPont Sorona in carpets have been recognized globally,” says John Lyons, global business development manager for DuPont Sorona. “While postindustrial recycling of DuPont Sorona has been practiced for years, we also have focused on identifying postconsumer recycling solutions for carpet made with DuPont Sorona. We believe that EcoStrate has an innovative program and our collaboration will be a benefit to both the carpet and recycling industries. With end-of-carpet-life options in place, consumers and specifiers of carpet made with Sorona will feel even better about their choice of carpets.”

“EcoStrate SFS is extremely honored to be accepted as part of the visionary leadership that DuPont continues to provide around the world, particularly in creating solutions that deal with responsible end of life of products or materials,” says Ron Sherga, chief executive officer of EcoStrate. “The EcoStrate process, and the markets we target, will all benefit from the use of recovered DuPont Sorona and its unique properties. EcoStrate is fast becoming a leader in transforming unique end-of-life materials into value-added products. Our association with DuPont adds tremendous value to our message, vision and future growth.”

DuPont Sorona fiber is made in part from annually renewable plant-based ingredients and is used primarily in fiber applications, including fiber for textiles used in apparel and home, office and automotive interiors, as well as in fiber for carpet including residential, commercial and automotive carpets and mats.

EcoStrate SFS’ founders have extensive experience using materials such as carpet, computer carcasses, vinyl flooring, carpet padding, textile waste and other waste products to be recycled to form indoor and outdoor signage, mud flaps and flooring. EcoStrate aims to divert these wasted raw materials from landfills into its recycling plants and into a final, 100 percent postconsumer recycled product.