A Culture of Innovation Leads to Sustainable Flooring Options
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After nearly 150 years in business, Mohawk knows that innovation is a necessity for longevity–for their company and the planet.
Companies that invest in innovation are more likely to thrive for the long term. Mohawk, the world’s largest flooring company, started 147 years ago as a carpet manufacturing firm and is known for its durable products as well as its investments in sustainability advances.
“Mohawk’s innovation journey has evolved through significant milestones, including the development of the continuum process via vertical integration of recycling and, more recently, the introduction of PVC-free flooring products,” says Denise Silbert, Mohawk’s vice president of marketing, soft surface and Builder + Multifamily. “These advancements showcase the company’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, transforming from initial pioneering moments to ongoing investments and achievements.”
Mohawk’s drive to push boundaries in innovation stems from its entrepreneurial spirit, Silbert says.
“A central theme at Mohawk, known as ‘Culture of Care,’ fosters a culture of innovation and sustainability across all its businesses,” she says. “Mohawk is tackling several significant sustainability challenges through innovation.”
The company particularly focuses on recycling and product circularity.
“One of the biggest challenges is the recycling and upcycling of post-consumer waste, such as single-use plastics, and giving them a second life as carpet,” Silbert says.
Mohawk’s investments in innovation have diverted 60 billion plastic bottles from landfills for use in ecofriendly carpets over the past decade.
“Additionally, we are focusing on product circularity by exploring solutions for closed-loop recycling of carpet back into carpet, although this comes with its own set of challenges,” Silbert says.
Product Innovations for Sustainability
Mohawk’s evolving range of products help homes and buildings stay comfortable, healthy and efficient, according to Silbert. They are not only durable, but they’re also environmentally friendly, she says.
“Mohawk’s hard surface products like RevWood are also FloorScore certified, indicating they meet rigorous indoor air quality standards,” Silbert says. “This certification ensures that flooring products have low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions to enable healthier indoor environments.”
Mohawk’s SmartStrand carpet is another example of a product that continues to help homes and buildings stay comfortable through a combination of product longevity and plant-based fiber ingredients, according to Silbert.
Emerging Trends in Sustainability
Product circularity is at the top of most sustainability conversations today, according to Malisa Maynard, Mohawk’s chief sustainability officer.
“After starting as a movement against single-use plastic, the topic has expanded to challenge manufacturers to consider what happens to their products at the end of their useful life,” Maynard says. “Mohawk is in a great position to trial pilot programs in different regions to explore just that. It’s important to recognize that what works in California may not be feasible in Ohio based on recycling partners, available technologies and potential uses. Our size and scale allow us to customize circular solutions to find the best fit for customers, for Mohawk, and for the environment.”
Several of Mohawk’s products are Declare label certified, which offers a transparency disclosure so that consumers can understand where a product comes from, what it’s made of, and what happens to it at the end of its life cycle.
More Progress Ahead
Mohawk’s commitment to the future doesn’t rest on its sustainability track record. The company continues to invest in more advancements to move the needle forward to benefit consumers and the environment.
“Mohawk is currently excited about several breakthrough innovations in the pipeline, including a deeper focus on wellbeing benefits in homes, developing more economically feasible solutions for end-of-life flooring recycling, and creating solutions for product circularity,” Silbert says. “These advancements are expected to further enhance the sustainability and health benefits of our products.”
Companies like Mohawk that consistently look for ways to increase the sustainability of their products and manufacturing processes can serve as a beacon to lead other companies to make similar investments.
“Mohawk envisions a multi-faceted future where high-performance homes and other structures are built to last, made with sustainable materials and are offered at a price point that makes quality housing accessible to everyone,”
Maynard says. “We can’t just wait for this future. We need to work toward achieving it. Mohawk can contribute by reducing carbon emissions in both manufacturing and our products, extending the useful life of our products and enhancing our circular systems to recover, reclaim and reuse materials. We do all of this with the talent, the technology and the commitment to drive positive change in the building products category and inspire others to embrace the possibilities of a more sustainable building environment.”
Publisher’s Note: Green Builder's 20th Anniversary celebration is sponsored by: Carrier,Trex, and Mohawk.
As cofounder and CEO of Green Builder Media, Sara is a visionary thought leader and passionate advocate for sustainability. A former venture capitalist, she has participated in the life cycle (from funding to exit) of over 20 companies, with an emphasis on combining sustainability and profitability. She lives in Lake City, Colo., with her husband, where she is an avid long-distance runner, snowboarder, and Crossfit trainer. She is also on the Board of Directors at Dvele, runs the Rural Segment for Energize Colorado, and is a former County Commissioner.
A Culture of Innovation Leads to Sustainable Flooring Options
After nearly 150 years in business, Mohawk knows that innovation is a necessity for longevity–for their company and the planet.
Companies that invest in innovation are more likely to thrive for the long term. Mohawk, the world’s largest flooring company, started 147 years ago as a carpet manufacturing firm and is known for its durable products as well as its investments in sustainability advances.
“Mohawk’s innovation journey has evolved through significant milestones, including the development of the continuum process via vertical integration of recycling and, more recently, the introduction of PVC-free flooring products,” says Denise Silbert, Mohawk’s vice president of marketing, soft surface and Builder + Multifamily. “These advancements showcase the company’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, transforming from initial pioneering moments to ongoing investments and achievements.”
Mohawk’s drive to push boundaries in innovation stems from its entrepreneurial spirit, Silbert says.
“A central theme at Mohawk, known as ‘Culture of Care,’ fosters a culture of innovation and sustainability across all its businesses,” she says. “Mohawk is tackling several significant sustainability challenges through innovation.”
The company particularly focuses on recycling and product circularity.
“One of the biggest challenges is the recycling and upcycling of post-consumer waste, such as single-use plastics, and giving them a second life as carpet,” Silbert says.
Mohawk’s investments in innovation have diverted 60 billion plastic bottles from landfills for use in ecofriendly carpets over the past decade.
“Additionally, we are focusing on product circularity by exploring solutions for closed-loop recycling of carpet back into carpet, although this comes with its own set of challenges,” Silbert says.
Product Innovations for Sustainability
Mohawk’s evolving range of products help homes and buildings stay comfortable, healthy and efficient, according to Silbert. They are not only durable, but they’re also environmentally friendly, she says.
“Mohawk’s hard surface products like RevWood are also FloorScore certified, indicating they meet rigorous indoor air quality standards,” Silbert says. “This certification ensures that flooring products have low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions to enable healthier indoor environments.”
Mohawk’s SmartStrand carpet is another example of a product that continues to help homes and buildings stay comfortable through a combination of product longevity and plant-based fiber ingredients, according to Silbert.
Emerging Trends in Sustainability
Product circularity is at the top of most sustainability conversations today, according to Malisa Maynard, Mohawk’s chief sustainability officer.
“After starting as a movement against single-use plastic, the topic has expanded to challenge manufacturers to consider what happens to their products at the end of their useful life,” Maynard says. “Mohawk is in a great position to trial pilot programs in different regions to explore just that. It’s important to recognize that what works in California may not be feasible in Ohio based on recycling partners, available technologies and potential uses. Our size and scale allow us to customize circular solutions to find the best fit for customers, for Mohawk, and for the environment.”
Several of Mohawk’s products are Declare label certified, which offers a transparency disclosure so that consumers can understand where a product comes from, what it’s made of, and what happens to it at the end of its life cycle.
More Progress Ahead
Mohawk’s commitment to the future doesn’t rest on its sustainability track record. The company continues to invest in more advancements to move the needle forward to benefit consumers and the environment.
“Mohawk is currently excited about several breakthrough innovations in the pipeline, including a deeper focus on wellbeing benefits in homes, developing more economically feasible solutions for end-of-life flooring recycling, and creating solutions for product circularity,” Silbert says. “These advancements are expected to further enhance the sustainability and health benefits of our products.”
Companies like Mohawk that consistently look for ways to increase the sustainability of their products and manufacturing processes can serve as a beacon to lead other companies to make similar investments.
“Mohawk envisions a multi-faceted future where high-performance homes and other structures are built to last, made with sustainable materials and are offered at a price point that makes quality housing accessible to everyone,”
Maynard says. “We can’t just wait for this future. We need to work toward achieving it. Mohawk can contribute by reducing carbon emissions in both manufacturing and our products, extending the useful life of our products and enhancing our circular systems to recover, reclaim and reuse materials. We do all of this with the talent, the technology and the commitment to drive positive change in the building products category and inspire others to embrace the possibilities of a more sustainable building environment.”
Publisher’s Note: Green Builder's 20th Anniversary celebration is sponsored by: Carrier, Trex, and Mohawk.
By Sara Gutterman
As cofounder and CEO of Green Builder Media, Sara is a visionary thought leader and passionate advocate for sustainability. A former venture capitalist, she has participated in the life cycle (from funding to exit) of over 20 companies, with an emphasis on combining sustainability and profitability. She lives in Lake City, Colo., with her husband, where she is an avid long-distance runner, snowboarder, and Crossfit trainer. She is also on the Board of Directors at Dvele, runs the Rural Segment for Energize Colorado, and is a former County Commissioner.Also Read