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Next generation sustainable carpet backings – saving resources with Colback ECO‑RE
Like many others, the flooring industry also needs to rethink its practices to minimize the environmental impact of its products for improved sustainability. As a dedicated partner to this sector, we at Freudenberg Performance Materials are working closely with our customers to support them with effective solutions.
With our new forward-looking portfolio of carpet backing materials, we are making it easier for manufacturers to produce more sustainable carpets. The range, consisting of Colback ECO and Lutradur ECO, forms part of Freudenberg’s high-performance technical textiles made from spunbond nonwovens. Colback ECO-RE is the first in Freudenberg’s next-generation of sustainable ECO carpet backings specifically developed for carpet tiles.
Colback ECO-RE sustainable carpet backing
Advantages of Colback ECO-RE at a glance
- Reduces consumption of valuable raw materials
- Up to 50% lower carbon footprint
- Supports end-of-life recyclability for carpet tiles
- Uncompromised high performance
“Reducing carbon footprint, increasing recycled content, and improving recyclability – these are the key trends in the flooring industry, in the endeavor to produce more sustainable carpets.”
Michaela Reuter, SVP & General Manager Regional Business Unit Carpet, Filtration & Shoes EMEA at Freudenberg Performance Materials
SEM micrograph of Colback ECO-RE extremely thin filaments
Less is more
Freudenberg’s R&D teams have developed a solution that allows reduced use of raw materials in our Colback ECO-RE carpet backings. This required a full redesign of our proprietary filament production technology. This technical innovation enables us to produce extremely thin filaments that have diameters up to 30 percent smaller than the filaments in our standard carpet backing portfolio.
For a better carbon footprint
Our carpet backing production process has been redesigned to produce a more uniform product using these extremely thin filaments. This makes it possible to manufacture carpet backings with a lower carbon footprint – enabling more sustainable carpet tiles.
The direct comparison of the original (left) and new (right) technologies side by side in the close-up shows how the product has been optimized. This provides equal performance in a stable tufting process and gives the carpet tiles a pleasing aesthetic.
Uniformity analysis
At the same time, these new carpet backings can help improve the recyclability of carpet tiles when they reach the end of their useful life, as their lower PET content will be beneficial in certain recycling processes.
The new technology to produce extremely thin filaments is one of Freudenberg Performance Materials’ sustainability initiatives for the carpet industry. Other developments include backings with a high recycled content, or backings that use alternative technologies to improve carpet recyclability. The ECO portfolio will be extended with products resulting from these innovations.
Colback ECO-RE is manufactured in Europe.
ECO-Check label – highlighting sustainable choices
The Colback ECO-RE carpet tile backings carry the ECO‑CHECK label.
Freudenberg launched this label at the beginning of 2021 in order to highlight especially sustainable products in its portfolio. The label helps customers to quickly and easily identify sustainable products. Freudenberg products that carry this ECO-CHECK label meet stringent criteria in at least one of the following four categories: Reducing resource consumption, improving environmental efficiency for our customers, reducing end-of-life impact, or better durability.
Sustainable Carpet Backings
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