Carpet.

PositionLIFE-CYCLE STUDIES

Overview

The human impulse to put something pleasant beneath our feet must be almost as old as the one to erect shelter over our heads, and carpets have been lying around for at least 6,000 years. They also function as art, insulation, sound absorber, and a source of metaphors ("rugs" as hairpieces, rolling out the red carpet, being called on the carpet, carpetbagger, carpet bombing--just from English).

Closing the (Pile) Loop

Today, worn-out carpet is usually landfilled--more than 2 million tons every year in the United States alone, according to the non-profit environmental certifier Green Seal. Synthetic carpet does not degrade for thousands of years and is often discarded only because the high-traffic areas are shot.

Manufacturers are beginning to address this colossal waste in several ways, including reducing inputs and refining processes. One recent project involving carpetmakers and makers of industrial drying equipment, for instance, optimized the hardware to reduce energy consumption and the related greenhouse gas emissions. Another advance eliminates the need for troublesome glues by bonding the pile to the backing with ultrasound welds.

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But the future lies farther outside the box. U.S. carpetmakers agreed in 2002 on a goal of diverting 40 percent of carpet waste flows away from landfills by 2012. Refurbishment--taking back used carpet and restoring it for resale--is one way to extend carpet life and prevent premature landfilling. An even more progressive strategy is carpet leasing: customers don't buy carpet, they lease carpet services, and the manufacturer takes responsibility for the carpet from beginning to end. Better recycling options are also emerging, including "downcycling" some pile fibers into backing. Best of all, new floor coverings are available that can be completely taken apart and the components remade into new materials, with enormous decreases in materials and energy inputs.

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Manufacture

The first carpets were made from plaited rushes, but human ingenuity has tapped lots...

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