Interface unveils Microsfera: the carpet tile with the lowest ever carbon footprint
Innovative Modular Fusion Technology provides a major breakthrough for the flooring industry and for Interface’s Mission Zero. Global modular flooring manufacturer, Interface, has unveiled its latest product, Microsfera, an innovative, hybrid flooring solution with the smallest carbon footprint of any carpet tile in history.
Microsfera sets a new low carbon record for carpet tiles, with just 3 kg of carbonper m² released during its production, including the processing of all its raw materials. This compares with a typical carpet tile which releases 12 kg of CO2 per m²,while an 80/20 wool/nylon broadloom carpet releases 63 kg of CO2 per m². At 5 kg of carbon per m², Interface’s Microtuft™ products made with 100% recycled nylon, such as the Elevation range, held the previous record for lowest carbon contribution, (for three years).
Microsfera addresses the two biggest contributors of CO2 in the carpet manufacturing industry: the yarn fibre and the latex pre-coat. To achieve this, Interface combined Microtuft™ construction with its revolutionary modular fusion process. Microtuft™ was first developed by Interface in 2000 to dramatically cut the amount of yarn used in carpet tiles. Now, Interface has gone one step further, using polypropylene yarn in a Microtuft™ construction to achieve the lowest carbon footprint ever in a heavy contract carpet tile.
Using its pioneering modular fusion process, the Microtuft™ yarn is fused directly at the back, eliminating the need for a latex pre-coat, while ensuring Microsfera achieves the same durable performance and heavy contract ratings as traditional carpet tiles.
Microsfera also contributes to a superior indoor air quality, with ultra-low VOC emissions 100 μg/m³ less than French and German Indoor Air Quality legislation.
“The beauty of Microsfera is what happens below the surface. The Microtuft™ and modular fusion process have been steadily developed over the past seven years to ensure the Microsfera range has the lowest emissions of any product in the market today,” said Ton van Keken, Senior Vice President of Operations at Interface Interface EMEA. “Another step in our Mission Zero pledge, the pioneering manufacturing processes we have established in the creation of Microsfera pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved in the design and functionality of modular flooring.”