Milliken: Looking
Back to Move Forward with More Than a
Century of
Environmental Stewardship
Arcadia, a plank
modular carpet collection from Milliken, simultaneously serves as a visual
representation of nature and embodies company environmental initiatives. Four
biophilic designs capture the tone, movement, and color palette of nature’s
unique vistas. The solution-dyed nylon collection is composed of 32 percent
total recycled content and includes PVC-free cushion backing to extend its
first life and provide superior comfort underfoot.
For
more than a century, Milliken has embraced a holistic approach to
sustainability, reflected throughout the company’s long-standing environmental
policies and flooring collections. As the company celebrates an incredible
milestone¾it’s
150th anniversary¾they’re looking back to move further
forward in their journey of sustainability.
More than a
century of environmental stewardship
In
1900, Milliken set forth its very first recycling program, 70 years before the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was established, and it began investing in renewable energy in 1912. By 1960, Milliken had
formal policies in place to protect natural resources. Soon after entering the
floor covering industry, Milliken introduced the first PVC-free carpet tile in
North America in 1986.
In
2002, the Milliken Floor Covering Division committed to a “Zero Waste to
Landfill Pledge,” and it’s been achieved every year since. Part of the pledge,
the Milliken Landfill Diversion Program keeps old carpet out of landfills by
focusing on and facilitating the local reuse of well-maintained carpet.
Today,
the Milliken family of companies is a carbon-negative manufacturer certified by
the Leonardo Academy Cleaner and Greener® Program, and Milliken floor covering is
manufactured using 46 percent renewable energy¾harvesting more
than 80 percent of methane emitted from the LaGrange, Georgia landfill.
Environmentally
friendly flooring
Milliken
floor covering collections are tangible representations of Milliken’s commitment
to sustainability. The company’s carpet is composed of between two and 80
percent recycled content, and 100 percent of Milliken PVC-free broadloom and
modular carpets have been assessed for environmental and human health impacts. Third-party-verified
environmental certifications and labels confirm their claims, including NSF
140, environmental product declarations, and Declare transparency labels.
Moving
forward, Milliken is introducing a public framework for the annual measurement
and report of Milliken’s advancements concerning environmental policies and
stewardship. Milliken will release the company’s inaugural Floor Covering
Division Sustainability Report this fall, based on GRI reporting requirements.
The
report focuses on five critical categories: chemical and human health impacts,
recycled content and recyclability, supply chain impacts of products, employer
of choice, and lofty resource consumption goals to achieve by 2020. It also
lends an additional LEED version 4 point for Milliken flooring solutions,
fulfilling LEED V.4 MRc3.
“Environmental stewardship and continued innovation
are two concepts that have been ingrained in Milliken’s culture for more than
11 decades,” shared Philip Ivey, sustainability leader for the global Milliken
floor covering division. “Advancing our long-standing commitment drives our
sustainability initiatives for products and policies forward.”
Visit
www.millikenfloors.com to discover
more about Milliken’s continued commitment to ‘do good’ by adding value to daily lives, improving health and safety, and helping to
make the world more sustainable.
Mollie Williams I Principal
M. Williams Communications Group, LLC
Bryanna Stewart, Associate IIDA
IIDA Georgia 2015 Sustainability Forums Representative
