Article Number: 5029
Mohawk EverStrand BCF/Filament Polyester Fibers adding Post-Consumer Recycled Content
DALTON (October 30, 2009)—Mohawk, long known as the industry’s recycling leader due to its 100% post-consumer recycled EverStrand ™ staple polyester fiber, has developed technology which allows the use of post-consumer recycled content in its EverStrand BCF fiber styles.

Effective immediately, all of Mohawk EverStrand BCF and Mohawk EverStrand BCF XtraSoft fibers will include post-consumer recycled content from plastic bottles. Additionally, Mohawk will provide On Demand Certification Letters to document recycled content for all EverStrand carpet styles.

“This provides retailers with the advantage of having a “green” benefit associated with all Mohawk EverStrand products,” said Jenny Cross, Mohawk’s Director of Sustainability. “No matter which EverStrand style fits a consumer’s home, they know it’s one that offers noteworthy positive environmental effect.”

David Duncan, Mohawk’s Vice-President of Marketing, said new EverStrand filament styles are being introduced that will contain the new fiber. “We’re expanding the EverStrand BCF collection, particularly with new products in our EverStrand BCF XtraSoft fiber,” he said. “This gives retailers a wider breadth of product to satisfy consumer tastes and preferences.”

EverStrand BCF XtraSoft fiber brings a superior level of aesthetics, performance, and feel to the polyester category. Introduced last year in Mohawk’s “Sensationally Soft” line, the fiber offers “quality, durability and softness that reaches new heights for polyester,” Duncan said. It also offers a lifetime stain resistance warranty.

Duncan and Cross noted that Mohawk has a heritage in recycling plastic bottles into carpet, and plans to further develop its EverStrand BCF technology to include more post consumer recycled content in the future.

Mohawk has recycled more than 24 billion soft drink bottles for use in carpet fiber, and continues recycling more than 3 billion bottles each year. One out of every four bottles recycled in North America becomes Mohawk carpet. Mohawk’s EverStrand fiber is a staple polyester that has long been produced entirely from recycled soft drink bottles.

Because the US Food & Drug Administration requires top quality PET (polyethylene terephthalate) for beverage bottles, the recycled product offers superior performance characteristics over many fibers used in making other brands of carpet yarns. On average, 30 plastic bottles are recycled to make one square yard of Mohawk EverStrand carpet.

To learn more, visit www.mohawkgreenworks.com.