ProofPositive Tile: Creating a climate fit for life

Interface
Type of organisation or company
Country
Netherlands
City
Scherpenzeel
Language for original content
Project elaborated in partnership
Yes
Submitted by
Interface Europe
Ongoing
Yes
Type of funding
Interface Europe
Description

The tile's materials can be recycled to create new carpet tiles at the end of the product’s useful life. Keeping this carbon in Interface’s recycling system through ReEntry®ensures that this carbon stays in a closed technical loop where it belongs, rather than in the atmosphere where it has negative effects on climate.

Interface’s Proof Positive prototype tile has a negative carbon footprint, which the company achieved directly through design and manufacturing, without purchasing carbon offsets. Since 1996, Interface has reduced its cradle-to-gate product carbon emissions from an average of 20.0 kilograms of carbon per square meter to just over 7 kilograms per square meter in 2016. Though only a prototype at this stage, at less than -2 kilograms of carbon per square meter, Interface’s concept tile proves that it is possible to store carbon in products rather than emit more carbon into the atmosphere in the process of making those products.

 

Read more

Main activity field
Main results
  • Though only a prototype at this stage, at less than -2 kilograms of carbon per square meter, Interface’s concept tile proves that it is possible to store carbon in products rather than emit more carbon into the atmosphere in the process of making those products.
  • Should this approach to manufacturing products become mainstream over time, at volume and full scale, it could become a critical solution to reversing global warming over the long term.
  • With the recent launch of CircuitBac Green – now commercially available - Interface is bringing carbon negative flooring one step closer.