CRI Green Label Plus, Carpet, VOCs and Indoor Air Quality
Since 1992 the Carpet and Rug Institute has pioneered setting limits on carpet’s emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) to establish a higher standard for indoor air quality. The Carpet and Rug Institutes explains how this program developed on its blog:
The Green Label program developed out of consumer and governmental concerns about carpet’s effect on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). The original standard, developed in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, measured four compounds against an established criterion, as well as total volatile organic compounds, or TVOC.
Mohawk SmartStrand is a Smart Choice.
Mohawk Smartstrand Blanco
Looking for new carpet? I recommend you put SmartStrand on your short list for many reasons.
Mohawk SmartStrand was released in 2005 and is made with DuPont Sorona polymer.
Now technically speaking this is a polyester fiber. What? Polyester you say, have you last your mind? No, this not the same type of builder grade polyester that we have learned to hate which easily mats, crushes and scratches.
The polymer is made by DuPont in pellet and the fiber and carpets are produced by Mohawk. DuPont’s trademark for the chemical type is 3GT, but the structure is chemically identical to PTT polymer. Shell/PTT PolyCanada also manufactures PTT which Mohawk uses as well.
DuPont has been making polymers for decades. Think Kevlar and Stainmaster which have become household names. We now have them to thank for Sorona which is naturally stain resistant. That means the protection will never wash off or wear-off. You will never have to reapply carpet protector after cleaning. The Achilles heel of nylon carpets is that the chemical stain resist proprieties will diminish over time and with recommended cleanings. SmartStrand with Sorona does not have this problem. Mohawk and Dupont are so convinced that PTT is superior to PET that they have made an application to the American Trade Commision (FTC) to re-classify it under a new name.
