Beaulieu International Group (BIG) is on a path to zero environmental footprint by 2030.

Although carpet, vinyl and laminate have significant lifespans, recycling processes are limited. Therefore, once discarded, they’re often harmful to the environment. To change this, BIG joined the CISUFLO project aiming to develop innovative circular products for the EU flooring industry and adopting a circular model throughout the entire value chain. Alongside various industry partners, associations and research institutions, BIG is exploring new ways to minimize the environmental impact of the flooring sector in the EU.

The CISUFLO project focuses on three types of floor covering: wood, textile and PVC. BIG is in the lead for the latter and in the coming months, it will help drafting design and traceability instructions for PVC flooring and conduct pilot tests with recycled content.

BIG has been active on the circular front for quite some time. Its LVT flooring, for example, already contains large quantities of recycled content, which it intends to increase even further. For heterogeneous Cushion Vinyl, the prospect of adding just 5% recycled material would mean a major breakthrough for its industry.

BIG is not the only one concerned with circularity. Its competitors (i.e., industry partners in CISUFLO)  are conducting similar projects for wood and textile. It’s essential to note that circularity isn’t about competition. Instead, it is through joint research and cooperation that it’ll be able to really accelerate the transition towards a global circular economy.

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