Tarkett innovates circular recycling solution for Powerbond hybrid carpet
SOLON, Ohio, June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On its path toward circularity, global flooring manufacturer Tarkett has found a new, circular solution for its renowned Powerbond® hybrid carpet. Leveraging the power of mushrooms, now any Powerbond returned to Tarkett's ReStart® take-back and recycling program will be transformed into biobased raw materials for use in future Tarkett Sports® products being introduced in the coming months.
"Recognized for its unmatched durability and performance, Powerbond has been a cornerstone of Tarkett's innovation portfolio for decades. Reclaiming it after years—sometimes decades—of use and converting it into a biobased raw material isn't just progress, it's breakthrough," said Roxane Spears, vice president of sustainability. "This is what it looks like when we back up our values with real, sustained action."
This new Powerbond recycling innovation serves as a powerful follow-up to last year's announcement of Tarkett's collaborative partnership with Mycocycle—the revolutionary biotech company using mushroom root systems (mycelia) to break down construction waste. As promised, over the past year, Tarkett has deepened its investment in circular innovation and proven that even decades-old flooring can have a next life.
"As a global sustainability leader, Tarkett has attracted and built teams of passionate people across divisions who align on shared core values," said Cameron St. Dennis, strategic recycling manager at Tarkett Sports. "From the onset of this exploration, Roxane Spears and I have not just been aligned in values—we've been aligned in action. By trying things that had never been done before—and accepting that real progress would involve trial and error—we remained committed to refining the process until the innovation became reality."
"At Tarkett Sports, innovation is driving both performance and sustainability," said Eddy Schmitt, president and CEO, Tarkett Sports. "This research initiative allows us to turn reclaimed materials of one of our companies into high-performance products for another one. It's a powerful example of how we can scale circularity through shared expertise and a united commitment to doing what's right. Across Tarkett, we are committed to investing the necessary resources to give reclaimed materials another life."
With eight ReStart flooring recycling centers across the globe, including one in Dalton, Georgia, Tarkett has collected more than 124,000 tons of flooring through ReStart over the past 14 years. ReStart is now up and running in a total of 29 countries across the world. The program increased its North America collections by 40% in 2024, recycling 2.1 million pounds of old flooring, thanks to the increased commitment from Tarkett's sustainability-minded customers.
Developed in 1967, Powerbond® was the first hybrid carpet flooring to combine the comfort of carpet with the performance of resilient flooring. More than 50 years later, there's still nothing else like it in the market. With welded seams and a closed-cell cushion, Powerbond provides an impermeable, wall-to-wall moisture barrier. In 2022, Powerbond RS became the world's first Certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly® soft-surface flooring, contributing to better indoor air quality in classrooms, corporate offices, senior living communities and more.
"Tarkett has a long legacy of investing in innovation—deliberate, sustained investment that fuels real change," said Winn Everhart, president and CEO, Tarkett North America. "While strong partnerships have always helped us bring our ideas to life, finding a partner within the Tarkett family of companies makes this collaboration especially meaningful. Together, we're advancing a shared vision for manufacturing durable, high-performance products designed with circularity in mind."
Learn more about Tarkett's sustainability initiatives at commercial.tarkett.com/sustainability.
About Tarkett
With a 140-year history, Tarkett is a worldwide leader in innovative and durable flooring and sports surface solutions, generating net sales of 3.3 billion euros in 2024. The Group has close to 12,000 employees, 24 R&D centres, 8 recycling centres, and 35 production sites. Tarkett designs and manufactures solutions for hospitals, schools, housing, hotels, offices, shops, and sports fields, serving customers in more than 100 countries. To build "The Way to Better Floors", the Group is committed to the circular economy and sustainable development, in line with its Tarkett Human-Conscious Design® approach. Tarkett is listed on the Euronext-regulated market (compartment B, ISIN: FR0004188670, ticker: TKTT). www.tarkett-group.com
Every Step Matters
For years, Tarkett has raised the sustainability standards of the flooring industry. The company designs floors with transparency you can trust as it creates healthy impacts on indoor spaces and protects our air, water, soil, and every living thing. Tarkett's ReStart® take-back and recycling program will either repurpose or recycle every type of flooring from any manufacturer. Its near-term science-based carbon emissions reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and are fully aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement objective to limit global warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius. For more information, visit commercial.tarkett.com/sustainability.
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SOURCE Tarkett USA, Inc.