Three popular Milliken carpet collections now use the industry’s lowest-carbon-footprint yarn by Universal Fibers

Posted by Johann Nacario — July 26, 2024 — Milliken Floors has just announced that Universal Fiber’s ground-breaking and sustainable Thrive matter yarn is now being utilized in three of its carpet tile collections from July 2024. Thrive matter is the lowest-carbon-footprint yarn in the industry and a premium nylon 6 fiber with outstanding performance, durability, and exceptional color, points out Milliken.

Gray Major Frequency carpet tile with whimsical wooden speaker system

Major Frequency

Thrive matter yarn (created by Universal Fibers) is currently the lowest carbon footprint nylon yarn available worldwide, with a carbon reduction of 89% lower than some virgin nylon yarns. This is due to the use of 100% post-industrial recycled resin for a total of 90% recycled content (Recycled content GreenCircle Certified).

Alison Kitchingman, director of Marketing and Design at Milliken — Carpet Division (EMEIA), stated:

At Milliken Floors, we’re aware that one of the most critical issues to our customers is the potential impact their product choices could have on climate change. We’re constantly looking for ways to address this and reduce our products’ embodied carbon without compromising on design and performance benefits. That’s why we have introduced three of our collections with Thrive matter yarn.

Milliken Northward Bound light and dark grey carpet tile with rattan chair and turquoise low table

Northward Bound

Anna Plumb, VP of Sales and Marketing for Universal Fibers in Europe, remarked:

We are delighted to strengthen our longstanding relationship with Milliken by supporting their latest product conversions to Thrive matter fiber. As Milliken expands its collection of sustainable, low-carbon products, we stand fully committed to our shared environmental goals and are excited about the positive impact our partnership will achieve.

The first three Milliken collections to use Thrive matter yarn are bestsellers: Major Frequency (a striking plank collection), Northward Bound (high-performance luxurious carpet tiles at an accessible price point), and Sculptured Forms (an elegant premium carpet tile collection).

More about Thrive matter fiber
Tan Milliken Sculpture Forms carpet tiles with multicolored square shapes

Sculpture Forms

To create this innovative Thrive matter fiber, the process begins with 100% post-industrial recycled resin, which results in a total of 90% recycled content. Then, over 99.9% of the waste in production is captured and fed back into the manufacturing process. What results is the world’s lowest product-to-CO2 footprint in the industry at 1.2kg CO2 eq as compared to 9.6kg CO2 eq for virgin materials (based on Nylon 6), says Universal Fibers.

The carbon footprint of 1.2kg CO2e /kg of Thrive yarn is calculated and verified through a ISO14025/ISO14040 compliant LCA, verified by UL and published in a third-party Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).