the Life Cycle of Event Carpet
An Infographic on Best Practices
At large events like trade shows, conventions and expos, carpet can help make a large space more intimate, comfortable, and beautiful. Like with any aspect of event production, it’s important to consider the environmental and financial costs hand-in-hand with the benefits of materials to make a sound choice.
Carpet uses water, energy, fuel, and materials extracted from the earth to manufacture and transport, and it can have a significant carbon impact. For example, 12,500 square yards of carpet, what a small-size trade show might use for aisle carpeting, is estimated to use 62 metric tons of CO₂ emissions — the equivalent emissions of 15 cars on the road for an entire year, according to Freeman calculations for a show that Honeycomb Strategies has been supporting in the last year. In contrast, the EPA estimates that avoiding that same amount of emissions is equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 1,025 tree seedlings grown for 10 years!
While carpet has many benefits for events, let’s look at the life cycle of carpet and introduce some ways to reduce or avoid its most serious impacts.
Manufacturing
While a lot of the discussion around sustainable flooring centers on disposal, how it is made in the first place does impact its life cycle. Carpet can be made in three basic ways: using petroleum-based virgin materials, using fiber-based virgin materials, and using recycled materials (or some combination) (EasiPay Carpets, Cap Carpet). Most carpet we know has a petroleum-based rubber mat, through which fibers are woven. Those fibers may also be petroleum-based, made of nylon or polypropelene. Any petroleum-based product causes extreme environmental damage through its extraction, and this resource is considered non-renewable since it takes eons for oil reserves to regenerate.
However, there are alternatives. Natural fibers such as wool, sisal, jute, and even seagrasses can be used, which are more sustainable to grow, harvest and process. Another option is using recycled content, which may include old carpets, or other post-consumer waste such as PET from recycled plastic water bottles. While all manufacturing uses water and energy, and therefore emits carbon, recycled content reduces the extraction of virgin resources.
Cut, Color & Weight
Not all carpet is created equal! According to Emerald Carpets, a family-owned, Georgia-based manufacturer and distributor of carpet for many large event contractors, some event carpet can be reused several times before disposal, which is a sustainable way to increase its life cycle. These will typically be classic style carpets, aisle carpet, and tuxedo (mixed color) carpets. Custom cuts, plush and premium weights, bright or white colors will more often than not be landfilled due to their composition and/or customization. Furthermore, they’re often protected pre-event with a Visqueen covering, a plastic that is sent to the landfill.
Disposal and Reuse
Here’s a jaw-dropping statistic: carpet comprises up to 3.5% of all landfill waste in the United States. Because event carpeting is often only used for a few days, it is going through a life cycle much more quickly than permanently installed carpet, contributing to these landfill numbers. Synthetic materials, such as the petroleum-based ones that comprise most carpets, take a long time to decompose. While sitting in the dump, the dyes and chemicals (such as glues) from carpet can leech into the air and water, causing health hazards. The Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) has greatly expanded the ability to recycle carpet into new products or back into carpet. Carpet may be recycled into bricks, tiles or shingles, auto parts, composite lumber, or injection molding plastics. The ability to recycle a carpet depends on its original composition, ample supply, processing ability, and of course the market demand for these materials.
Carpet Padding
Carpet padding contributes to the sustainability impacts of carpeting. Padding can be made of recycled carpet or other post-consumer recycled products. When it becomes compressed after too much use, it is possible for it to be ground up and re-formed into fresh rolls of padding. These processes, however, depend on working with manufacturers and contractors that work with these recycled products, like Freeman who works with Emerald Carpets to use padding made of 85% post-consumer product. Less conscientious companies may throw padding in the landfill, contributing to large waste hauls from the event, and downsizing its potential circularity.
Freight
We can’t discount the logistics from a discussion about carpet sustainability. Shipping, cleaning, warehouse operations, and packaging contribute to the big-picture environmental toll of carpeting. These aren’t inherently evil; like in anything, there are ways to reduce impacts in the supply chain: Emerald Carpets uses a water-free method of cleaning; Smart Way shipping and working with regional distributors and recyclers, when available, can reduce freight impacts.
Alternatives
Procuring recycled carpet in classic cuts and weights is a sustainable option for using carpeting at your event. However, consider and offer to your exhibitors other flooring, such as modular, reusable cork or bamboo tiles or other alternatives. Furthermore, look for areas of your event where carpeting isn’t necessary at all: could you forego aisle carpet for an industrial-chic look, or discourage carpeting under exhibits of heavy machinery (which will destroy any type of carpet for reusability), or go carpet-free in dining areas where flooring is more likely to be stained? Reduction and elimination will always be the most eco-friendly, and budget-friendly option.
If you do choose to use carpet for your event, be smart about it! Work with your contractor on a flooring layout that doesn’t require custom cuts, design displays and booths with classic weights and colors, and ensure that end-of-use plans are in place for all flooring to ensure responsible disposal.
Honeycomb Strategies specializes in custom sustainable solutions for the event industry through tailored program development, accurate data management, and genuine stakeholder engagement for measurable impact.
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