As a proud member of the Green Building Council of South Africa, Van Dyck Carpets is a local manufacturer that pays a great deal of attention to the impact its processes and products have on the environment.

The company is making great strides in minimising waste, reducing energy usage, reducing the use of hazardous materials, and reducing emissions – such that it operates with very low CO₂ emissions.

In addition, recycled materials are used instead of virgin materials wherever possible. Van Dyck’s comprehensive recycling programme ensures the reuse of both post-industrial waste, including production rejects, and post-consumer waste in the form of uplifted carpets, all of which means that these do not end up in a landfill.

All Van Dyck carpets have a volatile organic compound (VOC) emission rate below 0.20mg/m²/hr (which is well below the 0.50mg/m²/hr requirement for Green Star rating). As a result, the carpets do not cause discomfort or irritation. No formaldehyde is used in the manufacturing process and, because of the anti-mould, rot-proof and anti-microbial treatments applied in production, the carpets do not contain microbial VOCs. Furthermore, no PVC is used – in line with the PVC minimisation objective.

Local manufacture reduces the impact of transport on the environment and, in use, the carpets’ thermal properties assist with the overall thermal comfort and reduced energy requirements in buildings.

One of the latest eco-friendly innovations from Van Dyck Carpets is the Oxygen range, with a top-cloth made from a blend of post-consumer recycled polyester (recycled plastic bottles) and virgin polyester polymers. It is claimed to be the first and only carpet tile made in South Africa that uses more than 50% recycled material. The backing is made from 85% post-consumer recycled rubber tyres, with a reinforcing glass scrim which provides dimensional stability.

Eco-lay is Van Dyck’s environmentally friendly flooring underlay, manufactured from recycled rubber granules that are bonded together using synthetic rubber binders to produce a firm, comfortable, high performance underlay that also has the advantage of being non-absorbent.

Vision is part of the Tiger Turf by Van Dyck range of artificial turf and grass for sport and leisure applications. Recycled polyester from waste plastic bottles is also used in manufacturing this product.

Other options in environmentally friendly carpeting from Van Dyck are Florpoint Earth, which is available in plainback tile and broadloom – in a range of 12 colours – and incorporates 30% recycled material, and Graveltex Earth, which combines Florpoint Earth top-cloth with Eco-back rubber backing, with a total recycled content of 55 to 60%.

All these products combine proven performance quality and appearance retention with environmentally friendly attributes.