First Ever carbon negative rubber flooring prototype
Interface, the global leader in sustainable flooring solutions, has revealed a groundbreaking innovation, the world’s first carbon negative nora® rubber flooring prototype. This new product stores more carbon than is released during its production and comes shortly after Interface’s announcement of its ‘all in’ pledge to focus investment on carbon reduction and storage through product development and manufacturing, without the use of offsets.
The prototype is being showcased at BAU, the premier global trade fair for architecture, materials and systems, held from 13 to 17 January 2025 in Munich, Germany.
This latest nora by Interface innovation has a carbon negative footprint when measured from cradle to gate, accounting for raw material extraction, manufacturing and packaging. It builds on Interface’s 2020 launch of Embodied Beauty™, the industry’s first carbon negative carpet tile collection. Drawing on insights gained from that milestone; the Interface team used a mix of bio based and carbon storing materials to develop this industry first rubber flooring prototype.
“Bio based materials like natural rubber have long been part of our nora flooring as we work to reduce our products’ carbon footprint,” said Mario Kröger, Head of Research and Development for the nora brand. “Our R and D team has made significant progress in combining design and material innovations to achieve carbon negativity, a crucial step toward our goal of becoming carbon negative by 2040. The prototype’s cradle to gate carbon footprint has been measured and confirmed to be carbon negative, with no offsets. This is a major step forward in our efforts to lower environmental impact across all our products.”
Since acquiring nora systems in 2018, Interface has applied its deep expertise in low carbon design and manufacturing to the rubber flooring category. As a result, the company has cut the carbon intensity of its rubber portfolio by 26 percent since 2019. The new prototype takes that even further, using more recycled and bio based materials to achieve a negative carbon footprint, reinforcing Interface’s commitment to reduce the impact of rubber products. Alongside the prototype, Interface is also presenting 39 carbon negative carpet tile styles at BAU to highlight the commercial potential of carbon storing flooring.
“This prototype is a clear demonstration of our ‘all in’ strategy, redirecting former offset investments into innovation projects that deliver direct carbon reductions across our operations and supply chain,” said Liz Minné, Head of Global Sustainability Strategy at Interface. “Rubber is increasingly important in commercial interiors, especially in sectors like healthcare, education, transportation and industry. Offering a carbon negative rubber option in the future gives customers a way to meet their sustainability goals without sacrificing performance or design.”
Interface expects to launch the carbon negative rubber flooring commercially by late 2025. Over the coming months, the company will refine the prototype to ensure it meets Interface’s high standards for design, quality and performance before bringing it to market.
To learn more about Interface’s sustainability journey, visit www.interface.com
