What sustainability looks like in flooring today

Recycled content. Biodegradable. Eco-friendly. Sustainability used to be defined by its buzzwords—pieces of a larger puzzle that had yet to take shape. There was a period of trial and error as those buzzwords got louder, during which manufacturers attempted sustainable practices. However, it wasn’t until it became clear that health and wellness wasn’t a fad that those attempts turned into real effort. And then the pandemic happened, and consumers doubled down on their focus for healthier, more sustainable lives.

Now sustainability is no longer a buzzword, but an objective built into business strategies across the industry. For flooring manufacturers today, sustainable practices begin long before a product reaches the showroom floor. Those suppliers are evaluating how materials move through facilities, how waste is reduced and how energy is used throughout production. Manufacturing efficiency has become closely tied to sustainability goals.

Supply chain visibility has also become a growing part of sustainability planning, particularly as manufacturers evaluate sourcing decisions, transportation efficiency and regional production capabilities. Domestic manufacturing investments have increased of late, providing shorter transportation routes and improved logistics—all of which are helping some suppliers reduce their environmental footprint.

At the same time, sustainability is reshaping how products themselves are designed and developed.

Engineered Floors

EF approaches sustainability through its “Green Smart” philosophy, prioritizing resource conservation, energy reduction and transparent reporting. Central to these efforts is the vertically integrated “Four Walls Process,” which consolidates manufacturing under one roof. Manufactured entirely within a Four Wall process from pellet to finished product, this localized approach ensures the company is not reliant on global supply chains or vulnerable to international disruptions.

To ensure accountability, material health and environmental impacts are strictly verified through independent certifications, including CRI Green Label Plus for low VOCs and third-party Life Cycle Assessments for Environmental Product Declarations. In an ongoing effort to mitigate its environmental footprint, EF is assessing the carbon impact of targeted product lines to establish emission offset plans.

Shaw

At Shaw, it calls its sustainability strategy sustain[HUMAN]ability, reflecting the company’s commitment to put people at the center of everything it does. This involves focusing wholeheartedly on the ingredients that go into products and the effects of sound, moisture, cleanability and other design considerations—because the spaces where we learn, create and come together to solve our greatest challenges impact well-being. And it means focusing on creating a better future and a better world for its customers, associates and communities.

Almost 90% of the products Shaw manufactures are Cradle to Cradle Certified—having been assessed for material health, product circularity, clean air and climate protection, water and soil stewardship and social fairness. No matter where or by whom a product or ingredient is made, they are held to the same sustainability standards.

IFC/Canopy

International Flooring Company approaches sustainability with a practical mindset centered on material innovation, operational responsibility and long-term product development. Sustainability must create real value for the end user through durability, performance and healthier material choices rather than existing as a marketing exercise. That means exploring bio-based feedstocks, recycled inputs and lower-VOC formulations without compromising product integrity.

Operationally, both IFC facilities generate solar energy and consistently produce more electricity than they consume, effectively operating at net-zero electricity.

NOX

As a global leader in LVT, NOX continues to strive for excellence. Last year, the company introduced NOX Level, raising the bar by setting new standards for the industry. This year, the bar was elevated even higher with the introduction of Terra, taking product, performance and sustainability to the NOX level.

Terra is NOX’s most eco-friendly LVT formulation, engineered to deliver one of the lowest carbon footprints in the industry while maintaining best-in-class performance. What sets Terra apart is its use of certified carbon-reducing materials, including bio-circular PVC derived from waste cooking oil, recycled PET-based plasticizers and recycled limestone. All without sacrificing quality.

Inhaus

Sustainability is an important part of the Inhaus ethos, and it is something that it practices in every aspect of the business without compromising on the design, durability and performance of products.

Its laminate collections, Lamdura and Ecolam, are manufactured in the world’s most energy efficient single-site laminate production facility in Germany. The company’s sustainability efforts also extend to the materials it uses to craft products—like Ceramin, a 100% PVC-free material.

By combining circular manufacturing, cleaner materials and long-lasting design, the company proves that the future of flooring can be both high-performance and environmentally responsible.

Southwind

Southwind’s sustainability story is grounded in a simple belief: Better floors come from responsible choices at every stage—from raw materials to the finished product. Every floor that carries the Southwind name also undergoes rigorous quality control, whether produced domestically or overseas.

Southwind products also meet or exceed FloorScore certification standards, verifying low VOC emissions and supporting healthier indoor environments. In addition, all carpets meet Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Green Label Plus standards.

At Southwind, sustainability is not a single initiative—it’s a disciplined approach to quality, transparency and trust.

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Brian Preuss named president of AHSG, Commercial USA

Roswell, Ga.—American Home Surfaces Group (AHSG) and Commercial USA named Brian Preuss president, succeeding Tony Wright.

“Tony has done a great job in helping advance AHSG and Commercial USA, with a clear focus on relationships, member value and supplier partnerships,” said Joe Weber, CEO of AHSG and Commercial USA. “Brian understands the foundation, as he has worked closely with our alliance from the supplier side. He brings proven experience in flooring distribution, contractor-focused growth and program development and he is the right leader to carry that work forward into our next chapter.”

In his new role, Preuss will focus on strategy development, member relations and supplier engagement. He also will focus on networking opportunities and programs that help members compete more effectively.

“My focus is simple—get entrenched with our suppliers, close to our members and shoulder to shoulder with the team behind this alliance,” Preuss said. “The deeper those relationships, the stronger we become.”

Industry experience spanning deccades

Preuss joins AHSG and Commercial USA after nearly two decades with UZIN Utz North America. He most recently served as vice president of sales.

During his tenure, he helped scale the company’s North American sales organization. He also helped expand its distribution footprint across the United States and into Canada. His work supported growth tied to two U.S. production facilities. He also helped integrate the Wolff Tools brand into the UZIN sales organization.

Prior to that Preuss began his flooring career in 2005 with Atlantic West Flooring Distributors. He later moved into manufacturing roles with UFLOOR Systems, Pallmann and UZIN.

Throughout his career, he has held leadership roles in business development, sales management and executive management. His experience spans dealer, contractor, installer, wholesale distribution, OEM, alliance group and direct sales channels.

“Leading AHSG and Commercial USA is the kind of leadership role that I have spent my career preparing for,” Preuss said.”A network that serves contractors across residential, commercial and builder segments simultaneously—that diversified model is a genuine value proposition. At my core, I am a people person. I believe the best results come when people feel truly supported and this role allows me to do exactly that—for our members, our suppliers and the regional vice presidents who show up every day deeply embedded in their markets. My focus is to honor the established foundation, deepen the value we bring to both members and suppliers and move this organization forward alongside Joe.”

Preuss recently served as a board member for the North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors. He also is a Certified Installation Manager through FCICA.

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Mohawk teams ‘optimized’ in lead up to Edge Summit 2027

Each Mohawk Edge Summit is unique in its own right, with past events reflecting a chosen theme and a different period in time. But Edge Summit 2027—which is actually set to take place this Dec. 1–4 at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Dallas—is noteworthy for another reason: it’s the first time the event will be held with Jeff Meadows, president and chief commercial officer, residential sales and marketing, Mohawk, at the helm.

In this new role, which comes courtesy of an internal realignment enacted last December, Meadows leads a restructured sales and marketing team keenly focused on benefitting its retailer partners. That realignment entailed the implementation of a new, channel-focused structure with two dedicated channel teams within its residential division: a professional team and a consumer team. The professional team will serve specialty flooring retailers, builders and multifamily customers who manage product selection, sales and installation; the consumer team will be focused on DIY customers and the channels that support them.

The whole premise of the realignment, according to Mohawk, was to bring all customer-facing functions under one umbrella so the company could move faster and deliver more cohesive solutions to its partners. “What that means in practice is that our retailers are no longer navigating separate teams with separate priorities,” Meadows explained. “The goal has always been to make Mohawk the easiest company to work with in flooring, and I think that’s coming through in a very tangible way.”

Just six months into the realignment, Meadows said the teams are primed and optimized for success in the run-up to Edge Summit. “I’ve always believed that the heartbeat of this business is the relationship between Mohawk and our retail partners, and now having the opportunity to bring sales and marketing under one roof—with Edge Summit as the first major stage—is a moment our entire team has been looking forward to,” Meadows said. “We’re showing up with a more unified vision than ever before—and that matters because these are our most loyal partners. They deserve to see the very best of what Mohawk has to offer, and we intend to deliver exactly that.”

Programs, products, experiences

“Edge Summit provides our retail partners with the tools, knowledge and the relationships they need to lead in their markets going into 2027.” —Jeff Meadows, president and chief commercial officer, residential sales and marketing, Mohawk

To that end, Mohawk has a host of activities, sessions and programming scheduled for Edge Summit. The jam-packed agenda was conceived to maximize the time Mohawk spends with its retail partners. “Everything from our general session, keynote, education tracks, showroom experience and themed special events are designed to strengthen relationships and spark new ideas,” Meadows explained. “Attendees will receive first access to new product innovations, the latest lead-generation campaigns, dynamic education that drives profitability and direct engagement with the Mohawk team.”

Indeed, Edge Summit is known for its relevant and timely educational sessions, interactive events and new product demonstrations. But for Meadows, the main attraction is meeting face-to-face with specialty flooring dealers. “We can plan the best programming and launch groundbreaking, innovative products, but nothing ever comes close to the energy of having our most loyal retail partners in one place,” he explained. “Personally, I love walking the floor, hearing the success stories and seeing the genuine friendships that have formed over decades. Being able to facilitate that connection even more with everything we do at Edge Summit is more meaningful to me than anything else.”

At the same time, retailer attendees stand to benefit from engaging directly with one another. “What I appreciate about the retailers who attend is that they bring real market intelligence, real challenges and real ambition into every part of Edge Summit—and that makes the entire event better for everyone in the room,” Meadows noted. “Edge Summit provides our retail partners with the tools, knowledge and the relationships they need to lead in their markets going into 2027.”

Being closer to its customers is especially critical in these challenging times. Following on the heels of what Meadows refers to as a “four-year” flooring recession, he said it’s time for change and positivity. “Uncertainty is exactly when community matters most,” he stated. “When the environment is challenging—when retailers are navigating economic pressures, shifting consumer behavior and a competitive marketplace—that’s when you cannot afford to pull back.”

Save the date

Early bird registration with special pricing opens May 18, 2026, at www.mohawktoday.com/edgesummit and is limited to the first 125 rooms. To that end, dealers are strongly encouraged to sign up early.

“The last time early bird sold out in 12 hours, so retailers should plan to register first thing on May 18,” Meadows stressed. “We want to see everyone there—this is going to be an Edge Summit that people talk about for years.”

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Edge Summit announces early bird registration dates

Dallas, Texas—Mohawk will host Edge Summit 2027 here at the Gaylord Texan Resort from Dec. 1 to Dec. 4, delivering actionable retail growth strategies, breakthrough product innovation and unforgettable experiences in the Lone Star State. Early bird registration with special pricing opens May 18, and is limited to the first 125 rooms.

“Nothing compares to Edge Summit because it brings together our retail partners, who truly drive this industry forward,” said Jeff Meadows, president and chief commercial officer, residential sales and marketing. “There is tremendous value in spending time with those who are leading their markets and navigating the business every day. Our partners do not just come to Edge Summit to hear about what is next for specialty retail, but they play a direct role in shaping it. That level of partnership, trust and shared commitment is what makes this event so meaningful and why it continues to grow stronger every year.”

Edge Summit goes beyond traditional meetings by combining business-building content with high-impact programming that strengthens relationships and sparks new ideas. The event opens with a Taste of Texas Welcome Reception setting the tone for two days of high-energy engagement. Neon Cowboy Casino Night brings together networking and entertainment in a memorable way, while the Under the Stars Gala Reception & Awards Dinner celebrates the success of Mohawk’s retail partners with the announcement of the Retailer of the Year, followed by live entertainment and an after party.

“Edge Summit is built for retailers who are focused on winning,” said Laura Bartley, vice president of customer loyalty and rewards. “Every session, every product launch and every conversation is designed to help our partners grow their business. From first access to innovation and lead generation campaigns to practical education that drives profitability, this is where our partners get what they need to compete and win in the year ahead.”

Edge Summit continues to stand out as a must-attend event for retailers looking to stay ahead—offering direct access to Mohawk leadership, peer insights from top-performing dealers and strategies that can be put into action immediately.

Early bird registration for the last Edge Summit sold out in just 12 hours. Retailers are encouraged to secure their spot early when registration opens May 18 at  www.mohawktoday.com/edgesummit. Follow Mohawk Edge Partners on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates on Edge Summit 2027.

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Tuesday Tips: Roomvo University with Scott Humphrey

Dalton—The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) released a new “Tuesday Tips” this week. In the series, WFCA experts present short video tips for improving customer service and optimizing staff performance. In the end, it’s all about understanding the importance of doing 100 things just 1% better than your competition.

In this week’s Tuesday Tips, Jim Armstrong, Reid Waxman of Roomvo and Scott Humphrey, CEO of the WFCA, share a leadership blueprint for driving growth, building accountability and avoiding the patterns that keep dealers stuck.

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Retailers reveal A+ flooring products from 2025

The year 2025 may have been a slog for many flooring retailers as they dealt with uncertainty around tariffs and a sluggish housing market. However, these pain points were eased somewhat by a host of winning products that made an impact in dealer showrooms: cut pile carpets, water-resistant laminate, porcelain tile and WPC offerings to name a few standouts.

Following is a sampling of the A+ products from 2025 that drew praise from specialty flooring retailers.

Grande Petronas Oak by COREtec

About the product: The Original has gone to great lengths, 82 inches, actually, with Grande. Petronas Oak features a 30-mil wear layer, enhanced bevels, embossed-in-register texture and cork backing.

“The 15mm thickness and 30-mil wear layer is key when talking about door casing heights and durability. Though on the upper-end price side, this product can help cut costs when it comes to additional underlayment and prep on some jobs.”

—Mitchell Parton
Frazier’s Carpet One Floor & Home
Knoxville, Tenn.

PureGrain Comfort by Engineered Floors

About the product: PureGrain Comfort touts a bevy of features and is warm, quiet and soft underfoot. The Advantage 7 x 48 and Elevate 9 x 60 WPC lines come with pressed bevels, EIR and angle-angle locking systems.

“PureGrain Comfort was very successful for us. This product, in either width, 7-inch Advantage or 9-inch Elevate, was popular with its natural bevels, realistic look and texture. The natural color line is one of the best in our store. Too often others look contrived, whereas this genuinely replicates a realistic wood visual.”

—John Bretzloff
Barefoot Flooring
Castle Hayne, N.C.

Eden by Del Conca USA

About the product: Eden is a marble-look porcelain tile suitable for walls or floors. Soft coloring and understated marble veining enhance the look.

“This quickly became our No. 1 selling tile. The Eden collection, available in its four options—Portland, Bianco Lasa, Calacatta Lincoln and Blue de Savoie—combines the elegance of marble with the resistance of stoneware, offering versatile sizes and sophisticated solutions for every design space.”

—Mike Hayes
David’s Abbey Carpet & Floors
Knoxville, Tenn.

Classic Elegance by Fabrica

About the product: Classic Elegance is a high-quality residential carpet made of 100% Envision nylon, a pet-friendly, high-performance and ultra-soft fiber.

“A resurgence of traditional patterns including oriental rugs has brought a lot of attention to this traditional cut/loop scroll pattern. Add Fabrica’s ability to customize color and you have a really great-looking carpet.”

—Brett Hemphill
Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets
Costa Mesa, Calif.

Canopy Premium by IFC

About the product: Canopy Premium is designed with a WPC core, attached cork pad and a 30-mil wear layer for superior durability.

“This product line really took off for us in 2025. We do well with better-end goods, so the 9 x 72 x 15mm-thick platform matches up well. They have strong colors throughout the line.”

—Lupe Brookhart
Sterling Carpet & Flooring
Anaheim, Calif.

FuzGuard by Fuzion

About the product: FuzGuard is a water-resistant laminate featuring an AC4 rating, 12mm thickness and 5G locking system.

“FuzGuard gained strong traction in 2025 due to its enhanced water-resistant properties within the laminate segment. Its diverse visual offering supported a wide range of design applications, particularly in renovation work where working within existing parameters is key. It provided a dependable, design-forward solution for both clients and projects.”

—Rebecca Tonowski
BFC Flooring & Design Centre
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Black Label by Karastan

About the product: Karastan Black Label is a curated selection of soft surface products crafted from luxe materials, such as tufted wool, woven wool and tailored loops.

“Black Label has carved out a strong growth position in our product mix. Our designers love the wool options, colors and designs that are available.”

—Tom Connell
M&M Carpet Showroom
Houston

LooseLay by Karndean

About the product: With 13 new looks inspired by wood from around the world, the Karndean LooseLay collection now includes more than 40 different wood and stone designs in a broad spectrum of color tones, providing a stylish option for any interior design approach.

“Karndean, a pioneer in the loose-lay category, continues to impress with its latest LooseLay offering. Our top-performing color in this line is Worn Fabric Oak, and I would strongly recommend anyone take a close look at this product.”

—Coby McDougal
Yates Flooring & Design
Lubbock, Texas

PureTech by Mohawk

About the product: PureTech is planet-friendly, 100% PVC-free flooring made from 70% total recycled content with a renewable, organic core. PureTech features WetProtect with a lifetime surface and subfloor waterproof warranty.

“We absolutely killed it with PureTech. It’s super thick so it shows well to consumers, 3x more scratch resistant than other LVPs and has some really good-looking colors; plus, since it’s made here in the USA we’ve had no supply issues.”

—Aaron Johnson
Johnson & Sons Flooring
Knoxville, Tenn.

Missoni by Prestige Mills

About the product: Missoni brings iconic Italian fashion home designs, bold, colorful zigzag, chevron and geometric patterns, to high-end residential carpets and rugs.

“Prestige Mills continues to innovate and introduce on-trend selections like Missoni that designers are embracing. They also provide a good selection of wider goods that allow us to fabricate larger-sized area rugs that our designers are requesting.”

—Tom Connell
M&M Carpet Showroom
Houston

Tonal Comfort II by Shaw Floors

About the product: Tonal Comfort II is a broadloom carpet with a textured design crafted from 100% Anso High Performance Nylon and dyed with a continuous dye method. It has a primary backing of polypropylene and a secondary backing of Softbac.

“The Tonal Comfort II visual in the Shaw Color Wall is set up really well; it made for an easy sell for picking out a product color. Being that it was a nylon yarn, we could really sell the longevity of the product.”

—Ryan Boender
Sackett’s Flooring
Kalamazoo, Mich.

Eternal Comfort by Southwind

About the product: Eternal Comfort is a cut-pile carpet that embodies modern refinement. Its updated tonal and accent colors, from neutrals to deeper, more dramatic shades, are designed to create depth, while a jewel-toned burgundy adds a touch of artistic vibrance.

“We can’t say enough good things about Eternal Comfort. It has a dense softness that feels good on your feet, is at a great price point and wears extremely well.”

—Missy Bakken
DeGeus CarpetsPlus
Rochester, Minn.

NuvoLux by Stanton

About the product: NuvoLux, part of Stanton Design’s decorative laminate collection, features a pressed bevel with an authentic embossed-in-register texture for a realistic wood visual.

“Stanton’s laminate has made a huge comeback in our area. Durability and water resistance has played a huge part with NuvoLux and NuvoMax. With the natural beveled edge and visuals, Stanton’s laminate has made it a really easy sell.”

—Ryan Boender
Sackett’s Flooring
Kalamazoo, Mich.

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A lesson on ‘VUCA’

I ran into my friend Peter Barretto at the National Wood Flooring Association convention a few weeks ago in Orlando. I liken the CEO of Torlys to a mad scientist—somewhat eccentric but definitely brilliant.

Years ago Barretto introduced Dustin and me to a booked titled: “Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable.” Purple Cow is a marketing concept coined by Seth Godin, referring to a product or service so remarkable and unique that it stands out in a crowded, boring market—akin to seeing a real purple cow. It urges businesses to create “remarkable” products worth talking about rather than just traditional, run-of-the-mill items.

Anyway, Barretto and I were discussing today’s unpredictable business climate. He referred to it as a real “VUCA” environment. Excuse me?

Just like I had never heard of the Purple Cow, I never heard of VUCA. As it turns out, the term was coined by the U.S. Army War College in 1987 to describe the changed conditions after the Cold War. The world was no longer characterized by clear and stable power structures but rather by dynamic and often chaotic developments. The term quickly caught on in the business world as companies face similar challenges. With increasing globalization, technological advances and geopolitical changes, VUCA became a central concept to understand and manage the complexity and uncertainty of modern markets and business environments.

So what exactly is VUCA? It’s an acronym that describes four characteristics that make this world unpredictable: volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. It is a catch-all phrase for “Hey, it’s crazy out there!” These four elements describe the challenges and framework conditions that managers and companies have to overcome.

Let’s delve into each of the four elements:

Volatility refers to the speed and unpredictability of changes in the environment. These can be sudden fluctuations in market conditions, unforeseen crises or technological breakthroughs. The challenge is to react flexibly and quickly to these changes. Example: Prices fluctuate after a natural disaster that takes a supplier off-line.

Uncertainty refers to the unpredictability of future events. Even if information is available, the future remains unclear, which makes decisions risky. Managers must be able to make informed decisions in uncertain environments and develop strategies that are flexible enough to respond to unforeseen developments. Example: A competitor’s pending product launch muddies the future of the business and the market.

Complexity refers to the multitude and interconnectedness of influencing factors in the environment. These factors often interact in unpredictable ways and require managers to have a deep understanding and ability to analyze and manage multifactorial situations. Example: You are doing business in many countries, all with unique regulatory environments, tariffs and cultural values.

Ambiguity means that information is unclear or contradictory and allows for different interpretations. Managers must be able to make decisions in situations where the available information does not offer clear solutions while evaluating the potential risks and opportunities. Example: You decide to move into immature or emerging markets or to launch products outside your core competencies.

The antidote to VUCA is something called VUCA Prime, a behavioral leadership model first introduced in 2007 to counteract each of the four elements of VUCA with a specific positive response. They are:

Vision: In response to volatility, vision is the first element of VUCA Prime. Vision refers to a clear and compelling picture of the future that inspires and guides the organization in the midst of change. A strong vision provides direction and serves as a rallying point for the team, helping them stay focused and resilient in the face of volatility.

Understanding: To counter uncertainty, the second element of VUCA Prime is understanding. This involves a deep comprehension of the context, dynamics and underlying causes of change and uncertainty.

Clarity: In response to complexity, clarity is the third element of VUCA Prime. Clarity involves simplifying complex issues and providing clear direction and guidance. By ensuring clarity, leaders can facilitate understanding, decision making and action.

Agility: To counter ambiguity, agility is the last element of VUCA Prime. Agility refers to the ability to adapt quickly and effectively to changes. Agile organizations are characterized by their responsiveness, flexibility and speed in decision making and action.

Many successful organizations have leveraged the principles of VUCA Prime to navigate change and disruption. For instance, Google has consistently shown agility in adapting to the rapidly evolving technology landscape. Whether it’s pivoting from being a search engine to a diversified technology company or quickly iterating its products based on user feedback, Google’s agility has been key to its success in the ambiguous and volatile tech industry.

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