Don't Always Believe Everything You Read
Every day, millions of people skim through publications and look at the ads to learn more about new and interesting products and their attributes. Unfortunately, sometimes the information in the ad can be misleading or not tell the full story. In other words, don't always believe everything you read.
A perfect example of this is an ad placed by a major nylon 6,6 yarn manufacturer in of all places, the "Green Guide to NeoCon 2007" publication. In this ad, there were two "myths" related to commercial carpet as it pertains to environmental attributes. Both of these myths have been taken word-for-word from the ad:
- Myth #1: "The longer carpet stays on the floor, the better it is for the environment."
- Reality: That is basically a true statement, but unfortunately an indefinite installation life for commercial carpet is not realistic or pertinent to today's marketplace. The fact is, most all commercial carpet is replaced long before it wears out. Therefore, taking proactive responsibility for the products you manufacture to establish easy to use and cost effective recycling programs for whenever the carpet is replaced, is a more environmentally responsible solution.
- Myth #2: "And since our fibers last longer, it reduces the total cost of ownership."
- Reality: This would only be true if the end user intends to keep the carpet installed long past the industry's average replacement cycle for existing carpet. If that were the case, any nylon fiber system would equally reduce the total cost of ownership. All nylon yarn systems are engineered to allow properly constructed carpet to long outlast its intended lifecycle. The lifecycle of a carpet is normally determined by styling trends of the commercial market segment for which it is specified. In fact, consider these important statistics:
- "In a hospitality situation, the carpet may be on a predetermined lifecycle of three to five years to keep the property looking fresh and stay in step with the ever present competition in this market."
Source: The Commercial Flooring Report, June 2005. - "Useful life of carpet varies by type. The use-life of commercial carpet is about seven years on average vs. 13 years for residential."
Source: Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance: Negotiated Outcomes for Carpet Workgroup, June 2001. - "The average life expectancy of carpet is seven to ten years."
Source: Architects of Achievement. Big Picture School Facilities Design and Construction Step-by-Step Guide.
Environmental responsibility is a subject that has forever been synonymous with the Zeftron name. That is because long before there was market demand, there were "internal" environmental responsibility demands for manufacturing practices, recycled content and carpet recycling for the products bearing the Zeftron name.
We provide responsible ownership for our products not just through their installation, but also through their replacement at the end of their useful life, all the way through putting them back as content in a new yarn product.
So, don't believe everything you read. Read between the lines and ask questions when something doesn't sound quite right.