Every year, around 1.6 million tonnes of carpet waste reach the end of their life in Europe, with much of it ending up in landfills or being incinerated. Although many carpets are made from recyclable materials, recycling them remains difficult because their different layers are often permanently bonded together.
For decades, latex-based backings have been the standard in carpet production. While effective at binding fibers, latex creates a complex, inseparable composite. As a result, carpets perform well during use but are destined to become waste at the end of their life..
Making carpet recycling possible
A new approach is helping change this. Clariant has developed performance polymers that can replace traditional latex carpet backing. Unlike conventional backings, these polymers allow the different carpet components to be separated and recovered more easily at the end of their life. This opens new possibilities for designing carpets and artificial turf that are intended for recycling from the outset and supports a more circular use of materials.
Clariant’s solution also improves the manufacturing process itself. Compared with traditional latex coatings, hot-melt coating technology can reduce energy consumption by up to 80% and generates no wastewater, as it doesn’t require the drying and vulcanization processes necessary with latex.
Moving towards renewable materials
Clariant has introduced a version of its performance polymer made using certified renewable feedstocks through a mass-balance approach. It maintains the same technical performance while reducing reliance on fossil resources and lowering the product’s carbon footprint.
These developments support a broader shift toward circularity in the carpet industry. By enabling recyclable carpet systems and incorporating renewable inputs, these materials help extend the useful life of resources and reduce environmental impact.
