Outdoor enthusiasts can now reduce their environmental footprint by stepping inside their local Gander Mountain store. The renowned outdoor lifestyle retailer announced it is outfitting stores throughout the country with carpet from Lees Carpets, a long-standing leader in the design and manufacture of sustainable commercial carpet.
An eco-friendly flooring solution for today and tomorrow, the carpet features several green attributes, including a revolutionary PVC-free (polyvinyl chloride) backing technology that enables complete recyclability back into itself.
"As a part of Gander Mountain's 'Keeping the Outdoors Safe for Tomorrow Program' we are always looking for ways to ensure that future generations will have great outdoor experiences," said Andy Carlin, Gander Mountain's senior vice president of store operations.
"Putting Lees' carpet in our new stores and apparel sets is a good step toward achieving that goal. We can improve our customers' experiences and still adhere to our philosophy of being environmentally responsible."
Gander Mountain is in the process of equipping stores with Lees' Notion carpet tile product, the majority of which will be backed by the company's new Encycle backing system. Gander Mountain will have the carpet installed in the apparel sections of all new stores for 2007 as well as future remodels.
"For years, we've devoted considerable time and resources to developing eco-friendly products that willserve our customers today, while preserving the environment for the future," said Diann Barbacci, vice president of sustainable design for The Mohawk Group, Lees Carpets' parent company. "Backed by Encycle, Lees' Notion carpet will benefit both consumers and the environment long after it reaches the end of its useful life."
A CRI Green Label Plus certified-product, Encycle incorporates 35 percent pre-consumer recycled content. It is the industry's only carpet tile backing system that is made of 100 percent thermoplastic and contains zero water-based components. This unique composition ensures that Notion can be completely recycled back into itself without needing to separate the face fibers from the backing.
Enhancing its resilient performance and supporting a long lifecycle, Notion features the company's Duracolor stain-resistant dye technology. Duracolor is integrated into the carpet fiber -- rather than applied topically -- providing permanent stain and fade resistance, while also improving indoor air quality by eliminating the need for chemicals and harsh detergents during the cleaning process.
The durability of Notion products ensures that the carpet stays in use and out of the recycling stream longer. Yet when it reaches the end of its useful life, the carpet tiles can be reclaimed and recycled through the company's ReCover program. Notion is produced in an ISO 14001-certified manufacturing facility in Glasgow, Va., ensuring adherence to the highest environmental standards.
