DENKENDORF, GERMANY—Following the successful debut of OBJECT CARPET’s first DUO carpet as the red carpet at the Berlinale in February, the journey of this circular sensation continues. By 2026, the entire range of over 1,000 products will be gradually converted to the recyclable DUO technology. This means full design flexibility using only two basic materials: polyamide and polyester.
Traditional carpets consist of over 30 different materials on average, which means they pose an ecological challenge after their use—it is not possible to efficiently separate and fully recycle them back into their original components. However, it is essential to recycle these materials in the interest of avoiding waste and conserving resources. OBJECT CARPET has been addressing this problem for a long time and diligently searching for solutions. And has dared to ask: What would it be like to have a world in which all raw materials were reused? With materials whose value would last for many generations and that could be used again and again?
After more than ten years of development, OBJECT CARPET and NIAGA succeeded in creating the world’s first mono-material, 100 percent polyester carpet in 2022. This NEOO carpet paved the way for implementing the company’s circular vision.
Now OBJECT CARPET is forging ahead on this path. On the way to a circular, design-oriented product world, the DUO technology is the next essential piece of the puzzle.
Emphasis on Minimal Materials
“The question we asked ourselves during the design phase was: How can we fully convert all of the products in our range to a recycling economy utilizing minimal materials and without any fillers? How can we continue to offer our customers the popular designs and textures of our range but make them circular? We solved this by keeping the polyamide pile and combining it with 100 percent polyester adhesive and backing, analogously to our innovative NEOO mono carpet,” says Daniel Butz, Owner and Managing Director of OBJECT CARPET.
After more than ten years of development work on the innovative coating, it was possible to update the popular styles MADRA, SILKY SEAL and SMOOZY with the DUO technology. A versatile new generation of carpets that not only features impressive designs but is also healthy for the human race and the natural world.
Thanks to the intelligent use of the material qualities, the DUO carpet product family now ushers in maximum design freedom with minimal use of resources: the innovative carpet consists solely of high-quality polyamide and polyester, bonded with an innovative HOTMELT adhesive made of 100 percent polyester. After use, precise heat application makes it possible to easily separate both components and feed them into the recycling loop. Thanks to the innovative CLICK/UNCLICK technology, the two components can be separated without residues. This lays the foundation for a circular product cycle: designed for an infinite service life, DUO is setting new benchmarks in the carpet industry.
Starting with the production of the DUO carpets, every individual step is already designed for the optimum use of resources: the entire coating process is carried out without water or gas, which results in up to 95 percent energy savings compared to conventional production methods. This makes recycling up to five times more energy-efficient than the production of new polyester. A real technological quantum leap that takes the circular cycle to a new level.
Carpet Return Instructions
Since the vision of a more sustainable future does not stop with the production process, OBJECT CARPET is working with suppliers to ensure that all DUO carpets will be fully integrated back into the original production cycle. To make sure of this, the website www.object-carpet.com/return is printed on the backs of the carpets. This makes it possible to check where the carpet should be delivered at the end of its service life for a return into the recycling loop.
However, a lot of time has to pass before a DUO carpet reaches the end of its service life, or it must be subjected to enormous foot traffic—because these carpets are extremely durable, just like the manufacturer’s other premium floor coverings. DUO has already proved its heavy-duty resilience and longevity under extreme conditions on a great stage: as the red carpet at the Berlinale, Germany’s largest film festival, it supported the grandiose appearance of 80,000 people in 11 days with temperature fluctuations of up to 25 degrees Celsius in February.
Every single style that is converted to OBJECT CARPET’s circular technology makes the world a little more colorful while paving the way to a more sustainable future. Every step towards recyclability is a step away from waste towards responsible resource management. The popular styles MADRA, SILKY SEAL and SMOOZY with their 85 colors have already been converted. More products are in the pipeline.
“NEOO launched an era in which design and technology go hand in hand. This is now being continued with the DUO carpets—because high-quality rooms and a healthy planet are not mutually exclusive,” Butz says. He believes that the industry is undergoing a shift: “OBJECT CARPET is not just part of the industry; we are driven by the vision of uniting everyone in the pursuit of a greener future. The strength lies in our collective commitment. For the environment and for future generations.”
