Plastic

Two plastic-free rug prototypes could bring New Zealand carpet makers a step closer to mass production of fully compostable flooring.

Carpet-maker Bremworth developed the experimental rugs as part of a project to find an environmentally friendly end-of-life solution for carpet.

Data from the Ministry for the Environment shows over 186,000 tonnes of textiles, including carpet, enter New Zealand landfills each year - about 5% of total landfill volumes.

Bremworth chief executive Greg Smith​ said if fully compostable carpet could be mass-produced in a financially viable way, it could transform New Zealand's struggling strong wool industry.

READ MORE: * Nadia Lim: why we should care more about wool * How to make eco-friendly choices when recarpeting your home * Cavalier commits to wool, natural fibre carpets

"We know there has been a post-pandemic shift in the way our international customers are seeing New Zealand wool, with a growing number looking to integrate natural fibre products into their home environment," Smith said.

"While design and quality remain key drivers for most segments, what happens at the end of a product's useful life is becoming an increasingly important factor in the purchase decision."

But for New Zealand wool products to command a premium, the sector needed to invest in development of added-value products, he said.

Bremworth sustainability lead Dr Kirstine Hulse​ said while wool could break down due to its organic composition, most wool carpets used a polypropylene or latex backing which prevented them from being composted.

The new rugs were hand woven from natural materials including crossbred wool and alpaca fibres, used to provide a broader range of colours.

More trials were under way to find alternatives to the alpaca yarn, which was in limited supply in New Zealand.

"By preserving the natural integrity of the fibre we can increase the number of opportunities for product circularity, increase the number of secondary uses for used carpet and significantly reduce volumes of textiles entering the landfill," Hulse said.