As you may know, the nylon fiber that forms the face of most carpet is the most valuable component of the product. It is derived from a nonrenewable resource: petroleum. While our ultimate goal is to be able to use old nylon to make new carpet, that technology does not currently exist in our industry. Our ReEntry program is therefore geared towards utilizing that nylon by downcycling it into other products such as molded car parts and pad underlay. In some cases, we've been able to design new floorcovering products which incorporate a high percentage of recycled materials, like Deja Vu from Interface Flooring Systems. Other products, like SoleniumTM resilient textile flooring, are 100 percent recyclable and can be remanufactured back into the same products. How ReEntry works for carpet tile If reclaimed carpet tile is in good condition and is from Interface Flooring Systems or Bentley, the tile is cleaned and donated to a community charity. Otherwise, all approved vinyl-backed tile is returned to Interface Flooring Systems facility in LaGrange, Georgia to be sorted. Nylon is then recaptured through shearing and sent to Ford Motor Company, and the backing is ground up to be made into new backing. How ReEntry works for broadloom Broadloom carpet is reclaimed and sent to one of several recycling facilities to be chopped and baled. Unfortunately, it can't be repurposed because the backing is ripped in the removal process. The reclaimed material is then processed and converted to raw material for car parts, used to make carpet padding and industrial matting, or, if no other options are available, converted to energy. How ReEntry works for resilient textile flooring SoleniumTM, resilient textile flooring from Interface, is a totally new product and product category, so it will be a while before there is a need to remove and reclaim it from any installation. When the time comes, however, the product is 100 percent recyclable, so it will be reclaimed and remanufactured back into itself.