Introducing Lichen: “Nature’s Carpet” Comes Inside

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Elise Shapiro
Elise Shapirohttps://www.workdesign.com
Elise Shapiro is a contributing editor. Little did she know that her first job, in the facilities department at Ralston Purina, while obtaining her M. Arch at Washington University, in St. Louis would foreshadow where her career would lead. She has always been a strong advocate for providing the best possible spaces for people to work – where aesthetics meet function and drive business success.

New at NeoCon:“Nature’s Carpet” comes inside!

Image courtesy of Mohawk Group.

Inspired by natural elements and informed by the Living Product Challenge framework Mohawk Group is introducing Lichen at this year’s NeoCon. Lichen is the first flooring product to be awarded the International Living Future Institute’s Living Product Challenge Petal certification. The framework encourages manufacturers to create products that are healthy and free of toxins, are socially responsible and respect the rights of workers and have a net positive benefit for people and the environment.

The design team, taking their clues from nature, incorporated the colors and textures of multi-hued lichen “blooms.” Each colorway of the plank style modular plank carpet system transforms in color and scale and can work together or separately. Consideration of environmental impact, sustainability marries biophilic design elements with technology, innovation, and Mohawk Group’s corporate commitment to continually support product design that takes the entire product lifecycle design, as well as aesthetics into consideration with new product introductions.

Image courtesy of Mohawk Group.

Who designed this product?

Lichen, designed in collaboration with Jason F. McLennan of McLennan Design, the architect, and environmentalist who founded the International Living Future Institute. Like Mohawk, he believes that we can be agents of restoration and regeneration, creating a better world than how we found it. https://living-future.org/.

Can you speak to the design features?

Lichen consists of three pattern types. The anchor of the collection is a large field of lichen “blooms” That change in shape and form by colorway. There is a transition style that has fewer blooms and more ground and then another style that is solely textured ground. According to Mohawk, “just as lichens play a regenerative role in their ecosystem, the Lichen Collection gives more resources back to the environment than it uses during its entire life cycle.”

Image courtesy of Mohawk Group.

How will the product impact the workplace?

As the first floor covering to achieve Living Product status by meeting stringent requirements for the Living Product Challenge Petal Certification, Lichen has a net positive impact on people, and the environment, through innovations in materials, manufacturing, and community involvement.

An example that demonstrates the social responsibility aspect of the challenge is the offset for the product’s water footprint by providing a water handprint at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Mohawk funded upgrades to plumbing fixtures to achieve water efficiencies on campus. Additionally, Mohawk is donating a portion of the product revenue to habitat preservation and restoration through the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, a protected natural resource with a trailhead that is visible from the company’s design center.

What makes this product introduction stand out from the crowd?

Lichen is the first EVER flooring product to achieve Living Product Challenge Petal certification. The International Living Future Institute’s Living Product Challenge is a product certification program, advocacy tool, and philosophy that defines the most advanced measure of sustainability in product manufacturing today. The Challenge is comprised of seven performance categories called Petals: place, water, energy, health and happiness, materials, equity, and beauty. Petal Recognition acknowledges products that satisfy the requirements in three categories of the Living Product Challenge when at least one is water, energy, or materials. Lichen met the place, water, and health and happiness Petals. Lichen is a concrete example of how companies can create positive change in the world through the Living Product Challenge.

What are some of the technical innovations?

Innovative precision tufting technology was used to create the Lichen collection, so the textures and colors are more pronounced. Constructed with Mohawk’s Duracolor solution dyed premium nylon yard for permanent stain resistance, and come standard on EcoFlex NXT, our Red List Free backing. Installed with our Flex-Lok tabs, it is the only Red List Free backing. Installed with our Flex Lok tabs, it is the only Red List Free carpet installation system in the marketplace.

https://living-future.org/declare/declare-about/red-list/

Where can we find you at NeoCon 2017?

Merchandise Mart 377

Will the showroom be hosting any special events?

Yes! Cocktails will be served on Monday and Tuesday 3pm- 5pm in our showroom 3-377 during NeoCon this June.

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