Eco enthusiasm
David Spragg • February 20, 2020
Trends review from Domotex 2020
Trade shows are inevitably dominated by the launch of new products but it is clear that the industry’s agenda is increasingly alert to what happens to the old flooring that they seek to replace.
And it is no longer enough to pay lip service to eco issues. Companies are paying with major investments in new product development that is environmentally friendly – recognising consumer sensitivity to climate change, the availability and costs of landfill, and the green imperatives of contract specifiers.
Edel Carpets has come up with an excellent brand name for their recycled and recyclable new carpet range ALLOA which stands for “All Over Again”. This launch signalled a related trend in the “mono” construction of carpets – using the same fibre throughout, with environmentally friendly backing, to aid recyclability. Balta’s latest New Generation rugs (a parallel launch to the Re-Generation rugs above) takes a similar tack.
And F Ball were flying the British export flag for the growing range of products in recycled and recyclable packaging and told us their use of virgin plastic was down by 10 tonnes per month.
Carpet launches at Domotex demonstrated the growing trend towards more resilient constructions with an emphasis on more robust twist, and a little less on deep and soft. So tenth gauge is very popular for 2020 newcomers in a welcome move up market in quality. And polypropylene figured much less strongly in new launches while nylon is in the ascendancy.
Nylon and polyester fibre brands are getting increasing attention from companies such as Riviera Home, Lano, Balta and ITC Natural Luxury Flooring, including a tendency towards solution dyed fibre for extra cleanability.
Colour wise in carpets, we are seeing some shift away from greys with more pastels, warmer earth colours and the popularity of teals and blues. In rugs there are certainly less plains and shaggies in the market – more than ever it is all about design with abstracts in vogue.
Trends in the LVT sector are very clear: SPC, large planks and herringbone. It is almost obligatory now to include a rigid Stone Plastic Composite option in the offer and this trend seems unstoppable given the performance benefits, installation stability and reduced plastic content of SPC.
Large plank formats in LVT have been popular for some time and the appeal appears to be growing for the added authenticity they create. At the opposite end of the size scale, parquet and herringbone continue to have a great run and LVT designers are getting increasingly creative in their designs.
But if you think herringbone is only ever about smooth floors think again. One of the most eye-catching presentations at Domotex this year was the herringbone plank by Tapibel as part of their Incati carpet tile range – yes, carpet planks! And the range is even called Oak.
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Greendale Carpets are the longest established buying group in the UK, having been formed in 1962. The group is a member owned cooperative run on a not-for-profit basis with any surplus at the end of the financial year being put back into the group for the sole benefit of the member.
The Associated Carpet Group held its Platinum Supplier Show this past 14-15 March, celebrating its 40th anniversary at the illustrious Hilton Hotel at St George’s Park, the home of the FA and England football teams. The annual showcase is both a platform for ACG’s suppliers to present their newest offerings to the buying group’s members and, of course, a highly enjoyable social event!
Retailers who are considering joining a buying group would be right in thinking that the combined buying power of multiple retailers all over the UK is a positive because, let’s face it, millions of pounds of buying power is better than thousands of pounds.
BUSINESS NEWS
Imports of soft flooring including wall-to-wall carpet and rugs were up 8.8% to £74.75m in March, according to HMRC data compiled by The Furnishing Report. With this increase, imports of carpet grew faster during the period than alternatives like vinyl.
GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index decreased by four points to -23 in April. All measures were down in comparison to last month’s announcement. These are the current findings of the GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer (CCB) powered by NIM. The CCB has been published jointly by GfK and the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions (NIM), the founder of GfK, since October 2023.
Likewise Group, the UK flooring distributor, has announced its audited final results for the year ended 31 December 2024.
GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index increased by one point to -19 in March. Two measures were up, two were down and one was unchanged in comparison to last month’s announcement.
The prices of carpets and other floorcoverings fell 1.8% in March 2025, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics. This is the second consecutive month of falling prices, with carpets seeing a drop of 1.7% in February, down from 2.5% growth in the same period last year.
As of 1 April, Herman and Age Mulder will take over the management of Rinos as Managing Directors. They represent the fifth generation to join as shareholders of the family business, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Milco Visscher will start as commercial director on 1 May. The current managing director, Peter Kuipers, will oversee the transition and step down on 31 July.
Imports of flooring to the UK this February were up 7% when compared to the same period last year, reaching a total value of £127.9m, according to figures compiled by The Furnishing Report.
Likewise Group, one of the UK’s largest flooring distributors, has announced a “particularly positive” start to the year with gross sales revenue in Q1 2025 increasing by 10.7% against the corresponding period last year. Sales in the Likewise Branded businesses have increased by 14.6%.
The British Furniture Confederation (BFC), the public affairs umbrella body of furniture and beds, furnishings and flooring sector trade associations, has unveiled its new Plan for Growth. The document is said to support BFC’s advocacy across four key pillars: skills and education; trade and exports; standards and regulations; and the environment and circular economy. It has been developed over the past few months, the organisation says, evolving from a combination of position papers written by the associations’ executives and a comprehensive survey of their collective members.
Consumer card spending grew 1.0% year-on-year in February – lower than January’s 1.9% increase and less than the latest CPIH inflation rate of 3.9%, according to recent figures reported by Barclays. In anticipation of higher bills, consumers are said to be cutting back on essential outgoings, but still prioritising discretionary purchases, contributing to an uptick in optimism in the health of personal and household finances.
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