Sustainable flooring solutions

Constant Improvement Drives Us Everyday

As one of Australia's leading sustainable flooring companies, we understand that there is a limit to the world’s resources and that every decision we make has a clear consequence on future generations. 

Our
Commitment

Manufacturers can no longer maintain processes that deliver the best bottom-line results, nor can they cling to old habits. Signature Floorcoverings adapts to this changing market by partnering with global factories that meet our strict sustainability requirements. Without committing to any one type of equipment, our products are produced with the latest sustainable technologies. We are also the leading exporters of floorcoverings in compliance with Australia’s strict environmental standards.

To improve the sustainability of our manufacturing process, we currently work with industry accredited bodies rather than create our own in-house standards. While the road to complete sustainability is a long one, the journey has begun. What's more, it's our goal as one of Australia's sustainable flooring companies to take the lead in delivering the latest initiatives for the market.  Constant improvement drives us every day!

We're making a bigger impact by reducing ours!

Signature Floors Australia is now certified carbon neutral by Climate Active. We have made choices and changes in the way we do business to ensure our carbon emissions are equal to net zero.

What is Climate Active?

Climate Active certification is awarded to businesses and organisations that have achieved a state of net zero emissions, otherwise known as carbon neutrality.

What does carbon neutral mean?

Carbon neutral means taking action to reduce and remove as much carbon from the atmosphere as an organisation puts into it.

Being carbon neutral means that an organisation has a carbon footprint equal to zero.

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Closing the loop on commercial flooring waste

Circul8 is Signature Floors’ local carpet tile recycling initiative in Australia, reaffirming our ongoing commitment to closing the loop and creating a circular economy. Your Signature carpet tiles are designed with longevity and performance in mind. However, when it comes time to say goodbye to your flooring, carpet tiles can be returned as part of our product stewardship. Returned tiles are first assessed and ultimately reused or recycled through a process of rejuvenation and yarn regeneration, creating a sustainable commercial carpet solution.

Pathway 1: Reinstate
For tiles that are in a good condition
• Salvaged tiles are restored and introduced back into the flooring marketplace.
• Since individual materials aren’t processed further and simply reused, no additional footprint is created.

Pathway 2: Rejuvenate
For tiles that have too much ‘wear.’
• Signature’s in-house recycling equipment separates the yarn from the backing. In doing this, it also rejuvenates the face of the tile.
• This refurbished tile is then launched back into the marketplace.

Pathway 3: Regenerate
For use as raw material in new tiles
• Extracted yarn from the rejuvenation process is sent to Aquafil to be regenerated back into nylon for use in new carpet tile manufacturing.

Understanding the Circular Economy & Circul8: Our initiative relies on the circular economy business model that rethinks how products are formulated, minimising unnecessary resources. We reduce the toxicity of core materials with carpet tiles composed of recyclable materials and low embodied energy. The local recycling system also turns goods at the end of their life into resources for others to use through repair, upgrades and retrofits, thus minimising waste. Ultimately, the Circul8 initiative makes it possible to use existing products for the longest time possible, and as a brand, allows us to give back more than we can take through our commitment toward providing truly sustainable flooring and eco-friendly flooring solutions.

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A CIRCULAR FUTURE FOR FLOORING

Signature Floors is proud to be one of fifteen leading suppliers of resilient floorcoverings who have committed to provide support for ResiLoop, as a founding member of Australia’s first national stewardship scheme for resilient flooring. ResiLoop is a new product stewardship scheme focused on recycling research and development to address the challenges presented by past, current and future consumption of resilient floorcoverings in Australia. Advancing a circular economy for resilient flooring products such as sheet vinyl, Luxury Vinyl Tiles and Hybrid flooring, means not only improving how we source raw materials and manufacture these products, it’s also ensuring we retain resources in productive use for as long as possible.

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Certifications

Green Tag

Specifiers today actively seek sustainable solutions while attempting to sort claims from fact. That’s why Signature carpet tiles are GreenRate™ Level A accredited by Global Green Tag®. As a result, setting the benchmark for environmentally friendly commercial flooring.

Now, satisfy your project’s sustainability needs with independently accredited, eco-friendly and budget-friendly flooring products and sustainable flooring solutions. With Eco-Specifier Green Tag® and GreenRate™ accreditation programs, you’ll have the assurance that products have met the most stringent green building certification standards.

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Declare

Declare is a nutrition label for building products. Specifically, this label answers three questions:

  • Where does a product come from
  • What is made from?
  • Where does it go at the end of its life?

Learn More About Declare

EPD

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is an independently verified and registered document that communicates transparent, comparable data and other relevant environmental information.  This is primarily about the life-cycle environmental impact of a product. Signature is, in fact, the first Australian carpet tile distributor to publish a third-party verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Additionally, they’re available for all of our Thermo Bak and Comfi Bak carpet tiles.

For more information on EPDs

Product
Stewardship

We understand the need for innovation and leadership in the area of product stewardship. We also agree that corporate, social and environmental responsibility goes beyond the point of sale and warranty periods. That's why we commit to responsible lifecycle management in conjunction with our manufacturing partners to provide a sustainable commercial flooring solution.

The Australian market currently offers limited scope for effective recycling of end of life materials. This includes the separation and reuse of both backing and fibre. For instance, options like recolouring for resale strongly limits subsequent users in product construction and colouring. Additionally, the realistic demand for ‘second hand’ products is extremely low.  What's more, the prospect of transporting to an overseas purpose-built recycling facility provides little benefit. This is especially true once the total environmental footprint is assessed.

The GPT building at 530 Collins Street Melbourne, is a stellar example of Signature's Circul8 program. What's also great is that this single project has seen in excess of 33,000m2 of competitor products taken back, cleaned, donated and reused in community projects.

With the use of premium fibres, our products offer significant warranties. In effect, most commercial carpet tiles will not ‘wear out’ and this allows us to confidently offer a realistic ‘re-use’ stewardship program.

To get more details of our success with the 530 Collins St project, contact your Signature representative. Our products are also designed for disassembly. That means materials could be salvaged for both clean and reuse or complete recycling. The Signature Floorcoverings Pty. Ltd Product Stewardship Policy and Lifecycle Management Plan are as detailed below.

In conjunction with our manufacturing partners and suppliers, we will take back all carpet, vinyl and hybrid plank flooring products. We will then re-use and recycle them in the following ways:

• Refurbishing for possible reuse by the existing customer or selling/remarketing to new customers.
• Selling or donating products in existing condition, or refurbished if required, to other commercial businesses or organisations.

We will also take back all carpet tiles as part of our Circul8 local recycling initiative. Please see below for more information.

The well building guide

The WELL Building Standard is an evidence-based system to measure, certify and monitor building performance and its impact on health and well-being.

In fact, the International Well Building Institute's mission is to improve human health and well-being through the built environment. The standard focuses on seven concepts: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness Comfort and Mind.

Individuals who work in WELL Certified environments have expressed the positive impacts on their productivity and performance.

And, while flooring is not a specific component of the WELL Building Standard, Signature's sustainable flooring products can contribute to points on WELL projects.

Green Building Council

Signature is a long-standing Green Building Council of Australia member, sealing our reputation as one of Australia's sustainable flooring companies. As members for 15+ years, our aim is to help deliver healthy, resilient and positive places. 

Green Building Council Australia has been set up to:

• Standardise measurement of green buildings
• Promote integrated building design
• Recognise environmental leadership
• Identify building life-cycle impacts
• Raise awareness of green building benefits
• Reduce the overall impact of buildings on the environment

Greenstar also enables the quantifiable measurement of sustainability in construction projects. Depending on the performance to set criteria, buildings are awarded between 1 to 6 stars with 6  being the highest possible rating.

Need to get in touch with us?

We are committed to delivering the best sales and service the industry can offer. From carpet, hard-floors, custom carpets and sustainable flooring, we look forward to assisting you with your flooring needs.

sales@signaturefloors.com.au customer service 03 9401 0888