Recently, our fantastic team of Area Sales Managers from up and down the country donned their work uniforms, grabbed their litter pickers, and headed out to help clean up their local areas!

As a UK manufacturer, it is important to us here at Heckmondwike that the land we live on is clean, tidy, and remains a wonderful place to live for everyone. It’s essential to us to do our bit for both the environment, and for the people who live in it. So, we arranged a day where our eager Area Sales Managers could make an impact on their own communities, by cleaning up discarded and unwanted litter.

As well as looking unsightly, litter is bad for the environment in several different ways. Firstly, as it degrades, it releases chemicals which are harmful to the earth and air. It is also known to harm and kill animals who may encounter it. Discarded rubbish can also be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and diseases which can spread amongst humans and animals, as well as encouraging the spread of pest species. All these reasons make it clear just why it’s important to clear up as much litter as possible, in order to protect the world we live in.

Bob Mortimer, our UK Sales Manager, said: “Bringing together our area sales managers from around the country on this initiative was something both myself and the company were very passionate about. Whilst we can’t clear the entire country of litter, doing our bit to help clean up our local areas, whether that’s in Scotland or South London, feels like a great way of making a small but firm difference.”

“As a company, going forwards we’ve pledged to give our eco-conscious sales managers a day of work-time each year to take part in a local litter pick, contributing to the clean-up of their communities!”.

Here at Heckmondwike, we believe that, like our carpet tiles, we need the planet to last for years to come. Therefore, we look for every opportunity to minimise the impact we have on the environment. 

Here are a few of the ways that we’re making our carpet tiles eco-friendly.

1. Using recycled materials

Every day over 55 million car tyres are thrown away, with many of them being burned or dumped which is extremely harmful to the environment. For some collections, we use a rubber crumb backing from recycled car tyres. Recycling the tyres into backing for carpet tiles is a great way to give them a new purpose and stop pollution. 

For the rest of our carpet tile products, we back them with a polymer modified bitumen which contains a minimum of at least 72% recycled content.

2. We donate waste carpet to companies in need

Throughout our manufacturing process, there is often a lot of waste carpet which isn’t required for our products, such as off cuts or seconds. Rather than sending these to landfill, which isn’t very sustainable, we donate them to other organisations in need. Some of these include local charities and carpet training apprentice centres or colleges. 

3. Sourcing raw materials 

One of the ways we can make more eco-conscious decisions is by sourcing raw materials with a low environmental impact for our carpet tiles. We use 100% recycled Polyester for the majority of our products, which are made from things like plastic bottles and lids. Our products are also manufactured using a high percentage of Polypropylene which has the lowest energy conversion of any man-made fibre.  

4. We use local suppliers

Where possible, we prefer to use local suppliers here in Yorkshire for our raw materials. Using suppliers who are based locally reduces carbon emissions as the goods don’t have to travel as far to reach our factory. Not only does this help to reduce our carbon footprint, but it also means we are supporting our local economy too!

5. All our packaging is recycled

Single-use plastic, like the kind that is found on a lot of packaging, is significantly damaging to the environment. When it’s not recycled, it ends up going to landfills and can litter our countryside when not disposed of responsibly. So, our plastic packaging for raw fibres is collected and recycled. 

All cardboard, including the tubes used in carpet rolls, is also reused or recycled to minimise waste. Wooden pallets are often reused frequently to prolong their life cycle. Once they become damaged or unable to be used, they’re also collected and recycled. 

6. Our carpet tiles will last the test of time

One way of reducing the environmental impact of carpet tiles is to ensure that they last for years to come, so they don’t have to be replaced. We pride ourselves on producing commercial carpets that are durable, and perfect to use in areas of heavy footfall like entrances and classrooms. In addition to this, carpet tiles are an eco-friendly option because if part of the flooring has reached the end of its life span, you can simply replace the tiles affected rather than the full room. 

Interested in our UK manufactured and eco-friendly carpet tiles? To learn more, or request a free carpet sample, please contact 01924 406 161 or email sales@heckmondwike-fb.co.uk.