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38 | DECEMBER 2018 Carpet Cutting-edge print technology takes carpet options up another level by LAURIE JONES C arpet choices for 2018/2019 have taken cues from nature, from shapes, and from environments that designers and consumers experi- ence daily, all with a colour palette that would suit any application. Tarkett recently debuted its Tandus Centiva Tailored Twist Collection – a vibrant, carefully tailored modular carpet collection that combines inventive design with sustainability using the company's ethos Modular with Omnicoat Technology recycled PVB film backing. "With Tailored Twist, we looked to the intricate stitching of a hand-tailored suit, that careful detailing that makes high fashion so special, and translated it into a modular car- pet to create an intentional, tailored space," says Terry Mowers, VP commercial design, Tarkett North America. "The four patterns within the collection allow designers to create individualistic spaces with adventurous use of colour." Tailored Twist features four patterns that can be used individually or com- bined for a custom feel. The Tailored base style provides a slightly larger scale print in grounding neutral tones. The Tailored Plaid adds a tartan pattern along the edge of the dominant Tailored style. A floral inspiration is featured on the Tailored Bloom, and finally, the Tailored Madras showcases a value-engineered, mid-scale plaid in a palette that co-ordinates with Tailored. Featuring 162 possible combinations in its palette and patterns, Tailored Twist offers complete personalization. The entire collection features 100 percent solution-dyed fibres, offering durable beauty. The specialized two-ply solution dye process mimics a space-dyed yarn without the water usage associated with space dyeing. Ethos Modular with Omnicoat Technology completes the collection. Made from recycled post-consumer PVB film from recycled automotive windshields and other safety glass, ethos Modular is Cradle to Cradle Certified Silver. Ethos Modular is also a performance powerhouse, creating a chemical barrier for adverse flooring substrate when installed with TarkettTAPE. The Mohawk Group has launched Nutopia, a new Living Product Challenge Petal carpet plank system. "Earlier this year, Nutopia officially debuted to the commercial architecture and design community at NeoCon's 50th anniversary expo in Chicago," says Richard Mercey, Mohawk Group's regional VP, sales, for Canada. "We have been very pleased with the launch of Nutopia here in Canada. We plan to feature the carpet plank collection prominently in our new showroom in downtown Toronto, which is slated to open in spring 2019." Created to transition across the floor or create defined areas in the built envi- ronment, Nutopia's four 12-inch by 36-inch plank styles can be used together as a cohesive system, or separately depending on the desired configuration, end use, and budget. Layouts can be subtle, or vivid and dramatic, just like the dynamics of city life. The collection comes standard with Duracolor solution-dyed nylon fibre and features Mohawk Group's new innovative yarn system, Heathered Hues. This sustainable yarn's natural texture and blending provides a variegated wool-like appearance as Mohawk Group's most natural-looking fibre to date. The yarn is dematerialized for a low environmental impact and no water is used in its produc- tion. Additionally, Nutopia carpet planks are manufactured on Mohawk Group's Red List-free EcoFlex NXT polyolefin backing. "Traditionally we've looked at nature, rural environments, and the countryside for biophilic inspiration, but biophilia is part of every pattern in our life," says Jackie Dettmar, Mohawk Group's VP of design and product development. "The process of natural weathering and the passage of time is something that really inspired our Nutopia collection. We are excited to continue our Living Product journey to create better, more sustainable products for the world around us." As part of Nutopia's Petal certification, and to leave a handprint rather than a footprint on the environment, Mohawk Group engaged in a special conservation strategy to offset the water used in the collection's production. Mohawk Group has partnered with Hampton University in Virginia to install 152 low-flow shower- heads, resulting in an annual water savings of approximately four million gallons. Over at Shaw Contract the company has introduced Inside Shapes, a flexible toolkit that inspires creativity. In its first collaboration with Stockholm-based design studio, Form Us With Love, Shaw Contract has challenged how the stan- dard 24-inch by 24-inch carpet tile might be approached in a new and unique way. "Inside Shapes is a genuinely groundbreaking product, that has deep layers of design thinking at play," explains Reesie Duncan, VP of product design for Shaw Contract. "It's the result of a very considered and intentional method of working with different talents to constantly innovate." With Inside Shapes, a floor becomes a can- vas for creative expression – unlimited shape and colour combinations can be both simple and abstract. Designers can create the perfect solution for any environment. The mission was to design a creative response to enhance how commercial environments feel and function today. With four distinct geometric shapes – square, diagonal, point, and curve – and 12 colour options, each in light and dark shades for added dimension, Inside Shapes creates a dynamic interior landscape. Shapes, colours, and shades can be chosen in 17 pre-mixed options or curated individually for a completely custom solution. "The shapes themselves become characters in an overall narrative that allows each designer to tell a singular story," explains Oriana Reich, brand director at Shaw Contract. "This is not just a new collection – it's actually an entirely new system that in part derives from the product design language that Form Us With Love is known for. At the same time, it's an entirely new way of thinking about floor design." Along with the launch of Inside Shapes, Shaw Contract will also provide a digital tool that allows architects and designers to visualize all of the possibilities Inside Shapes allows. Users can begin with a blank canvas, easily change colours or re-arrange tiles from a series of idea starters, or use a premix option to seam- lessly produce a dynamic layout. Ground Force [Left] Visual Code - Circuit Board from Interface Canada Inc.; [above] Tandus Centiva Tailored Twist Collection from Tarkett. FM36488.indd

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