• Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • A&D
  • INSTALLATION
  • MARKETS
  • AWARDS
  • EDUCATION
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MEDIA
  • EMAGAZINE
  • SIGN UP
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Breaking Flooring News
  • eNewsletters
  • PRODUCTS
  • Carpet & Area Rugs
  • Hardwood
  • Installation Products
  • Installation Tools & Equipment
  • Laminate
  • Resilient
  • Specialty
  • Tile & Stone
  • MARKETS
  • Commercial
  • Residential
  • AWARDS
  • Installation Awards
  • Top Flooring Products
  • EDUCATION
  • Continuing Education
  • Webinars
  • MEDIA
  • FLOOR Podcast
  • Videos
  • TISE 2025 Videos
  • eBooks
  • EMAGAZINE
  • eMagazine
  • Archive Issues
  • Contact
  • Advertise
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
    • Breaking Flooring News
    • eNewsletters
  • PRODUCTS
    • Carpet & Area Rugs
    • Hardwood
    • Installation Products
    • Installation Tools & Equipment
    • Laminate
    • Resilient
    • Specialty
    • Tile & Stone
  • A&D
  • INSTALLATION
  • MARKETS
    • Commercial
    • Residential
  • AWARDS
    • Installation Awards
    • Top Flooring Products
  • EDUCATION
    • Continuing Education
    • Webinars
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MEDIA
    • FLOOR Podcast
    • Videos
    • TISE 2025 Videos
    • eBooks
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP
Floor CoveringsCarpet and Rugs

Aquafil's Regenerated Nylon Offers Architects and Designers New Solutions

NeoCon 2019 Plaza
The NeoCon 2019 Plaza featured carpet tile designed and supplied by Interface and made with Econyl yarn.
Econyl carpet covering Piazza della Scala

Inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci in the 500th anniversary year of his death, Econyl carpet covering Piazza della Scala paid homage the artist’s aesthetic, which draws on his exquisite works and Renaissance tapestries.

NeoCon 2019 Plaza
Econyl carpet covering Piazza della Scala
December 16, 2019

In September, at the third annual Green Carpet Fashion Awards Italia, fiber producer Aquafil provided a design showstopper—a sustainable carpet made with Econyl regenerated nylon that is created from discarded fishing nets and other nylon waste. Covering Milan’s Piazza della Scala, the green carpet spanned more than 21,000 square feet and welcomed celebrity guests including Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, fashion designer Stella McCartney, actor Colin Firth and actress Sophia Loren. 

The event celebrated fashion houses’ commitment to sustainability as they work to embrace rapid change while preserving the heritage and authenticity of small-scale producers. As in previous years, the Econyl carpet was produced in collaboration with the Danish Company, European manufacturer Ege Carpets, and for the second year, designed by Vogue Editor Hamish Bowles.

“We are privileged to partner with the Green Carpet Fashion Awards Italia for the third year running”, said Giulio Bonazzi, Aquafil president and CEO “Honoring the endless possibilities offered by our Econyl regenerated nylon, which can be used both in fashion and design, Aquafil is turning a waste problem into exceptional solutions.”

Each year in the U.S., four billion pounds of carpet is tossed in landfills. Most carpets are made primarily from finite resources such as oil-based plastics that could be recycled, yet only 5% of carpet waste is recycled. To tackle the issue, Aquafil’s Econyl fiber is 100% regenerated nylon yarn from waste that is used widely in commercial carpeting. To make its fiber, the company rescues waste from a number of sources including fishing nets, carpets, fabric scraps and industrial plastic.

To help these recycled fibers, Aquafil has a carpet recycling plant in Phoenix that opened in 2018 and has the capacity to collect and treat 35 million pounds of carpet each year. Econyl contributes to LEED v4 points in four main categories:  


Integrative Process

Aquafil shares its knowledge and experience creating sustainable materials with project teams to collectively enhance human comfort and environmental benefits.

  • Indoor Environmental Quality—Econyl is a low-VOC emitting material.
  • Materials and Resources—In terms of Building Life Cycle Impact Reduction, Econyl has an 80% reduction on global warming potential compared to virgin nylon. And regarding Sourcing of Raw Materials, Econyl comes from 100% waste material of which a minimum of 50% post-consumer waste is certified.
  • Innovation—Econyl fosters advancement of the circular economy through nylon regeneration, going beyond recycling.

“Today, about 55 million pounds of fiber are used in the fashion and apparel business,” Bonazzi said. “If we do nothing, in 10 or 20 years, this number will be at least three times bigger. There are market studies that say that if we continue like that today, the emissions coming from the fashion industry account between two to 3% of the global initiatives and it could be between 25 to 30% in few years. We believe that if we wanted to have a bright future, we have to make products in a different way.”

The company reports that for every 10,000 tons of Econyl raw material, 70,000 barrels of crude oil are saved, and 57,100 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions are avoided. Econyl is also UL and Cradle-to-Cradle certified.

Since the carpet industry takes so much inspiration from fashion, the companies must take a leading position in changing their ways. 

“We have to work together with the carpet industry to start collecting carpets from the end user,” said Franco Rossi, Aquafil USA president. “If we start making carpets in a different way so that the life is a little easier, it will mean a cost over lower cost and bigger possibility for turnover. To date, the carpet industry has been a little resistant to the idea, but I think we are going to change with time. We will realize that for carpet to become great again, it needs to look at the future and not at the past—as it does now.”

KEYWORDS: carpet fiber Recycling sustainability

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • resilient flooring

    The 7 Types of Resilient Flooring

    The resilient flooring category is comprised of many...
    Resilient Flooring
    By: Resilient Floorcovering Institute
  • QuickDrain USA’s ShowerLine linear drain

    Tips for Curbless Shower Installation Using a Linear Drain

    Consider these four tips when planning for a curbless...
    Installation How-To
    By: Darryl Jones
  • 2024 New Flooring Product Guide

    2024 New Flooring Products Guide

    We explore this year's introductions in area rugs,...
    Residential Flooring
    By: FLOOR Trends & Installation Editors
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Manage My Account
  • eMagazine
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Subscription Customer Service

Takeaways from the 2024 AHSG Convention & Member Outlook for 2025

Takeaways from the 2024 AHSG Convention & Member Outlook for 2025

Retailers Share Top Takeaways from Shaw Flooring Network Convention

Retailers Share Top Takeaways from Shaw Flooring Network Convention

Shaw Flooring Network Retailers Report Post-Election Sales Surge

Shaw Flooring Network Retailers Report Post-Election Sales Surge

What Shaw Flooring Network Dealers are Banking on for 2025

What Shaw Flooring Network Dealers are Banking on for 2025

More Videos

Popular Stories

Fishman Knoxville Tennessee location interior

From Tariff Talk to Trade Labor: Fishman's West Region Manager on Flooring Industry Challenges

salesperson meeting with clients

How to Dominate Flooring Sales: The Art of Listening Before Selling

Mimi Mulugeta and Michael Barrows

Military Vet Trades Retirement for New Flooring Venture in Alpharetta


Download the Free Moisture Meters Guide

Events

December 1, 2030

Webinar Sponsorship Information

For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Growth Challenges in the Flooring Industry

What’s holding you back from growth in 2025?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

2025 BNI Interiors Square Foot Costbook

2025 BNI Interiors Square Foot Costbook

See More Products

FLOORtalk podcasts - Listen Now

Related Articles

  • Econyl Nylon by Aquafil on a roll.

    FLOR Celebrates 10 Years of Collaboration with Aquafil’s ECONYL Regenerated Nylon

    See More
  • NWFA-logo

    NWFA Offers CEUs for Architects and Designers

    See More
  • Masland-Contract-Crafted

    Masland Contract Taps into Econyl Regenerated Nylon for Crafted Collection

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • M:\General Shared\__AEC Store Katie Z\AEC Store\Images\Flooring images\new FL site\oriental-rug-cleaning.gif

    Oriental & Specialty Rug Cleaning

  • interior design.jpg

    On Interior Design

See More Products
×
The NeoCon 2019 Plaza featured carpet tile designed and supplied by Interface and made with Econyl yarn.
Inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci in the 500th anniversary year of his death, Econyl carpet covering Piazza della Scala paid homage the artist’s aesthetic, which draws on his exquisite works and Renaissance tapestries.

We’re rolling out the red carpet of flooring knowledge!

Stay in the know on the latest flooring retail trends.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
    • Breaking Flooring News
    • eNewsletters
  • PRODUCTS
    • Carpet & Area Rugs
    • Hardwood
    • Installation Products
    • Installation Tools & Equipment
    • Laminate
    • Resilient
    • Specialty
    • Tile & Stone
  • A&D
  • INSTALLATION
  • MARKETS
    • Commercial
    • Residential
  • AWARDS
    • Installation Awards
    • Top Flooring Products
  • EDUCATION
    • Continuing Education
    • Webinars
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MEDIA
    • FLOOR Podcast
    • Videos
    • TISE 2025 Videos
    • eBooks
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP