INTERFACE REENTRY

Interface, the world's largest modular carpet tile manufacturer, created the ReEntry programme in 1995 as one of the earliest corporate closed-loop recycling initiatives. The programme collects used carpet tiles from commercial customers at end of life and routes them to the most sustainable recovery option based on condition and composition — reuse, recycling into new carpet tiles, conversion into high-performance engineered plastics, or energy recovery as a last resort. Since 2016, Interface has collected over 31,750 tonnes of post-consumer carpet tile through ReEntry. At the Scherpenzeel recycling plant in the Netherlands, an innovative process separates carpet tiles into their constituent materials — nylon fibre, PVC or bitumen backing, and calcium carbonate filler — enabling each to re-enter the production cycle. Interface designs its carpet tiles specifically for this recyclability: the tiles use mono-material fibres, separable backing systems, and standardised dimensions that facilitate collection and processing. The programme contributed to over $400 million in waste elimination savings in its first 15 years, demonstrating that designing for recyclability from the outset can be both environmentally and commercially compelling. Interface is targeting carbon negativity by 2040.