This week we are focused on trends. One trend you will be hearing much more about in 2016 is supply chain transparency. To illustrate what that means, let’s talk about carpets. Yes, the fuzzy thing on your floor! We’ve been tracking the Mohawk Group for quite a while because of their connection to Fremont and their reputation for quality. But we didn’t realize is that they’re using a platform of sustainability to distinguish themselves in an industry that’s hundreds of years old. We recently heard them speak at the VERGE Conference in San Jose, and asked them to share their story with our blog audience.

With game-changing sustainability initiatives, the world’s largest flooring manufacturer is transforming the marketplace, resulting in rewards for both the company and consumers. Mohawk is based in Calhoun, GA and has a broad distribution network throughout the U.S., including Fremont, CA.The brand encompasses many different high-end lines including carpet, wood floors, laminate, tile and rugs.

The company’s commercial brand, Mohawk Group, is initiating a new discussion with leaders in the architectural and design communities, as well as the construction industry, that places an emphasis on human and environmental health as a major consideration in product design and selection.

The cornerstone of this entire discussion is transparency and the disclosure of chemical ingredients. Mohawk believes that transparency is crucial to increasing the availability of red list free products that contribute to healthy environments. It is exciting to see how Mohawk has encouraged other companies to share more information. After all, transparency is already playing a prominent role in aspects of our everyday lives. Why not building products also?

That’s why Mohawk Group is committed to product disclosure and is a partner of the International Living Future Institute, whose Living Building Challenge provides the world’s most aspirational green building standard and has incorporated transparency through its Declare program. Similar to food labels, building products with Declare labels clearly show “ingredients.” Declare labels fill the information gap by answering three simple questions: Where does a product come from? What is it made of? And where does it go at the end of its life?

At Mohawk Group, we have embraced third-party certifications to help our customers make conscious, informed decisions. In fact, we currently have Declare labels for over 490 red list free products in the marketplace and continue to lead the entire manufacturing industry with the largest and most varied selection of products that have Health Product Declarations (HPDs), Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Declare Labels. All certifications are available on MohawkGroup.com