EPD
EPD – the environmental impact of our carpets
Most of our contract carpets have EPDs (Environmental Product Declaration) that document the individual product’s environmental impact and thus provide the necessary data for calculating the total environmental impact of an interior or building project. The EPDs are based on international ISO standards and are third-party-verified.
You can find and download our EPD’s here:
EPD: Woven broadloom carpet, PA66 (Nordic Living, Nordic, Uno, Duo, Quattro, Nove)
EPD: Woven carpet tiles, PA66 (Nordic Living, Nordic, Sebastian Wrong by Fletco)
EPD: Woven broadloom carpet, PA6 (COM 1000)
EPD: Woven carpet tiles, PA6 (COM 1000 TEXtiles®)
EPD: Woven carpet tiles, PET (Art Weave by Fletco, Layers by Sebastian Wrong og Apis)
Not all Class 33 carpets are created equal
Durability and Lifespan Testing: Flatwoven vs. tufted carpets – and their Impact on CO₂e
Is it sufficient to require that a contract carpet, for example in an office building, only needs to last 10 years? Based on a Product Category Rule (PCR), EPD calculations are often made using a lifespan of 10 years, regardless of the carpet’s construction.
However, the lifespan has a significant impact on the carpet’s overall environmental profile because it directly affects the EPD’s CO₂e score – i.e., the calculated emissions over the carpet’s use phase. Extending wear warranty can, on paper, increase the carpet’s Reference Service Life (RSL), but this does not change its visual lifespan. In practice, it is the carpet’s construction and its ability to retain its appearance over time that determine when it will be replaced – not necessarily the technical wear limit.
To document this difference, we have assessed and compared the durability of flatwoven and tufted carpets – both made from market-leading carpet fibres. The aim is to provide a more accurate and technically substantiated picture of our carpets’ wear resistance and their actual CO₂e emissions over their real lifespan.
From Testing to Official Classification
Foamtex A/S specialises in dyeing, backing, tip-shearing, and testing of carpets. The company is equally owned by three carpet manufacturers – including Fletco Carpets A/S – and operates as an independent entity with its own accounts and external auditing.
Since the mid-1980s, Foamtex has been responsible for the initial quality testing of our carpets. When we launch new qualities or amend the construction of our existing products, they are first assessed in Foamtex’s in-house laboratory in accordance with applicable European standards. The purpose is to ensure that the carpets achieve the desired use class and performance level before being sent on for official testing and certification by, for example, Eurofins or other accredited testing institutes.
Classification of use class and performance is based on a visual assessment of the carpet’s performance in the Vettermann drum test and the castor chair test.
Vettermann and Castor Chair Tests
The assessment of a carpet’s wear resistance – and thereby its use class and performance – is primarily based on the results of two standardised tests: the Vettermann drum test and the castor chair test.
For carpets used in the contract market, there are three different classes:
Klasse 31 - Commercial, light use
Klasse 32 - Commercial, moderate use
Klasse 33 - Commercial, heavy use
The requirements for classification in the heavy use category are the most stringent.
Vettermann Test (EN ISO 10361)
This test simulates intensive foot traffic over time. A carpet sample is mounted inside a metal drum containing an 11 kg metal ball with stiff rubber feet; the drum then rotates 20,000 times. After the test, a visual assessment of the carpet’s appearance is conducted on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the best.
To achieve classification as Class 33 – Commercial, heavy use, the carpet must withstand 20,000 cycles and achieve a minimum visual rating of 3.5.
Castor Chair Test (EN 985 / ISO 4918)The castor chair test simulates the wear caused by office chairs with wheels over extended periods of use.
The test is performed using castor chair wheels loaded with 90 kg, which move in circular motions across the carpet sample, with repeated starts and stops and changes in direction to replicate normal office chair use.
The carpet is subjected to a total of 25,000 cycles.
After the test, a visual assessment of the carpet’s appearance is conducted on a scale from 1 to 5. To achieve the highest classification for intensive use, the carpet must withstand 25,000 cycles and achieve a minimum visual rating of 2.4.
Wear Resistance
Tufted vs. Flatwoven Carpets
In both the Danish and international markets, tufted carpet qualities are the most widespread. To document the difference in wear resistance and the ability to maintain their visual appearance over time, Fletco Carpets has assessed a wide range of its own tufted and flatwoven carpets.
Instead of stopping the tests after the standardised 20,000 cycles in the Vettermann drum test and 25,000 cycles in the castor chair test, we chose to continue the test sequences to examine the extent of wear the carpets can withstand before they no longer meet the Class 33 classification.
Material Selection
In our contract qualities, we primarily use PA6 and PA66 yarns due to their high wear resistance and good fire performance properties. PA66 differs from PA6 by being stronger, having better abrasion resistance, and higher resilience. These properties are particularly important in tufted carpet constructions, where the higher pile places greater demands on the technical performance of the yarn.
Assessed Products
All the qualities listed below are classified as Class 33 – Commercial, heavy use. Since there is no official test method to simulate repeated wear on the same carpet, we chose to continue the tests beyond the standardised requirements.
Assessed qualities:
• Flatwoven – UNO (solution-dyed PA66) – tested 06/2022
• Flatwoven – UNO Econyl® (solution-dyed PA6) – tested 01/2023
• Flatwoven – Nordic (solution-dyed PA66) – tested 06/2022
• Flatwoven – COM 1000 (yarn-dyed PA6) – tested 06/2022
• Tufted – Ex-dono Quartet (solution-dyed PA66) – tested 06/2022
• Tufted – Penta EcoTex (yarn-dyed PA6) – tested 06/2022
Test Report No. 935 for UNO Econyl presents the following results:
Conclusion: There Is a Difference Within Class 33
The test results clearly demonstrate that there are significant differences in carpet performance, even when all are classified as Class 33 – Commercial, heavy use.
Compared to the tufted contract qualities, our flatwoven contract carpets achieve significantly higher ratings and can endure the demanding test cycles at least four times longer than the tufted qualities. UNO Econyl has been assessed a total of six times, achieving a test result of 4.0; it still shows no signs of wear. In our showroom at the factory in Bording, we have dedicated an entire wall to visualising how wear develops over time.
In the Vettermann test of UNO Econyl, it is difficult to visualise any difference in wear. Even after six repeated test runs, it still achieves a passing score of 4.0.
When zooming in on the carpet or examining the flatwoven contract quality under a microscope with 40× magnification after the Vettermann test, it is also clear that the carpet fibres remain almost intact. Due to the compact construction, the carpet still looks visually appealing, and the wear is not immediately visible to the naked eye.
In the castor chair test of UNO Econyl, it is difficult to visualise any difference in wear, whether the assessment is made after 25,000, 50,000, 75,000, or 100,000 rotations.
For the flatwoven quality, the wear only becomes noticeable tactilely by touch, when running a hand over the carpet and feeling a slight height difference between the tested and the untouched area. The wear is not visually detectable.
In the Vettermann test of the tufted contract quality Ex-Dono Quartet, the wear becomes gradually more visible throughout the test process and can increasingly be seen with the naked eye. The carpet exceeds the Class 33 requirements by a factor of three, but its visual appearance shows clear signs of wear: the carpet fibres are flattened, and the surface takes on an increasingly matted appearance. This occurs despite the carpet being made from PA66, the strongest carpet fibre available on the market.
When examining the tufted contract quality under a microscope with 40× magnification after the Vettermann test, it becomes evident that the carpet fibres progressively lose their resilience. Although the tufted carpet shows no indications of approaching its technical wear-through limit, its visual lifespan is already in an advanced stage of its life cycle.
In the castor chair test of Ex-Dono Quartet, the gradual development of wear is clearly visible from 25,000 to 100,000 rotations.
For the tufted quality, the wear becomes evident both tactilely, when running a hand over the carpet and feeling an increasing height difference between the tested and the untouched area, and visually, through a progressively matted appearance. The carpet fibres have lost their resilience.
Comparison:
Although two carpets may appear identical on paper – both classified as Class 33 and with a low CO₂e impact – the extended test results clearly show that their actual wear resistance and visual lifespan differ significantly.
Class 33 is not just Class 33.
Based on our extensive testing programme for the flatwoven contract qualities, it is our assessment that these carpets have a technical lifespan of at least 25 years, provided they are maintained in accordance with our operation and maintenance guidelines.
This durability is the result of the construction, the selection of components and materials, and a consistently high level of craftsmanship.