Cleanstream Carpets: Product Reuse makes Business sense

Carpet tiles make up approximately 3.5 million tonnes of waste in Wales annually. Through providing avenues for carpet reuse Cleanstream Carpets are providing an essential service to give carpet tiles a second life.

By: Ecodesign Centre

Cleanstream Carpets operate a UK-wide recovery, reuse and recycling service for office and retail carpet tiles. Cleanstream was established in 2008 and was a natural progression for its founder Ellen Petts with her experience in both the social and furniture sectors. Cleanstream Carpets are located in Porth and currently employ 5 people.

The Cleanstream business model delivers both environmental and social benefits. As a social enterprise, the business is committed to generating local employment and supporting community development through training and support for the long term unemployed. By intercepting a material stream that would otherwise be landfilled, Cleanstream can provide a much needed high quality, low cost product for clients on lower incomes. In 2010 Cleanstream diverted 23 tonnes of tile waste from landfill, in 2011 this increased to 50 tonnes and in 2012 already they are looking at 79 tonnes of waste diversion.

The modular design of a carpet through carpet tiling lends itself well to a reuse business model. Worn carpets may only need replacement of some tiles to renew it. Cleanstream’s core supplier base is that of the retail and corporate sector. More often than not, in these cases carpet tiles are designed for a longer life than the product is actually used for. For instance, in corporate offices carpets may be changed regularly due to corporate rebranding, quality standards and styling choices. In the case of tiles being beyond repair, then, Cleanstream will sort and send the tiles to a third party for shredding and reprocessing into new feedstock.

For Cleanstream reuse is the first option. In accordance with the waste hierarchy, reuse is better than recycling is better than landfilling, and extends the lifecycle of the materials and product far beyond scenarios where a tile is directly recycled, increasing employment as well reducing environmental burden across the lifecycle. We can all learn from Cleanstream, as intercepting at the reuse stage is something that needs to be implemented across other sectors and waste streams.

One of the biggest challenges for Cleanstream is consistency and continuity of supply, as often supplied tiles may be partially damaged with some beyond reuse. Often collections will be once-off scenarios and the incoming stock is unpredictable. To better manage this aspect of their business Cleanstream are turning to design as a solution. Bringing design to refit projects can enhance the marketability of the service by improving aesthetics at the refit stage. There are also design opportunities through looking at avenues for dying stained tiles to dark colours to further increase the quantity of reusability of incoming tiles and ultimately extend the life of the materials and product.

One of their most recent projects has involved working with Lisa Tobia of Tobia Design to refit the new Welsh Women’s Refuge at Caxton Place in Cardiff. Tobia Design offers a bespoke interior design consultation service for clients within the public and private sectors liaising closely with clients to develop unique interior solutions that are both functional and stylish. The facility has been refitted with 100% reclaimed tiles.

“Recycled materials can sometimes offer unconventional constraints, but with the application of good design, these were easily overcome to create a unique office environment. The range of products offered by Cleanstream allowed me to easily coordinate and complement the existing design specification of the project. As a designer, I was impressed by the extensive range and quality of the reused tiles on offer at Cleanstream.”

~ Lisa Tobia, Tobia Design

~ Lisa Tobia, Tobia Design

“WWA also wanted to use its funds in a way which maximised benefits for both the environment, and other not for profit organisations where possible...By using Cleanstream for recycled carpets, not only were we able to achieve significant financial savings compared to new, but were able to use our imagination with regard to the design of the flooring...not only do we have flooring that we like, but at the same time have significantly reduced the negative environmental impact that using a ‘standard’ company to remove old and supply new flooring would have had.”

~ Jemma Wray, Welsh Women’s Aid