Tarkett, a leading flooring company, has been an integral part of the Stockholm Furniture Fair for several years, even winning the Best Stand award in 2018. In 2024, they are collaborating with the design bar The Yellow Thread, showcasing textile and vinyl floors with a stronger emphasis on circular thinking than ever before.
Thibault d'Ortoli, Sustainability Manager Nordics at Tarkett. Photo: Tarkett
'The theme of reuse is central to both the exhibition and our company. The collaboration with Färg & Blanche and The Yellow Thread exhibition aligns perfectly with our commitment to a circular economy,' says Tarkett's Marketing Manager, Johanna Strömberg.
The benches in the installation are clad with the iQ Loop vinyl floor, comprising 65% recycled post-consumer material, set to launch during the week. To reinforce the connection to The Yellow Thread, a yellow welding thread has been chosen for the bench edges.
On the floor of The Yellow Thread are yellow textile tiles, with yarn consisting of 100% recycled material. Johanna Strömberg, Tarkett's Marketing Manager, reveals that in 2024, they will introduce recycled textile tiles as the next step in their development.
As one of the world's largest flooring companies, Tarkett, with product categories including wood, vinyl, linoleum, and textiles, assumes comprehensive responsibility for the life cycle of its products. This approach, termed Tarkett Human–Conscious Design, covers everything from development and design to production, use, and recycling. Since 2013, a focus on the circular economy has been paramount.
Thibault d'Ortoli, Tarkett's Sustainability Manager for the Nordics, explains, 'We are convinced that a circular economy is the right strategy to save the Earth's resources, reduce waste, and help slow down global warming. This involves significant efforts to develop circular products and techniques to identify, manage, and process installation waste and torn-out flooring, using them as raw materials in new floors.'
D’Ortoli emphasises the difference between materials that can be recycled and those that are actually recycled. He also highlights the distinction between materials that are downgraded to filling or stuffing in recycling and those that are recycled into an equivalent product.
'Recycling is not just about technical solutions—the entire chain from construction to recycling must function. When we say a product is recyclable, it means we have a working logistics system that can handle waste from the customer to the recycling facility. It's not enough for a product to be technically recyclable if there isn't a system for customers to transport their waste to recycling,' adds D’Ortoli.
The collaboration with The Yellow Thread is a crucial way for Tarkett to showcase its products and circular ambitions. During the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024, Tarkett and design studio Note will also present a Pop-up lab, exhibiting the creative process and inviting architects, customers, and the media to engage. The lab includes a 3D model of the Ronneby factory to visualise the product's life cycle—from manufacturing and installation to return after use and eventual recycling into new raw materials.
The lab will be packed up and displayed in Denmark, Norway, and Finland, extending the reach of Tarkett's commitment to sustainable and circular design beyond the fair. Johanna Strömberg concludes, 'Stockholm Furniture Fair has become a significant opportunity for us to showcase our products. The fair is a fantastic meeting place and has played a big role in building our brand and business relationships. What we see now in Stockholm is the same trend we've observed for a long time in Milan and Copenhagen—the fair expanding to other locations. The dream is for all of Stockholm to breathe design during the fair week, and we look forward to following this development.'
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