Todd Jarvis, Global Marketing Director, Shaw Contract, discusses the new trends, innovations and increasing awareness of sustainability that are influencing the choice of floor coverings in the hospitality, commercial and luxury home segments

WOW Hotel Banquet Hall designed by Designers Group, MumbaiWOW Hotel Banquet Hall designed by Designers Group, Mumbai

What new trends and innovations are influencing flooring options?
Technological advancements in the flooring industry are facilitating many new flooring solutions, much more than ever before. Designers and facility owners are increasingly interested to know the sustainable characteristics of flooring materials well before starting the project.

We are the world’s largest carpet manufacturing company with a wide range of carpet tiles and other product lines, which are supplied to the Indian market from our plants in the US and China. Our Global Design Studio continues to innovate with carpet tiles that combine cut pile, loop and intricate weaves. These new carpet products create new ways for design to go in many directions -- be it an interesting carpet tile project, banded throw rug, or a broadloom installation.

At the same time, Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) is gaining in popularity as this product comes with beautiful wood, stone and other aesthetics. It is also durable, easy to maintain and install. Keeping this trend in mind, we have launched a set of new products under LVT and Engineered Vinyl Tiles (EVT) segments (with cork backing based on the COREtec® patented technology).
Todd Jarvis
We are known for delivering design-oriented, premium quality carpets and hard surfaces for floors in workplaces and hospitality segments. We have a passion for design, innovation and sustainability, and we love to set trends

Todd Jarvis

What does Shaw Contract’s design capabilities encompass?
We believe in the impact of design. Our team of designers are based at our award-winning Create Centre in Cartersville. Georgia, USA, bring together unique specialties and the expertise to create products that change a human’s perception of space. The floor is a vital part of any space. We strive to develop products that re-imagine what the floor can be. From new designs to new materials, our studios explore new possibilities every day.

Each studio focuses on a unique market segment. These include categories and workspaces in the hospitality, education, healthcare, retail etc. We provide bespoke solutions to the challenges our clients face. We bring together diverse specialties to collaborate and create products that exceed expectations.

Corporate Office with Shaw Contract carpets. Designed by ZyetaCorporate Office with Shaw Contract carpets. Designed by Zyeta

Are the designs and products customized for the Indian market?
Shaw Contract designs, manufactures and supplies carpet tiles, broadloom carpets, rugs and resilient products for the Indian market. All our carpet tiles, broadloom and hard surface products, are designed and manufactured as per the local and global market inputs. Having said that, we further customise our flooring products based on design intent of the particular project. For example, if the customer is looking for a specific colour, specification and size, we are able to deliver the requirements. We have delivered many customised modular carpet tiles, rugs and broadloom carpets for the Indian market.

We have provided workplace design and flooring solutions for many leading firms in the Telecom, ITES and E-commerce categories. We have executed over 3000 projects in India where we have provided customized broadloom carpets, rugs and resilient flooring, including to leading local and global hospitality brands in India.

Here Solution Corporate Office designed by Beyond DesignHere Solution Corporate Office designed by Beyond Design

What are the sustainability features and unique characteristics of Shaw Contract products?
We believe that sustainability encompasses not only the environmental health of our products and our operations, but also how our products impact human experience. Our products undergo rigorous third-party testing for human impact and environmental impact through the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Products Program, which we have participated in for over 20 years.

We are the largest collector and recycler of post-consumer carpets in the world. We reclaim and recycle an average of 45 million kilograms of post-consumer carpets per year, leading the industry with more than 360 million kilograms recycled since 2006. In India, we’ve helped clients like Northern Trust Bank to reach their sustainability goal.

Does the company offer installation, maintenance and after-sales services to users?
We provide installation and maintenance services through authorised installation and aligned dealers. We educate our consumers and dealers about the best flooring maintenance practices for longevity. After completing a project and handing over the site, we conduct a briefing for the customer about the kind of cleaning processes that need to be followed. This includes explaining the type of mopping machine that needs to be used for the hard and soft surfaces. We also hand over a complete set of documents that explain all aspects of floor cleaning and maintenance.