“I never perfected an invention that I did not think about in terms of the service it might give others.” – Thomas A. Edison

At Milliken, we take Mr. Edison’s words to heart every time we set out to create and innovate. We also like to take it one step further, by considering not only the service it might give others, but the service it might give our planet as well.

Environmental responsibility is a key pillar of our work at Milliken, and our innovations reflect that value. Whether it is through perfecting responsible manufacturing principles, utilizing and developing sustainable materials, or reducing our environmental impact, we strive to create innovations that ‘do good’ for the natural world. Here are four Milliken innovations helping to protect the environment each day.

TYCOR®

By harnessing more wind power, TYCOR composites enable windmills to produce more energy with minimal design changes. TYCOR is a fiber reinforced core material with a distinctive sandwich structure. It costs less and weighs significantly less than competing materials.

When applied to windmills, TYCOR makes windmill blades lighter, stiffer, and stronger, and as a result, the blades can be longer. Longer blades are able to capture more wind and thus produce more energy. In this application, TYCOR helps to make current windmills, a renewable and low impact sources of energy, more productive with less resources and investment.

milliCare®

A holistic approach to textile and floor care, milliCare blends its substantial knowledge of floor covering with Milliken’s commitment to sustainability. MilliCare developed its proprietary dry care carpet cleaning technology, which uses 99.5% less water than competing systems, to meet the needs of both its consumers and the environment. Traditional hot water extractions use 319% more energy than milliCare, which translate into 77% higher carbon emissions.

Its conscientious and conservative use of resources is one of several eco-friendly aspects of milliCare. Through the use of milliCare, the life of your carpets can be extended by up to three years, which means your investment lasts longer and landfill waste is reduced.

NX™ UltraClear Polypropylene made with Millad® NX™ 8000

Milliken Chemical’s work with polypropylene has reinvigorated the food-packaging industry. By taking the usually milky appearance of polypropylene (PP), MiIllad NX 8000 creates an ultra clear packaging solution offering mass appeal, heat resistance, cost-efficiency, and responsible manufacturing.

PP is lower in density than other food packaging materials, allowing manufacturers to create more containers with less waste. PP also takes less energy to produce and is able to be recycled. Recycled products made with PP have long product life cycles, which leads to less plastic waste in landfills. With these factors, NX UltraClear PP offers a sustainable solution with long-term, eco-friendly benefits.

Open-Cell Cushion Backing with Milliken Modular Carpet

Standard with all Milliken modular carpet collections is our revolutionary PVC-free, open-cell cushion backing. This backing, which enables current workplace trends like indoor air quality and sit-to-stand working, supports a healthier environment for both employees and the world.

Milliken modular carpet helps prevent mold and mildew growth, thanks to its unique moisture vapor-wicking capabilities. This wicking can eliminate subfloor moisture issues and is Milliken’s answer to flooring failure – an estimated $1 billion industry issue. Coupled with its inherent air-quality enhancing traits, our modular carpets last up to 40% longer than other floor covering – which translates into a better return on consumer investments, the option to reuse reclaimed modular carpets in new environments, and less waste entering landfills when it is time to replace.