Shark Solutions joins ‘Circular Carpet Tiles’ consortium

Circularity Capital portfolio company Shark Solutions, a global leader in advanced recycled polyvinyl butyral (rPVB) products, has joined the ‘Circular Carpet Tiles’ consortium. Spearheaded by the Danish Technological Institute (DTI), the initiative aims to develop a framework for the reuse of materials across the carpet industry.

The vast majority of the 5 million square kilometres of carpet manufactured globally[1] follows a linear, take-make-dispose approach to production, usage and landfill. This consortium aims to tackle this problem by both facilitating the production of ‘circular’ carpet tiles, using recycled carpet materials, while offering a new model that paves the way for extending the life of used textiles.

With manufacturing operations across Europe and the United States, Shark Solutions separates the PVB layer from broken vehicle windshields and architectural glass, transforming it into sustainable, recyclable and price-competitive binders. Utilising rPVB within carpet manufacture lowers the sector’s carbon footprint by offsetting the need for emissions-intensive virgin binders, such as latex.

Shark Solutions will leverage its expertise in recycled adhesives and circular supply chains to help the consortium showcase an industry-scale solution, with the ultimate goal of commercially launching circular carpet tiles by the project’s completion in 2026.

Commenting on the project, Jens Holmegaard, CEO of Shark Solutions, said: "Many everyday products are held together by an adhesive, so the potential for recycling adhesive products is enormous. We are excited to pioneer a solution where our PVB dispersion, already used in laminated glass, can find a new role in textile products[RW1] ."

Ian Nolan, founding partner at Circularity Capital, added: “The textiles industry needs to adopt circular models to keep pace with the global shift towards more sustainable supply chains and net zero targets. Sector-wide collaborations are essential for tacking the rising need for recycled materials across manufacturing industries, and the Circular Carpet Tiles project is a testament to the will of corporates seeking positive change. Shark Solutions is an invaluable addition to the consortium, and its experience and expertise in recycled materials will be essential for finding scalable, commercially-viable, circular solutions for the carpet industry.”

For more information about Shark Solutions, or its work as a key enabler in the circular economy, visit https://shark-solutions.com/

[1] https://www.freedoniagroup.com/industry-study/global-carpets-rugs

 [RW1]From newsletter