Green Carpets
Sustainable, Healthy and Beautiful
Sydney Carpets by Max Lawson are green, even when they are aren’t! With carpet styles in beautiful natural colours made from wool, alpaca and llama, this second generation carpeting business leads Sydney in truly environmentally friendly carpeting choices.
Adam Lawson, Max Lawson Carpets owner, talks about the options for earth positive carpets with Paul Oscar Hamilton, Our Manly Senior Editor and Green Business Expert.
Our Manly: Adam, they didn’t used to call it green, but your Dad, Max Lawson, who started the company, was ahead of the times when he offered natural carpeting.
Adam Lawson: When dad started in the industry 50 years ago no one talked about being green. But as you grow older, because of family and friends, you naturally go in that direction. I have my own children now, and the environment becomes more of a concern. Our carpet choices reflect our respect for the environment.
OM: People are beginning to seek out alternatives to synthetic carpets. What else can they do when choosing a new carpet?
AL: People are definitely aware that there are products that are better for allergy sufferers, for instance. People are interested in environmentally friendly carpets as well as environmentally friendly underlays. In the past foam underlay was used but it didn’t break down. It was made with harsh chemicals. New "green" underlay is made from wool, cotton and other natural fibers from unused clothes collected by charity organizations, like the Smith Family. Instead of going into landfills it’s made into a high quality underlay with excellent natural acoustic properties.
OM: Green Carpets and underlay are an excellent way to make a room acoustically appealing?
AL: Hardwood floors have their place in the home, of course, but one benefit of carpet is its acoustic properties. Not only do carpets make a house quieter, but are an excellent insulator as well. It draws moisture from the air in winter and during the summer releases it. Carpets also minimise electricity use.
OM: It’s pretty cool that carpets can be made from llama and alpaca. Obviously it re-grows, but what else makes them a green alternative?
AL: Llama and alpaca are naturally dark, therefore the yard is undyed. The carpets are luxurious blends of different shades which are sorted into standard colours. The advantage of not being dyed is that these carpets are less susceptible to fading. Dyes break down over time and fade. Of course you are restricted to these natural colours. There are no blue llamas!
OM: Wool carpets are not only hypo-allergenic, but have other beneficial attributes as well?
AL: Wool carpets actually remove Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) from the home environment, drawing them from the air and trapping them in the carpet. That doesn’t happen with synthetic carpets made with chemicals. Synthetic carpets actually outgas!
OM: Sometimes “green” can be just a label. What is an example of a deeper environmental commitment?
AL: One example would be Cavalier Bremworth, a large wool producer in New Zealand. Their mission is to improve the land and the treatment of animals. It’s more than just giving sheep green grass, but improving their quality of life. They also scour, or clean, their wool in an environmentally sensitive way, whereas in the past most companies would have just done what was cheapest.
OM: Thanks Adam. Our Manly and its readers appreciate Sydney Northern Beaches businesses striving to lessen their environmental impact, benefit the health of their customers and provide quality products and services. Here’s to another thirty years of continued success!
A: 15 Dale St Brookvale
T: 02 99057733
E: maria@maxlawsoncarpets.com.au
This Sustainable Business Interview
was conducted by
Green Business Expert Paul Oscar Hamilton