Mohawk Partners with Plastic Bank to Fight Waste, Poverty

Mohawk Industries is joining the fight against ocean plastic pollution and poverty.

The flooring manufacturer has partnered with Plastic Bank, a social enterprise empowering communities around the world to use plastic waste as currency.

“Mohawk is committed to doing good for people and the planet,” says Kurt Weaver, Mohawk’s president of resilient flooring. “Over the next year, Mohawk will help Plastic Bank stop over 1 million pounds of plastic from entering the ocean and help improve lives in communities across the globe.”

Because plastic pollution and poverty are intertwined, Plastic Bank was launched in 2013 to champion sustainability with its social recycling movement. Community members collect and exchange discarded plastic for income and life-improving benefits. These exchanges are recorded through Plastic Bank’s proprietary blockchain-secured platform, enabling traceable collection and verified reporting. Then, the collected plastic is processed and recycled into feedstock for reuse.

“(We) envision a wasteless world,” says Plastic Bank founder David Katz. “By working with progressive companies like Mohawk, we can make a meaningful difference by turning waste into worth. Together, we are providing communities in vulnerable areas with a path out of poverty.”

Mohawk’s latest initiative coincides with its newest product, PureTech. Every purchase of PureTech will go toward stopping ocean plastic in collaboration with Plastic Bank. The waterproof, resilient flooring is PVC-free and made of renewable and recycled materials.