Vinyl flooring is known for its great looks, easy maintenance and durability. In recent years the popularity of LVT has exploded, making it the go-to choice for flooring. The Home Depot’s brand of Lifeproof vinyl flooring is manufactured in partnership with HMTX Industries. As a global supplier of LVT, HMTX manufacturers vinyl products for a variety of brands according to the specifications of each. As such, Lifeproof vinyl flooring is manufactured in strict accordance with the specifications of The Home Depot.
The Home Depot and HMTX, Sharing Sustainability Goals
The Home Depot’s sustainability goals are integral to HMTX’s journey to provide a more sustainable LVT and, in turn, provide a greater societal benefit. The team at HMTX is answering the need to invest in a restorative ecosystem, and we are doing our part to educate, motivate and encourage others to do the same. The future starts with all of us, at this moment.
When The Home Depot decided to eliminate phthalates from its LVT portfolio, HMTX joined them in leading the change. The commitment to phthalate-free LVT products by The Home Depot and HMTX was a catalyst for change throughout the industry, raising the bar for other companies to make safer LVT for consumers’ homes.
Taking Steps Towards Greater Product Transparency
HMTX has taken a leadership stance in the area of LVT product transparency. We are proud to be the first in big box retail to produce a detailed transparency document titled “Transparency: Beyond Ingredients” for all the Lifeproof branded LVT flooring. Together with The Home Depot, HMTX is committed to providing consumers with the information they need to make the best choice for their needs.
Sustainability, however; goes beyond transparency and chemical management. HMTX believes that sustainability requires leadership, raising industry standards for chemical safety, social justice and environmental responsibility.
Embracing Change from Sustainability to Social Justice
Recently, the company’s two primary factories achieved the JUSTSM social justice label. This is a first for any company in China (and all of Asia). The JUST program gauges a company’s performance in a wide range of metrics, including diversity and inclusion, equity, employee benefits, and stewardship. More recently in the U.S., HMTX Industries earned a JUST label for all of its facilities, including those located in Connecticut, Georgia, and Wisconsin. Applying quantitative JUST criteria has allowed HMTX to objectively see its strengths as well as identify opportunities for improvement.
HMTX is proud of its contributions to a more sustainable future for all, but they also understand that this cannot be done alone. As such, they are committed to engaging the broader supply chain along with other manufacturers in the LVT industry. HMTX has been at the forefront of the creation of the Vinyl Sustainability Council and was fundamental in the creation of the Assure Certified™ program for rigid core flooring. This latter program ensures that rigid core flooring products are manufactured to the highest standards and meet all requirements for indoor air quality, performance, and safety.
Pushing the Industry Forward for Nearly a Decade
The timeline below includes some of the pivotal actions by HTMX that have helped to push the LVT industry forward.
- 2013 HMTX eliminates the use of phthalates as intentionally added plasticizers in its LVT
- 2018 HMTX Industries achieves the JUST label for its primary China factories
- 2019 HMTX launches Transparency: Beyond Ingredients to better inform the consumer
- 2019 HMTX eliminates zinc pyrithione, a biocide/mildewcide, and replaces it with a more environmentally friendly alternative
- 2019 HMTX removes all Styrofoam from product packaging
- 2020 HMTX Industries, parent company of HMTX, achieves the JUST label for its entire U.S. operations
- 2020 HMTX Industries embarks on a carbon footprinting journey, the first step in an effort to produce carbon-neutral LVT
- 2020 HMTX certifies its rigid core platform with the newly established Assure Certification program
Alongside efforts to manufacture the most environmentally friendly LVT in the market, the timeline demonstrates HMTX’s commitment to sustainability in both its products and processes. LVT is synonymous with high-performance and durable flooring for both residential and commercial applications, and HMTX aims to prove that greener chemistry does not have to come at the cost of product performance. HMTX is leading the industry in creating more sustainable LVT without sacrificing durability.
They have also sought to minimize waste in manufacturing. In fact, all scrap material created during HMTX manufacturing is recycled and repurposed as raw material for flooring. In addition to manufacturing scrap material, all water is recycled throughout the manufacturing process, while recycled materials are also used in product packaging.
The Future of Flooring
Despite all these accomplishments, HMTX continues to innovate asking themselves and their industry, “What’s next?” Can we utilize everyday plastic waste to create high-performance flooring? How can we make resilient flooring circular? With leadership, innovation and partnerships like that between HMTX and The Home Depot, anything is truly possible!
