Louden, Tenn.— Mohawk Industries took its environmental platform to new heights when the world’s largest flooring manufacturer offered consumers the industry’s first bio-based fiber.

Made partially from corn sugar, it is arguably the most significant breakthrough on the fiber side of the business since DuPont’s 1986 introduction of Stainmaster, especially considering how the industry is increasingly putting a premium on green products.

The new fiber resulted from a joint venture between DuPont and chemical processing company Tate & Lyle, which together on June 8, opened the doors to a facility here that allows Mohawk to replace petroleum in its successful SmartStrand fiber made with DuPont Sorona polymer. The new facility is the first in the world to manufacture this product—dubbed Bio-PDO—using state-of-the-art industrial biotechnology. The plant supplies DuPont with chemistry to make Sorona a renewably sourced polymer.

“The Sorona product has been one of best introductions we’ve had since the company was started,” said Jeff Lorberbaum, chairman and CEO of Mohawk. “It is unusual to have a product come out and have it accepted so widely. It exceeds the performance and aesthetic expectations of our customers. And now we’re making it bio-based.”

Both Lorberbaum and Tom Lape, president of Mohawk Residential, noted there has not been anything this unique to come to carpeting in some time. “This is a positive story for our industry,” Lape said. “It keeps consumer dollars in soft surface that have been recently vaulting to hard surface.”

Lorberbaum added that the renewable resource-based polymer offers properties identical to petroleum-based fiber. “Chemically it’s the same. We are extremely pleased of the quality and consistency of the biological root. The fewer process variations translates into improved performance.”

Walter Fields, global business director of bio-based materials for DuPont, agreed it offers the same performance benefits as a petroleum-based product. “Sorona is one of the few products available today that offers the fully functioning performance of a premium fiber that can be made with renewable resources,” he said. “Tests show that the fiber offers superior stain resistance for tough-to-remove substances, including mustard, red wine and bleach.” He noted stains can be cleaned with warm water and a mild detergent.

Using renewably sourced PDO to make Sorona polymer results in about a 40% reduction in energy consumption and 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions versus petroleum-based PDO, Lorberbaum said. “Seven square yards of 40-ounce carpet featuring SmartStrand fiber made with DuPont Sorona renewably sourced polymer will save enough energy and natural resources equal to one gallon of gasoline,” he said.

In more general terms, production of 100 million pounds of Bio-PDO will save the energy equivalent of more than 15 million gallons of gasoline per year.