• by Janice Hamilton , June 4, 2014

Feeding innovation and creativity is critical for creating new, sustainable business models that are also profitable. For the second installment on earth-friendly business models identified by the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based think tank and strategic advisory firm, SustainAbility, we’re focusing on a model that is based on “rematerialization” (use and reuse of materials as a means of reducing materials and energy related costs throughout the production cycle).

Lindsay James, vice president, Restorative Enterprise, InterfaceGlobal, a company that has been manufacturing contemporary carpet tiles made from recycled materials for more than two decades, shares her insider’s perspective. 

Mission Zero, Interface’s mantra, is its promise to achieve a zero environmental footprint by 2020, while simultaneously producing fashionable, high-performing and environmentally sound floor covering. Through a global initiative called Net-Works that is in partnership with the Zoological Society of London plus Aquafil, one of the company’s key sources for yarn production, Interface is on its way to achieving this goal. 

The material in question: discarded fishing nets that clog ocean reefs and ensnare wildlife all over the world. To date, tons of discarded nets have been turned into attractive floor covering. But the mission doesn’t stop there. Residents of impoverished fishing villages in the Danajon Bank area of the Philippines now have a new source of regular income. For every 2.5 kilos of nets collected, a family receives enough money to purchase 1 kilo of rice or 4,800 extra meals per village annually — a significant benefit. The end result: a diverse source of recycled materials to feed Interface’s ambitious post-consumer nylon recycling goals while also creating new revenue streams for those in need. 

Additional rewards include the formation of self-run community banks in these areas. Such local institutions offer micro loans for education and business ventures and create income resilience in the wake of natural disasters, especially in remote areas. For example, even after the devastating earthquake and typhoon Haiyan that rocked the Philippines in 2013, Net-Works operations resumed almost immediately. Because they are no longer littered with discarded nets, there is strong ecological evidence of beaches and reefs transformed as well as restoration of sea life populations. 

We asked Lindsay James what advice she could give to marketers Interested in emulating the success of the Interface and Net-Works model. Here are her top five tips:   

Clearly Define Your Mission

Interface defines its mission as: eliminating all negative impact on the environment by 2020. Through constant innovation and creativity, it is well on its way — literally creating new fibers and fabric from waste. 

Don’t Go it Alone

It is important to partner with nonprofit organizations that bring a different skill set and competencies to the venture. This insures mutual benefits to all parties involved. In this case, Net-Works was created to help solve the problem of finding a viable waste stream to feed Interface’s ambitious post-consumer nylon recycling goals. 

Dream Big and Look to Nature for Guidance 

The study of environmental science has shown nature’s restorative qualities time and again. By examining how these phenomena occur, companies can apply similar processes and thinking to solve human problems. Think of it as: innovation inspired by nature.  “After all, nature itself is restorative,” explains James. 

Focus on Cultural Acclimation

For companies that are working with underserved populations, it’s important to approach the program as a long-term investment. “It takes time to create systems and an infrastructure, especially in remote parts of the world,” adds James. For the Net-Works program, Interface had to develop local relationships, enlist people to participate in collecting the nets, train participants to process nets and even design a baling machine that would hold up to the coastal climate and work with limited infrastructure and resources. 

Leverage the Story

It’s important to weave the story of your initiative into your brand story. Interface doesn’t only sell design when selling carpet tile; the sustainability message is inherent and adds tremendous value to the product.  Interface tells the story globally: online, in the media and to its customers and business partners. To see an example, check out its YouTube channel that chronicles the progress in the Philippines.

We’d also suggest that InterfaceGlobal and other companies using the rematerialization model get students engaged in eliminating negative impacts on the environment by finding ways to share these initiatives with them. Just think about what great Science Fair projects could come out of these!