Milliken Flooring

Milliken is a global company that specialises in floor tiles. I have proposed using these tiles in a previous university project, so I have a brief understanding of what the company stands for. Today we were privileged to have guest speaker Mark Huckerby shared an insight into the company and its products' properties. An excellent opportunity for me to deepen my knowledge about Milliken.

Milliken prioritises safety, ethics, innovation and sustainability. Their values are showcased in their carpet tiles' design as they focus on qualities such as slip resistance and air quality. Milliken is a founder member of the Well Living Lab and is committed to understanding how floor coverings can impact people's health and wellbeing in an indoor environment. Studies have predicted that we spend around 90% of our time indoors. A figure that has likely increased due to lockdown and self-isolation. Therefore, the spaces we occupy must have a positive impact on our health. I think it is great that companies such as Milliken focus on designing their products to improve wellbeing and living. If I choose finishes from businesses with good values, my projects are more likely to be user friendly.

Carpet is commonly used in spaces such as offices as it is recognised for its acoustic properties. Mark explained how interiors with good acoustics are predicted to boost productivity. I assume that this is the reason workspaces favour the finish. Milliken's tiles are also very versatile as there are ranges to suit different parts of a building. The OBEX range is used at the entrance of the building. It acts as a barrier to protect the other flooring in the space as it traps dirt and moisture. Often, I forget about entrance matting in a project, so I am glad Mark outlined the importance of this flooring. Since future schemes will focus on using finishes with anti-bacterial properties, entrance matting is essential.

Lastly, Mark showed us the online visualiser tool on Milliken's website. The page works by allowing you to drop a chosen carpet into your environment. I love it when suppliers have a visualising feature on their website as I can see how a finish will look before committing to it. I could also use my site photographs and use this tool to create some visuals to explain a scheme.