Some years back, a survey done by Better Homes and Gardens found consumers would be willing to pay more for carpet that has built-in odor protection. As a matter of fact, the report showed built-in odor protection for broadloom was an important enough feature that 47% of those polled said they would pay slightly more for it.
More recently, carpet mills have found that in addition to performance, style and color, many consumers—a large percentage of which have children and/or pets—are interested in a product that helps keep itself clean. Soft fibers, attractive patterns and different textures may be nice, but some end users are looking for more.
One company that leads the way in this arena is Beaulieu of America. At the forefront of odor-eating, bacteria-beating innovation, the mill introduced its Magic Fresh odor reducing carpet treatment in 2004, saying it was the first and so far the only mill to build in an odor-reducing treatment into select carpet styles. Beaulieu estimates that since its introduction, it has sold enough Magic Fresh-treated carpet to circle the globe.
In its Bliss residential line, introduced in 2008, Beaulieu made Magic Fresh and Silver Release antimicrobial technology key components of its successful Healthy Home collection. This year, the company launched an exclusive Magic Fresh Collection as well as a super-soft HealthyTouch collection incorporating the odor-reducing feature. Both collections are showcased in a new display complete with a built-in Magic Fresh tester area so customers can smell for themselves the effectiveness of the feature.
“A clean-smelling home is important to her, ” stated Patricia Flavin, senior vice president of marketing. “Several billion dollars are spent each year on air fresheners, deodorizers and scented candles. Our Magic Fresh-treated carpet takes care of that.”
The all-natural Magic Fresh formula is applied to the carpet during the manufacturing process and lasts for the life of the carpet, she noted. As odor molecules settle out of the air from pets, cooking or smoking, Magic Fresh breaks them down into harmless, odorless carbon dioxide. The whole process requires nothing on the part of the home- owner.
Beaulieu executives noted the popularity of its Magic Fresh continues to grow.
“With property managers of apartment communities, we have found Magic Fresh answers a real need in maintaining the desirability of rental units, particularly with pet-friendly properties, ” said Jeff Meadows, executive marketing officer of Beaulieu.
Flavin added, “We receive testimonials on a regular basis about how our Magic Fresh carpet has even removed fumes in freshly painted rooms or even gasoline fumes from spilled gas cans in car trunks after a carpet sample is thrown in. It’s probably one of the most remarkable carpet features ever invented.”
When Beaulieu was developing its Bliss carpet line, extensive consumer research was conducted to learn what was important to carpet-buying consumers. A clean, fresh-feeling home was a common desire among respondents. So, it’s no surprise Beaulieu launched its Bliss Healthy Home collection with a treatment it calls Silver Release.
Silver Release is a combination of silver, zinc and/or copper ions embedded in the carpet fibers during the manufacturing process. These all-natural metallic ions “deactivate” odor and stain-causing bacteria, molds and mildews when they come in contact and the effectiveness of Silver Release continues for the life of the carpet.