Mannington Goes Green

Early press literature promised that NeoCon’s Tuesday afternoon Green Walk would mean dozens of manufacturer’s reps wearing “Ask me why I’m green” buttons. I was concerned that this promotion might spring an army of eco-friendly alien creatures on an otherwise unsuspecting audience. But I didn’t find a single individual, let alone an actual Martian, wearing the silly buttons.

Not that green design is silly! It’s just that this approach to sustainable design should be integral to every product-and something every designer asks about.

The only green I found was in the Mannington showroom, which provides a welcome respite from the Mart’s typically dark corridors. The flooring manufacturer has large expanses of actual grass growing in the windowless space. It is wheat grass and daily watering and trimming keep it healthy for as long as thirty days.

Mannington rep Robyn Raff, sans her “Ask me why I’m green” button, explained that the grass represents Mannington’s four-generation-long commitment to leading the flooring industry in environmentally sensitive approaches to products and manufacturing. Whatever the reason, the greenery makes wonderful scenery.