|
In This Issue...
|
|
Business Profile
|
|
|
Rainbow Carpet One Combines Product Knowledge, Service and Value
|
|
The Mid-County Post > Business Profile
Rainbow Carpet One Combines Product Knowledge, Service and Value
Local Flooring Retailer Has the Answers to Questions about Green Options
By Linda Fridy
New construction projects and remodels around the county now get points for using "green" materials, and Rainbow Carpet One will help customers choose products that match their needs and budgets.
Even people who do not face requirements for environmentally friendly materials want to know about their choices, said Tori Fields, manager of Rainbow Carpet One's Santa Cruz store.
"We have a lot of environmentally and health-conscious consumers," she said.
She and her employees make a point of staying up to date in this area.
"Green issues are the biggest change in this industry, and we're constantly learning and educating ourselves," she said.
Many customers come in with questions about issues they've read or seen, and Fields helps them understand the full range of options.
"There are a lot of different ways a product can be green. Some attributes are more important to some people than others," she said. Certain products with high marks for sustainability may also have higher price tags, and the Rainbow Carpet One staff helps find options that work within a budget.
Shades of Green
Customers looking for environmentally friendly flooring have many choices, whether in carpets, wood floors or other materials. They may be made from recycled materials or be recyclable themselves.
"One of the biggest changes in the industry is the ability to recycle fiber," said Fields. She described a major technological breakthrough in recent years: a "cradle-to-cradle" carpet fiber that can be remade into new carpeting indefinitely, like recycling glass bottles.
Other innovations include turning plastic bottles into carpet fibers and drywall into floor tiles. She is clearly proud of the environmental push by flooring manufacturers to create and use these types of products.
Some people mistakenly believe that the odor of new carpet means it is high in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), Fields said. It's very much like a "new car" smell, she noted.
"Carpet is one of the lowest VOC products we have," she said. Many of the manufacturers Rainbow Carpet One works with make special efforts to reduce VOCs.
In her quarter-century in the flooring industry, Fields has only met four people who have medical conditions bothered by the petroleum products in carpeting.
"All carpet, vinyl and adhesives are tested by the Carpet and Rug Institute," she added, and most meet the highest requirement clearing the product for use in schools.
Cork tile is another popular green flooring choice.
"It's sustainable, it's forgiving on our backs and legs, and it's durable," she said.
Harvesting cork does not requiring cutting down the trees, and Fields explained that the trees use extra carbon monoxide when they grow new cork bark, giving them a negative carbon footprint during the process.
American Made
Flooring purchases can benefit the economy as well as the environment.
"The majority of what we sell is made in the United States," Fields said.
Hardwood products made in the USA come from manufacturers with sustainable forestry practices.
She noted one American-made hardwood product is manufactured with no formaldehyde or other potential irritants. "Everything about it is green."
Another factor consumers can consider when evaluating "green" products is the carbon footprint of getting it to the stores.
"Shipping across the United States has a whole lot less environmental impact than putting it on a ship across the ocean," she said.
Production methods and shipping impact often make American-grown oak and hickory floors just as earth-friendly as imported bamboo, she noted, although bamboo has received a lot more media attention.
Industry Experience
Fields grew up in the flooring industry, where her mother worked as an accountant for a store in Salinas. She spent the early part of her career running a to-the-trade flooring business, and then moved into the retail side.
She's been with Rainbow Carpet One for about two-and-a-half years, and was promoted to manager of the Santa Cruz store in January.
Rainbow Carpet One has been locally owned for 41 years, and owners Don and Dean Sturtevant operate three stores in Santa Cruz, Watsonville and Gilroy. The alliance with Carpet One gives the local business access to the buying power of a collective of similar individually owned stores, Fields explained.
"We pride ourselves on our customer service and everyday low prices. We're able to negotiate some really special values," she added, which she makes a point of highlighting for her sales force and customers.
While some people have a talent for remembering people's names and faces, Fields said with a laugh, "I never forget a product."
Show her an older carpet or tile, and chances are she can identify it. "I can find just about anything," she said.
As part of its commitment to customers, Rainbow Carpet One also offers a choice of warrantees to meet their needs, including one dubbed the "beautiful guarantee" available on a large assortment of products. This plan offers customers the assurance that if they do not like their flooring once it is in place, Rainbow will replace it one time at no cost within a set period.
"It gives you the chance to make a mistake. If you hate it, we'll replace it once," Fields said.
Customers are often surprised by the store's versatility and range of design services, she said.
"We have designers who can help design any room from floor to ceiling, including window coverings, fabrics, and custom area rugs."
Rainbow Carpet One works equally well with residential and commercial projects.
"From a one-bedroom place to a university campus, we can do the work," she said.
Rainbow Carpet One has two showrooms in Santa Cruz County, one at 6000 Soquel Avenue in Santa Cruz on the frontage road (831-462-9721) and the other at 1923 Freedom Boulevard in Watsonville (831-728-3131).
Business Profile is a regular feature of The Post, offering readers an opportunity to learn more about our advertisers. For more information about this feature, or how your company might be included, call 831-476-9130.
|
