The flooring industry has been helped through the recession by the popularity of home improvements, which have seen many people buy new carpets and other replacement floors, it has been stated.
In a report on this week's Surface 2010 exhibition in Las Vegas, Builder magazine noted that the event is inevitably less upbeat than in previous years, noting the effect on trade that a reduction in house building has had.
However, it added, the popularity of home renovation has provided a "saving grace" that not all industries have been able to fall back on during the economic downturn.
According to the report, many of the new flooring products being unveiled will have a green theme, such as hardwood floors from Enviro Hardwood, which imports wood pulled from a lake bed in Surinam.
The carpet market in the US may soon see significant penetration from the Just Shorn brand of wool carpets from New Zealand firm Elders, if a pitch at the International Design Guild convention this week has been successful.
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