Flooring You Can Trust

When choosing flooring, most people think about color, durability, and price. But for the millions of Americans living with asthma, allergies, or other respiratory sensitivities, what is underneath their feet can directly impact how they feel every day. That is where third-party certifications come in — and why they matter more than ever.

Certifications give customers something that marketing claims alone cannot: independently verified proof that a product performs as promised. Programs like CRI Green Label Plus, FloorScore, and the Asthma & Allergy Friendly^® Certification Program put products through rigorous scientific testing, ensuring that what ends up in your home meets defined health and performance standards. For customers navigating a market full of claims and labels, a credible certification cuts through the noise and provides genuine peace of mind.

A World First: SmartStrand with Pur-Ease Earns Asthma & Allergy Friendly^® Certification

Mohawk’s SmartStrand portfolio with Pur-Ease technology earned the Asthma & Allergy Friendly^® Certification as the first treated carpet product to meet the program’s requirements under its enhanced textile flooring standard. This is not just a product milestone — it is an industry milestone.

The Asthma & Allergy Friendly^® Certification Program is a collaborative initiative between the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and Allergy Standards Limited (ASL), designed to help consumers identify products that contribute to a healthier indoor environment. Products undergo rigorous independent testing to meet scientific standards that require them to reduce or capture allergens and/or common airway irritants.

To earn this certification, SmartStrand with Pur-Ease was evaluated under the program’s ASP:05-03 Textile Flooring Standard — a structured, performance-based framework for assessing carpet products that incorporate allergen-related technologies. The results were compelling. Testing showed that the treated carpets significantly reduce and remove common allergens, including pollen, pet dander, and dust mite allergens, by at least 75% compared to untreated carpets, while also reducing allergens trapped within the fibers by at least 50%. Importantly, the carpets do not release allergens into the air, ensuring airborne allergen levels remain stable during use. The product also met strict indoor air quality standards, with low VOC emissions both shortly after installation and over time, and maintained safe air quality during normal use and routine cleaning.

The technology behind this achievement is rooted in natural science. Mohawk’s SmartStrand with Pur-Ease technology uses natural probiotics to reduce common household allergens such as pet dander, pollen, and dust mite allergen. It is an innovative approach that reflects where flooring technology is heading — toward solutions that are not only beautiful and durable, but genuinely supportive of the people living on them.

“People spend 90% of their time indoors, and this means consumers with allergies and asthma need a variety of options for improving the air quality in their indoor living environments,” said Kenneth Mendez, president and CEO of AAFA. SmartStrand with Pur-Ease answers that need directly.

What This Means for Customers

For anyone shopping for flooring with health in mind, this certification provides something invaluable: confidence. Not a claim. Not a label. A verified, science-backed assurance that the flooring in your home is working for your health, not against it.

As Joe Semaan, president of residential carpet at Mohawk, put it: “Innovation at Mohawk has always been about more than just creating beautiful, durable products. It is about improving the way people live.”

With SmartStrand with Pur-Ease, Mohawk has raised the bar for what healthy flooring can look like and set a new standard for the entire industry to follow.