Quelling Urban Carpet Myths With Japanese Industry: Werner Braun

International Interest in Carpet: U.S. and Japanese carpet industry will share information and resources to support the use of carpet

In his June 24, 2011 column titled "Working to quell urban myths about carpet; Help is appreciated" for the Dalton Daily Citizen, Carpet and Rug Institute president Werner Braun talks about how some persistent myths about carpet are affecting the carpet industry on an international level.

In the article, Mr. Braun points out how CRI works on behalf on the carpet industry to identify the reasons people choose not to use carpet in their homes, and then doubles its efforts addressing those issues with the various groups in the market who are shopping for floor coverings. Apparently, CRI is not alone in the struggle.

“Over the years, many of our counterparts in Canada, Mexico and Europe have corresponded with us, seeking information to disseminate to the naysayers in their respective regions.”

Mr. Braun said he recently met with a contingent from the Japanese carpet industry. Only about 3-5 percent of floors in Japan are carpeted, and the industry in that country is also fighting the misperception that people with asthma and allergies should not live in carpeted homes.

“The Japanese carpet industry representatives shared data and studies they had accumulated to help in the battle against this urban myth and we gladly shared with them the information we have that helps dispel the notion that carpet somehow or someway aggravates asthma and allergies.

One of the reasons it is so beneficial to us to have an ally like Japan trying to dispel the myths on carpet is the fact it gives us almost a third-party spokesman in helping us dispel it here. We would also love for the Japanese to take some initiative and perhaps fund some sort of a clinical study that we could hitch our trailer to. We continue to talk to them about doing dust mite research, so who knows … maybe our collaboration will be beneficial.

It is these kinds of collaboration that can go a long way into helping get soft floor covering onto more surfaces worldwide.”

Thank you, Werner.

~Bethany