Flooring Superstore, one of the fastest growing retailers of residential flooring, has announced four new partnerships with sustainability-focused organisations.
The collaborations with Eden Reforestation Project, Future Forest Company, Rainforest Trust UK and ReSea Project will contribute to the business reducing its carbon footprint and issues relating to global warming by planting trees, cleaning up oceans, protecting habitats and supporting communities.
The multichannel retailer is committed to improving its sustainability credentials and is making positive changes now via these partnerships.
An ambitious tree planting target is underway, which sees Flooring Superstore plant a tree for every square metre of flooring sold. It aims to plant 20 million trees in five years and has already succeeded in planting 1.4 million since launching the goal in August 2020.
In partnership with Eden Reforestation Project, the retailer has established Project Kenya in Africa, which aims to plant five million trees to allow wildlife to flourish, as well as removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The campaign, which is 100 per cent funded by Flooring Superstore, covers 2,000 hectares and it is hoped the site will be extended as the scheme grows.
A new project has also been launched in Madagascar to help restore forests in a country where 90 per cent of its original woodland has been destroyed.
True to its word of acting fast, Flooring Superstore planted 195,985 trees in February 2021 alone; 112,651 in Kenya’s Imenti Forest and 83,334 in Madagascar.
Working with Future Forest Company, the business is planting 25,000 native species trees in Ayrshire to benefit biodiversity, improve air quality and restore natural habitats.
Flooring Superstore is also a proud Conservation Circle partner of Rainforest Trust UK, a British charity working in partnership with Rainforest Trust in the US to protect the world’s most threatened rainforests and other tropical ecosystems.
Michael Roy, Co-Founder and COO at Flooring Superstore, which has 25 stores across the UK, explains: “We’re on a tree planting mission and recognise the importance of protecting habitats as deforestation is one of the biggest threats to the planet. Woods and trees are home to more wildlife than any other landscape, providing homes for thousands of different species including some of our most loved animals. We’re working with and supporting various projects across the world with donations that directly protect huge areas of rainforest. To date we’ve funded the protection of 9,777 acres of rainforest. Those acres contain approximately 9.8 million trees and store around 1.1 million metric tonnes of CO2 equivalents, helping to safeguard our planet against climate change.”
“Since being founded in 2012, the business is expanding rapidly. We’re planning on doubling our stores to 50 in 2021 and with that comes a lot of responsibility. We’re dedicated to supporting the world around us to make it a better place and that starts with the environment.”
Plastic pollution in our seas is also a huge issue that Flooring Superstore is going to help combat. In partnership with ReSea Project in Indonesia, the retailer has removed 14,300kg of plastic, the equivalent of 572,000 single-use plastic bottles, since August 2020. All bottles are collected, cleaned, processed and recycled into new products, which creates employment as well as improving the quality of the world’s oceans.
As well as the environment, Flooring Superstore is passionate about improving homes and lives. Since early 2020, its partnership with Community Interest Company – the Woodland Warrior Programme – has been helping army veterans and key workers who may be dealing with mental health issues. The company have already donated over £20,000 and funded workshops for over 200 key workers.
Flooring Superstore has ambitious plans to develop new product ranges that are 100 per cent recyclable and made from recycled materials. It retails a line of Eco-Living rugs and runners produced from recycled materials. The line went on sale in February 2021.
