Mohawk Airo is a new product in soft flooring that not only breaks the ideas of traditional manufacturing methodology but, more importantly, offers you, our customer, new features and benefits. This new technology is called Airo and to make the point, Mohawk doesn’t even call it carpet, but a unified soft floorcovering (USF), according to Tom Lape, president of Mohawk Residential.

“Tufted carpet has been made exactly the same way for the past 50 years. Essentially we have a face fiber, a primary backing, a latex binder and a secondary backing,” Lape said. “We literally wanted to think differently about carpet.” American Carpet Wholesalers is proud to
carry Mohawk Airo, a new concept in flooring.

Mohawk Airo is a tufted textile face and primary backing fusion bonded to an attached nonwoven cushion. Unlike traditional broadloom which is manufactured under tension, Airo’s face and primary backing are chemically welded to the cushion (no tension). This forms a powerful bond for this dimensionally stable product. Mohawk Airo is made of Polyester. Making it a great environmentally friendly and
recyclable flooring product.

Yet another benefit is flexibility. Because Airo is not constructed with traditional primary and secondary carpet backing joined with latex and fillers, it has a softness and flexibility that makes it easier and faster to install. It also won’t scratch walls and baseboards.

And because Airo isn’t manufactured with extreme tension, it requires no tack strip to install as well as no power stretching or knee kicking. It seams simply with double- sided tape, no seaming iron necessary. Mohawk believes the installation is much simpler and faster-at least 25% to 50% faster, according to Lape.

The process Mohawk pioneered that marries the face fiber, primary backing and cushion is unique, and it contributes to the dimensional stability, which eliminates wrinkling and delamination. The product is also hydrophobic, which means moisture is not an issue. Air.o’s fibers don’t absorb moisture, which helps prevent the growth of allergens and microbes. There is no “new carpet smell” and Mohawk Airo has carpet fresh treatment.

WHY is it called AIRO?
The name Air.O stems from what the product is and what it isn’t. Lape explains, “Air because of the air quality. The zero means zero smell, zero knee kicker, zero power stretcher, zero tack strip, zero secondary pad.”

Mohawk has worked for years in conjunction with its technical partner Niaga, a division of European-based DSM. “By working together with them, we have come up with a robust technical process, the know-how, the equipment and now, most importantly, the track record of the product that has been down,” Lape says. Mohawk Airo has been test installed for two years before the public launch of the new flooring.

Mohawk Airo is so much more friendly to the environment. Lape says, “If you look at traditional carpet, you have ten different components that go into carpet and pad today. We said, ‘Pad can be recycled, but it’s a pain. Carpet can be recycled, but it’s a pain and not economical to do so.’” Airo is 100% downcyclable into padding or upcyclable into carpet.

Mohawk Airo is a complete change in soft floor covering, having achieved superior tuft bind, flexibility, strength, dimensional stability and reduced overall weight and difficulty in handling. It’s flexible but has all the physical properties of traditional carpet. The 30-plus ounces of extra weight of traditional carpet backing has been replaced with a non-woven synthetic pad.

With Mohawk Airo, installation is easier. The product’s better flexibility and lesser weight makes it easier to transport, position and put down. Airo installs with a utility knife and standard double-sided tape on the perimeter of the room and across the seams. Mohawk Airo is not as rigid as traditional carpet giving it installation advantages on stairs and around railings or banisters. The ease of installation allows you or the installer to shift existing furniture aside, install part of the room, replace it and complete the job. Disruption is reduced. Mohawk Airo won’t scuff and scratch walls and baseboards.Everything happens with a straightedge, making it easier and quicker to install.

Mohawk Airo comes in eight cut-pile products for the initial launch from 40 to 65 ounces per yard. Styling is currently limited to solids, tones and flecks. American Carpet Wholesalers has all 8 styles: Changing Times I, Changing Times II, Fresh Start I, Fresh Start II, Gentle
Breeze, New Beginning I, New Beginning II, and Total Harmony.

We know and trust that Mohawk puts out some of the best flooring products in the world, but this is a new product. Not just a new product but a completely new PRODUCT TYPE. It would be a great idea to give the flooring experts at American Carpet Wholesalers a call before diving in a making a purchase on this product. An article online can tell a lot but a person who has first hand knowledge about all types of flooring can give you a much better perspective on this product. Plus you can request a sample before you buy. The number to call is 800-548-2706.

Click here for more reviews of the Carpet products available at American Carpet Wholesalers or Click here to explore other styles of flooring.