(part two) Las Vegas—Resilient suppliers touted a bevy of new innovations at the 2025 International Surfaces Event (TISE), including thicker, performance-driven SPC, sustainable rigid core and even collections based wholly around design style. No matter the construction, this year’s resilient suppliers came to play (and steal market share to boot).
Thicker SPC
When it comes to resilient flooring you can’t ignore SPC. The powerhouse subcategory returned to the TISE show floor in a big way—literally. Suppliers who launched new SPC products did so with thicker constructions in response to the black eye thin SPC products have given the category overall. Failures in the field spurred some suppliers to tout beefier, performance-driven lines in an effort to assuage the minds of those that may have been burned by shoddy imitations.
MSI, for example, moved into step-up products across categories, which included SPC. At the show, the company unveiled its new Studio collection. The line is MSI’s thickest LVT launch yet at 9mm (7mm + 2mm IXPE pad) with a 30-mil wear layer. The collection features two lines: Studio and Studio XL. Studio features standard extra-wide 9 x 48 planks while XL Studio features elongated 9 x 60 planks.
“Retailers are seeing some failures in SPC, so we’ve seen an overall movement toward things like WPC, but it’s not a product issue, it’s a spec issue,” explained Jason Andrews, director of sales/national marketing, resilient/tile. “It’s not that SPCs were the issue, it’s that entry-level spec that’s causing that stigma. So, we’re going with a better-quality product.”
For Europine, the focus on thicker performance SPC was always the goal. “For the last five years the market was asking us to produce 3mm to 3.5mm product, and we historically refused to do that because we never believed in the material,” said Volkan Yazici, president. “It didn’t pass our own testing in our own labs. So now the market is shifting to thicker product, and we are saying, ‘We told you so.’”
To that point, Europine showcased Privé at TISE 2025. Privé is a 9 x 60 format with white painted bevels and EIR technology and a low gloss level.
Choice Flooring, sister brand to Healthier Choice, a sundries company, has a full hard surface lineup, which includes resilient and hardwood flooring. Choice has been in resilient flooring since 2018 and in the last two years has overhauled the entire hard surface line up. “We’ve had a mix of things, but everything is now streamlined—we’ve added some series and created collections and revamped virtually all of our colors and styles,” said Andy Stafford, vp, marketing and product development.
That revamp includes the launch of 29 new products for 2025. Within that assortment is a new SPC line called Sonoma Valley, a 5mm product with a 20-mil wear layer and a 7-inch plank. “Everybody and their brother’s got similar products, but we’ve really tried to focus on the styling and design aspect of it and staying true to what our customers are asking for,” Stafford said.
Infinity Floors kicked off its launch at the show and while the company is mere months old it boasts vast experience in its management and product development team. To that point, everything at the show was new in terms of product but one unique approach was the company’s focus on SPC with matching glue-down products—and its “infinite” residential warranty. “There’s a lot of need for glue down,” said Tyler Geren, CEO. “So yeah, we’re still an SPC supplier but a lot of our SPCs have a matching glue down. And on top of that we have EIR glue downs—you don’t see a whole lot of EIR glue downs. It’s all about quality—and customer service—for us.”
At the show, the company showcased Sonique—just one of its SPC products—a 7mm, 20-mil, wide-plank product with an ABA core for strength and dimensional stability. What’s more, the products are GreenGuard Gold and FloorScore certified with EPDs available.
BHW unveiled its Summit line at the show. “Summit is a hybrid product that takes the best of WPC and combines the best of SPC, but it gets rid of the worst of WPC and the worst of SPC,” explained Jason Grant, vice president. “It’s 10% more dense than WPC and 30% less dense than SPC. That allows for greater flexibility and less cracking over time when you have subfloor inconsistencies. It’s nearly 30% more heat stable than WPC and 50% more wear resistant than SPC. It also has better sound absorption than SPC and weighs less than SPC. Going forward, that’s the platform we’re going to use for the products.”
Sticking with sustainability
Another major trend at the show was the continued focus on sustainability. Suppliers and retailers alike have noted the growth of consumer awareness around eco-conscious purchasing and are often turning to planet-friendly products for the home.
Mohawk, for example, showcased two heavy hitters in the sustainable resilient category, both of which have garnered rave reviews in the field: PureTech and SolidTech R. PureTech is a PVC-free vinyl flooring made from recycled and renewable materials. It is made with 70% total recycled content with an organic core that contains 80% renewable, plant-based material. PureTech also features the technologies Mohawk’s retail partners have come to expect including WetProtect, offering a lifetime surface and subfloor waterproof warranty.
SolidTech R is another product line driving Mohawk’s Resilient Revolution. SolidTech R features a stone cycled core, utilizing 100% recycled single-use plastic. In fact, in collaboration with Plastic Bank, each square foot of the product contains up to the equivalent of 20 reclaimed bottles. The product also includes Mohawk’s new All Pet Gold, an enhanced stain and scratch protection, and WetProtect Gold, which touts such advanced waterproof features that Mohawk is backing it with a flood-proof warranty.
Novalis is a resilient-only supplier that has prioritized sustainability since its inception. The company was founded with eco-conscious design as one of its main missions and continues with that focus today. “That [focus] comes from the Wu family and it has been passed down,” said Kimberly Hill, vice president, product and marketing. “Sustainability is a cornerstone of our business. That is how the company launched. He was trying to find a more sustainable flooring product. So that goes into every decision we make.”
To that end, the company’s entire product line features an eco-friendly approach.
Nox is another exhibitor of the show that is known for its innovation in sustainable design. This year the company put forth new goals in carbon reduction. “We’re trying to get to a point where we have a carbon reduction number that’s feasible,” explained David Thoresen, senior vice president, product and innovation, business development. “One of the ways we were doing that was with our bio-circular, recycled PVC. We’re still doing that and that’s gone really well but now we’re putting a number to our carbon reduction and that number is 50%. And we’re going to meet that goal by this summer.”
Nox took home the Best of Surfaces award in Sustainability for its EMT core and the carbon reduction it’s been able to achieve.
Inhaus’ Ceramin technology is a 100% recyclable non-PVC floor made exclusively in Germany. “It’s made with 25% post-consumer recycled material and itself is recycled in North America as well,” explained Derek Welbourn, CEO. “By end of life, it can be recycled here and made into feedstock for other polypropylene applications. But over and above the recyclability, the thing is it’s 100% digital and it’s finished with a lacquer surface, so what you get is incredibly good visuals because the lacquer is actually a clearer substance. So it really highlights the visual. In addition to that, it feels warmer. As you walk on the floor here at the booth where we installed Ceramin, it’s a more forgiving and a warmer surface. It’s totally comfortable.” The company also showcased two new rigid collections: Icon and Gallery.
Tarkett Home unveiled ReNue, a non-PVC, 9mm-thick hybrid—the star of the show for Tarkett Home on the resilient side. ReNue is 100% recyclable and made in the USA. “The sustainability feature is what has resonated with retailers,” said Katie Szabo, senior product manager. ReNue will be available in April.
Design forward
Performance and sustainability are not the only hot topics of the day. Style and design have always been at the forefront for resilient suppliers and this year was no different.
Engineered Floors, for example, launched what it called the “strongest and biggest” launch for hard surface, all branded under the PureGrain banner. PureGrain High-Def is an American-made premium line of digital luxury vinyl flooring (DLVT) featuring striking visuals, enhanced durability and innovative PawPrint protection. The line also includes: PureGrain Renew: Its most sustainable flooring option; PureGrain Comfort: Warm, quiet and soft underfoot; PureGrain Endure: Ideal for high-traffic areas; PureGrain Flex: Engineered for durability at any budget.
When it comes to unique design, you’d be hard pressed to find anything as eye catching as Forbo’s Cinch Loc Seal, a line of Marmoleum flooring in a variety of colorways not often found in flooring. What’s more, the product line is aptly positioned for the residential market. “When I talk to retail salespeople who are meeting with the homeowner face to face, No. 1 in importance is color and design,” said Tim Donahue, residential national sales manager. “If you look at the colors available in Marmoleum Cinch Loc Seal, you’re not finding that anywhere else. Most of the LVT click products and laminates that are out there are earth tones, stone looks or wood grains. There is no differentiation. So the ability to mix and match colors like these, either in the square or in a plank because they’re interchangeable, you can now create very unique looks and color combinations basically anywhere you want to go. That, to me, gives this flexibility that you don’t get in a traditional LVT click product.”
Outside of dynamic styling, realism made itself known at this year’s show. Mannington, for example, touted its “Meaningful Realism” campaign, which focused on several aspects in order to achieve a true-to-nature aesthetic. “The idea behind this launch was to elevate the visual and focus in on the areas of the aesthetics that we know are valuable for the consumers,” said John Hammel, senior director, residential hard surface.
In order to achieve its goal the company showcased its True Detail, which eliminated repetition in its decors for resilient flooring to get closer to the natural look of wood. It’s NatureForm Glaze technology provides a dual gloss for tile looks that provides depth and texture and a tactile feel. The company also continued on its “Bevolution” with the launch of Sculped Edge, a new bevel technology that provides a sophisticated look with a soft, smooth edge. “We are the leaders, and we want to continue that leadership with technologies like SculptedEdge, Nature Form Glaze and True Detail styling. It all connects back to realism that the consumer can see—it’s not just a new technology that may or may not connect with them, it’s really built off the understanding of the consumer and what’s important to them.”
Wellmade also came to the show with a new twist on the classic bevel. The company unveiled what it’s calling True Bevel, which aims to take realism to the next level. “Basically, one of the bigger things that was added in SPC probably three or four years ago was the painted bevel,” said Richard Quinlan, senior vp of sales and marketing. “The painted bevels are okay. They look good, but they don’t look exactly like a wood floor, whereas the bevel that we’re putting on our new product does—it looks like a real wood edge.”
A unique concept that was unveiled at the show was “shop by design,” which provides the end-consumer with the option to point to her style and then choose products that fit that style rather than having to hunt through a plethora of product to find what she’s looking for.
“As a design authority in the LVT space, we wanted to say, yes, we have the best designs and these are the inspiration stories behind them,” explained Julie Thomas, retail channel manager. “Consumers respond to that very well. But we wanted to go one step deeper and say, this is why we came out with this SKU at this time and make that message relevant.”
Enter Karndean Aesthetics. “This was developed off of a lot of market drivers—technology’s influence, environmentally, politically, financially; everything that actually goes with any buying decision. A consumer’s not going to walk into a retailer and say, ‘Hi, I am doing my kitchen. What’s new?’ They’re going to say, ‘I’m redoing my kitchen. I love to entertain. I like warm colors.’ From there, the RSA can now jump in and say ‘Okay, let’s start here.’”
Karnean curated collections of existing colors as well as its 25 new colors into three “stories” for RSAs to use during the sales process: Prana, In Control, and Mix + Max.
Prana is about connecting with nature and feeling a sense of security and warmth within a space. In Control focuses on quiet luxury, timeless classics and clean lines while remaining a sense of warmth. Mix + Max takes the maximalist approach, influenced by escapism and creating joy with a nuanced mix of old and new styles, bolder, brighter colors and timeless patterns.
Novalis, too, unveiled a shop by design concept that touted new product introductions meant to ease the shopping journey. “Sustainability is one of our cornerstones, but so is design and innovation,” Hill explained. “We have designers on our team. We have trend forecasters on our team. So we’re spending a lot of time doing research and development. This is bringing that knowledge to market. Our whole idea was a) to design for the whole home to make it very easy for her to combine products that look good together. B) to highlight those macro trends that we’re already researching, and c) to bring it all together on a silver platter to hand over to our customers.”
Those four concepts include: Foundations, Latitudes, Revival and Wander. Each includes new SPC collections with tech-driven innovation like large-format sizing and satin finishes.
Merchandising made easy
New display systems and customization were two touch points at this year’s show. Raskin, for example, unveiled its re-branding initiative, complete with a revamped display system designed to attract today’s consumer.
The Raskin’s display system categorizes its 60 products into three units: SPC (True Grain and Icon), PVC-free (Stone + Wood and Woodtex) and loose lay (Elevations). “Our intention is to create a showroom within a showroom,” said Gabrielle Raskin, director of business development. “A workstation with storage, samples and hand boards ensures an engaging experience for both residential and Main Street commercial customers.”
LX Hausys, a 60-year resilient veteran, focused on technological advancement and customization at the show. The company touted its trio of technologies, which can be applied to any of its resilient flooring products, including both rigid core and glue-down products: TrueFit, TrueQuiet and TrueMatt.
Featuring an advanced fiberglass layer, TrueFit delivers enhanced dimensional stability, superior indentation resistance and exceptional performance—even under extreme temperatures. TrueQuiet is an advanced acoustic innovation from HFLOR, designed to set a new benchmark in sound-dampening performance for modern flooring solutions. TrueMatte is an innovative surface finish technology that creates a matte-luster finish to blend function and aesthetics.
“You want there to be a choice,” said Steve DeCarlo, vice president of HFLOR, the flooring brand of LX Hausys. “Now, if you just need to go with a really good quality product at the best possible price, we have that for you. But if you want to have some premium upgrades, we’re able to work that into your budget as well.”
Benchwick, too, touted customization in its bevy of technologies now available at its partners’ digression. Most notable, it’s digital printing, which can be applied to a variety of its products.
“We are very flexible in the fact that we can do just about anything a customer wants— whether it be the end consumer or distributor or retailer,” said Darrell Slough, vice president of sales. “It’s becoming more and more important for companies to be more flexible and have more options. We can take these same digitally printed visuals and put it on all of our offerings. I don’t know of anybody else that can do that. And the other difference between us and a lot of other suppliers is we are the manufacturer. We’re not sourcing this somewhere. We’re producing it in South Carolina.”
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