What Is ResiLoop? A Simple Guide to Vinyl Flooring Recycling in Australia
Every year, Australia creates around 60,000 tonnes of resilient flooring waste. About 9,000 tonnes of that is brand new material that was never used. It’s the offcuts and trimmings left over after a floor is installed.
For a long time, most of that waste ended up in landfill. ResiLoop is changing that.
What is ResiLoop?
ResiLoop is a not for profit product stewardship scheme for resilient flooring in Australia. In simple terms, it’s an industry program that collects vinyl flooring offcuts and sends them to be recycled instead of thrown away.
It’s funded by leading suppliers in the resilient flooring industry. Their shared goal is to create a circular future for floorcoverings in Australia, where flooring materials are reused rather than wasted.
A quick history
- 2021: The Australian Resilient Flooring Association (ARFA) launched ResiLoop.
- 16 August 2023: ResiLoop became its own independent company.
- 1 September 2024: The scheme officially started collecting offcuts.
ResiLoop is also authorised by the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) to run until 2030.
What flooring does ResiLoop recycle?
Right now, ResiLoop collects installation offcuts from three types of flooring:
- Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT), which includes luxury vinyl plank
- Homogeneous (HO) vinyl sheet
- Heterogeneous (HE) vinyl sheet without a textile backing
It accepts trimmings, plus stock and roll ends, from both commercial and residential jobs. The flooring must come from ResiLoop member brands.
How does the scheme work?
The process is simple:
- Floor layers collect offcuts on site using ResiLoop bags.
- Bags go to a registered collection point, such as a flooring retailer, contractor or accessory supplier.
- Offcuts are gathered together at the collection point.
- Everything goes to ResiLoop’s recycling partner, where it’s turned into new products.
ResiLoop’s manufacturing partner, Think Manufacturing, turns the recovered vinyl into new non flooring products.
Where is ResiLoop available?
ResiLoop currently focuses on metro areas, starting with Sydney and Melbourne. Cities come first because that’s where most of the waste is: about 68% of end of life vinyl flooring waste comes from urban areas.
What’s next for ResiLoop?
ResiLoop is growing in three stages:
- Stage 1 (today): Installation offcuts from LVT, HO and HE flooring in metro areas.
- Stage 2 (next): Adding safety flooring and hybrid products, and expanding to regional NSW, Victoria and Queensland.
- Stage 3 (future): Collecting old flooring pulled up at the end of its life, covering all vinyl and non vinyl resilient products, with national coverage if it’s viable.
ResiLoop also runs a Circularity Support Fund, which invests in research to find new uses for flooring materials that would otherwise go to landfill.
How is it funded?
ResiLoop is paid for by a small levy on certain resilient flooring products sold across Australia. This money covers collection, recycling, industry education and research.
Why does this matter for designers and builders?
Sustainability is now a key part of most commercial projects. Choosing flooring that’s backed by a recycling scheme helps you:
- Cut waste on site by keeping offcuts out of landfill
- Support green building goals for your project
- Show clients a clear plan for what happens to leftover material
Frequently asked questions
Is ResiLoop only for commercial projects?
No. It accepts offcuts from both commercial and residential construction.
Can I recycle old vinyl flooring I’ve pulled up?
Not yet. ResiLoop currently takes installation offcuts only. Collecting old flooring is planned for Stage 3.
Does ResiLoop take carpet?
No. ResiLoop is for resilient flooring such as vinyl. Right now it covers LVT, homogeneous sheet and non textile backed heterogeneous sheet.
How do I get involved?
Floor layers can register as collectors, and retailers or contractors can register as collection points on the ResiLoop website.
Building a more sustainable floor
At Inspired Floorcoverings, we believe great flooring should look good, perform well and leave a lighter footprint. Explore our LVP range or request a sample for your next project.
