UTT News...

Follow The Soy-Backed Road
January 2007

With petroleum prices historically unstable, industry leaders are continually working to find new ways to replace petroleum in their products with renewable resources. One use for domestically grown soybeans brings soy from the field to the floor. Universal Textile Technologies (UTT) has developed BioCel®, a soy-based carpet backing which is in use around the world.

UTT has worked to incorporate soy based polymers into carpet backing technology since 1999. Soy based polymers are polyurethane polymers manufactured with a portion of the polyol derived from a renewable resource – the soybean plant. UTT uses soybean oil which is extracted from soybeans, stabilized by removing gums and waxes, and converted into a polymer. This polymer becomes an integral part of the carpet backing and helps lock the carpet fibers into place.

BioCel® is manufactured to withstand abuse in high-traffic areas such as schools, churches, and hotels. The United Soybean Board and Soybean Check-Off have worked with UTT over the years – for example, by funding various promotional activities with UTT last spring.

The soy-based polyols used by UTT account for 10-14% of the overall backing weight. In addition, UTT incorporates a significant percentage of recycled content, resulting in a backing that is 60-70% green by weight. This use of domestically grown soy contributes to the American economy as well as the environment, by using a renewable resource in place of petroleum. UTT enjoys the benefit of soy's more consistent pricing, as opposed to ever-changing petroleum prices.

Another advantage of BioCel is that it extends the life cycle of carpet, for example, by enabling it to withstand years of repeated cleanings.