DESSO AirMaster®: Because What You Can’t See Can Hurt You

We are living, breathing beings on a living, breathing planet. That’s why we at Tarkett believe it is essential to protect the air we breathe. 

Through our commitment to Tarkett Human-Conscious Design® we aim to create flooring that is good for people and the planet, and actively seek solutions to some of the biggest challenges of our times. 

Every breath carries more than oxygen. It can carry harmful microscopic particles deep into your lungs and bloodstream. And the effects aren’t always immediate, but they are constant, quietly building over time.
Poor indoor air quality doesn’t just impact those with existing health conditions, it affects all of us. Whether you’re at work, at home, in a classroom or a waiting room, the air you breathe influences how you feel, how you focus, and how your body functions.
In Australia, asthma affects approximately 1 in 9 people - one of the highest rates in the world - making clean indoor air not just important, but essential.
The science is clear: fine dust, VOCs, allergens and other airborne pollutants contribute to a wide range of health issues, including:

• Respiratory irritation — coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath
• Allergies and asthma flare-ups — particularly in vulnerable groups like children and the elderly
• Headaches, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating — making it harder to perform at your best
• Reduced immune function, leaving the body more susceptible to illness
• Increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious conditions
• Prolonged exposure to fine dust and VOCs has been linked to chronic respiratory diseases and even certain cancers (World Health Organization, EPA)

Clean air indoors isn’t just about comfort, it’s about protecting health, improving wellbeing, and creating spaces where people can truly thrive.

Indoor air contains harmful particulate matter (PM) - microscopic particles of dust and dirt small enough to be inhaled deep into the lungs. Grouped into two size categories, PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, both can produce harmful effects on the respiratory and cardiovascular system.

DESSO AirMaster^® Carpet Tiles are designed with a clear purpose: to capture and retain fine dust particles, helping to break the cycle of indoor air pollution.

• Patented technology holds fine dust until it can be safely removed — four times more effective than conventional carpet, eight times more effective than hard flooring
• Helps reduce circulating airborne particulate matter — including harmful PM10 and PM2.5 particles
• Supports low VOC emissions — making it a responsible, healthier flooring choice
• Ideal for busy, high-traffic spaces where clean air matters most - offices, schools, healthcare facilities, and public buildings
   

In a world where we spend 90% of our time indoors, every detail matters. The floor beneath your feet is no exception.
DESSO AirMaster^® doesn’t just look good — it helps create spaces where:

• People can breathe more easily
• Airborne health risks are reduced
• Clean, healthy environments become the standard, not the exception

Because cleaner air isn’t a luxury. It’s a right - and it starts from the ground up.

DESSO AirMaster^® - Flooring that Helps You Breathe Easier, Live Healthier

Rooted in Cradle to Cradle principles, all our design decisions start at the end. We limit the use of virgin raw materials by recovering valuable resources otherwise destined for waste, and recognise that we are responsible for the full life cycle of every material we work with. 

Our Carpet Tiles are composed of two key components – yarn and EcoBase backing – that come together just as neatly as they can later be taken apart. As part of our continuous efforts to reduce our circular carbon footprint we are proud to introduce an improved EcoBase backing, with a new bio-based ingredient replacing a core ingredient composed of petroleum-based content.

Together with our holistic design approach and carefully considered materials, our closed-loop system ensures that our Carpet Tiles record an impressively low circular carbon footprint – one we're continually working, alongside our partners and customers, to shrink even further.

Footnotes:

¹ Source: https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/how-your-lungs-work

² US Environmental Protection Agency

³ Based on GUI test report AirMaster® 090225-01 DF with DESSO AirMaster® versus a standard smooth floor and versus standard structured loop pile carpet (median values).

⁴ AirMaster Earth: According to the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) S-P-08559 - AirMaster® externally verified by Bureau Veritas, based on the total carbon footprint (Modules A-D) with a closed loop circular recycling scenario.

⁵ Circular Carbon Footprint: according to the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) S-P-11790 – DESSO AirMaster Classic, S-P-11675 – DESSO AirMaster Earth, and S-P-11798 – DESSO AirMaster Sphere, externally verified by Bureau Veritas, based on the total carbon footprint (Modules A-D) with a closed loop circular recycling scenario.