Ball & Young, part of the Vita Group, has been at the forefront of innovation and sustainability for more than 40 years. Founded in 1983, it began by manufacturing a range of traditional sponge rubber underlays and, in 1995, launched the Cloud 9 range of underlays.
Cloud 9 is high performing, lightweight and manufactured using PU trim generated from within the Vita Group: PU trim that had previously been sent to
landfill. That year it won best new product at The National Flooring Show, and Ball & Young has been innovating and expanding the range ever since. Since 2000 the company has diverted over 300,000tonnes of PU trim from landfill to make its underlays.
‘We haven’t stopped looking at ways to make the range even more sustainable. We have developed high-density products; an IMO-certified flame-retardant range, and now have Environmental Product Declarations for some key products. Our Eco Cushion range of underlays for artificial grass uses a type of PU foam that is unsuitable for use in a carpet underlay, meaning that even more of the PU trim generated within the Vita Group is able to be used,’ says Mark Townend, Ball & Young sales director.
‘We have also introduced a take-back scheme where offcuts of underlay are returned to Ball & Young, processed and converted into underlay, preventing even more material from ending up in landfill.
‘The Vita Group has recently been awarded an EcoVadis Platinum rating, scoring an industry-leading 83 out of 100. This accolade places Vita in the top 1% of companies assessed by EcoVadis, highlighting our commitment to creating sustainable business practices through a future-fit sustainability management system.
‘2025 marks the 30th anniversary for Cloud 9 – 30 years of innovation that has created a range of sustainable underlays providing comfort and protecting floors.’
