Karta returns to Clerkenwell Design Week 2026 with a bold new development. Building on its Recycled Leather Series, the brand introduces an oversized herringbone format, extending its circular flooring system into a more expressive architectural scale.
Across commercial interiors, resilient flooring continues to be specified in vast quantities, much of it dependent on plastics and petrochemical compounds. These materials are energy-intensive to produce and difficult to recover at end of life. As specification volumes increase, so does scrutiny around long-term impact, with architects and designers placing greater emphasis on what sits beneath the surface.
Karta was developed within the Ted Todd Group as a response. Drawing on over three decades of timber expertise, it applies a material-first approach to engineered flooring. Each product is designed around circular principles, using natural, renewable, and reclaimed components to deliver durability without plastic-based systems.
This is embedded in Karta’s five-layer construction. A cork backing provides acoustic absorption, thermal insulation, and underfoot comfort while removing the need for a separate underlay. A PEFC-certified wood fibre core, formed from recycled timber and underused parts of the tree, delivers structural stability. A recycled leather layer, created from post-industrial waste sourced across Europe, introduces impact resistance and diverts material from landfill.
Above this, a high-definition design layer captures the complexity of real timber using ultra-high-resolution scans from Ted Todd and Woodworks archives, preserving tonal variation and grain detail. Biodegradable inks are used throughout. A plastic-free Karta Plated® topcoat achieves AC5 durability, supporting performance across high-traffic commercial environments .
This combination allows Karta to operate as a complete system, supporting consistent performance across sectors while aligning with demand for responsible material specification.
At Clerkenwell Design Week 2026, Karta extends this system with an oversized herringbone format. Developed from the existing Recycled Leather Series, it reinterprets a familiar pattern at a larger scale, offering a different spatial effect within commercial interiors.
Each plank measures 200mm by 900mm and matches the 9mm depth of Karta’s wide plank format, allowing both to be specified together within a single scheme. These proportions support clearer zoning, transitions, and more deliberate layout planning across open-plan environments. The increased scale introduces a stronger visual rhythm in larger spaces .
The new format retains the same construction, material composition, and performance characteristics as the wider collection. Designers can work with a more pronounced pattern language without altering specification criteria. Surface authenticity is maintained through the same high-definition process, with no repeated boards across extended layouts, supporting a natural finish at scale .
Karta’s return follows a strong debut in 2025, where interest centred on both surface realism and material composition. This year focuses on application and progression, with the oversized herringbone presented alongside the full Recycled Leather Series.
Karta will present the collection at Stand CG21, Commercial Interiors on the Green, with large-format displays and access to the commercial flooring team. Visitors can examine construction layers, explore timber origins, and discuss application across live projects.
Clerkenwell Design Week 2026 takes place from May 19th to 21st. To arrange a meeting or discuss a project, contact the Karta team at [email protected] or call 0808 501 7321.
