Karta returns to Clerkenwell Design Week 2026 with a focused development that brings together material innovation and design progression. 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 this category remains dependent on plastics and petrochemical compounds, materials that are energy-intensive to produce and difficult to recover at end of life. As specification volumes increase, so does scrutiny around the long-term impact of these material choices. Architects and designers are placing greater emphasis on what sits beneath the surface, alongside how a floor performs in use.
Karta was developed within the Ted Todd Group as a response to this shift. Drawing on over three decades of timber expertise, the brand 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 reliance on plastic-based systems.
This approach 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 and efficient use of resources. A recycled leather layer, created from post-industrial waste sourced across Europe, introduces impact resistance and diverts material that would otherwise be sent to landfill.
Above this, a high-definition design layer captures the visual complexity of real timber. Using ultra-high-resolution scans from the Ted Todd and Woodworks archives, each surface reflects the tonal variation, grain structure, and natural irregularities found in original boards. Biodegradable inks are used throughout the process. A plastic-free Karta Plated® topcoat achieves AC5 durability, supporting performance across high-traffic commercial environments.
This combination of materials allows Karta to operate as a complete system rather than a surface treatment. It supports consistent performance across a range of sectors, while aligning with increasing demand for responsible material specification.
At Clerkenwell Design Week 2026, Karta extends this system through the introduction of an oversized herringbone format. Developed from the existing Recycled Leather Series, the new format reinterprets a familiar pattern at a larger scale, offering a different spatial effect within commercial interiors.
Each plank measures 200mm by 900mm while matching the 9mm depth of Karta’s wide plank format and allowing both to be specified together within a single scheme. These proportions support clearer zoning, transitions between areas, and more deliberate layout planning across open-plan environments. The increased scale introduces a stronger visual rhythm, particularly in larger spaces where smaller formats can become visually fragmented.
The new format retains the same underlying construction, material composition, and performance characteristics as the wider collection. Designers are able to work with a more pronounced pattern language without changing the specification criteria already established within Karta projects. Surface authenticity is maintained through the same high-definition scanning process, with no repeated boards across extended layouts, supporting a natural and varied finish at scale.
Karta’s return to Clerkenwell follows a strong debut in 2025, where interest centred on both the realism of the surface and the composition beneath it. This year, the focus shifts toward application and progression. The oversized herringbone sits alongside the full Recycled Leather Series, allowing visitors to engage with both the technical structure and the design potential of the system.
Located at Stand CG21 in Commercial Interiors on the Green, the Karta space will present the collection in full, with large-format displays and access to the commercial flooring team. Visitors will be able to examine construction layers, explore the origins of the timber designs, and discuss how the system can be applied across live projects.
The presence forms part of a broader conversation taking place across Clerkenwell Design Week, where material responsibility and long-term performance are increasingly central to specification decisions. Flooring, often considered a background element, plays a significant role in both environmental impact and spatial experience. Developments such as Karta’s circular construction and expanded format offering reflect a growing alignment between these two considerations.
Clerkenwell Design Week 2026 takes place from May 19th to 21st. Karta can be found at Stand CG21, Commercial Interiors on the Green.
To arrange a meeting or discuss an upcoming project, contact the Karta team at info(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)kartafloors.com or call 0808 501 7321.