TAJ Flooring, EPDs, and the spec battlefield
TAJ Flooring plays in commercial resilient with broad design range and healthcare‑friendly options. The big question for specifiers is simpler than the catalog is wide: which lines have current EPDs, which do not, and where could that be costing them shortlist spots when projects filter for disclosure credits and carbon goals?
TAJ Flooring in one minute
TAJ Flooring, Inc. is a U.S.‑based resilient specialist focused on commercial environments like healthcare, education, retail, and multi‑family. Think luxury vinyl tile and plank for the heavy traffic zones and resilient sheet for infection‑control spaces. The brand story is design‑forward, installer‑friendly, and pragmatic on maintanence.
What they sell, at a glance
TAJ’s lineup spans several resilient families that cover most common specs:
- 3 mm glue‑down LVT across style tiers like Select, Spectrum, and Phoenix.
- 5 mm modular acoustic LVT tiles and planks for sound control in learning and healing spaces.
- Resilient sheet vinyl, including healthcare‑oriented phthalate‑free lines such as the Majestic collection (Majestic Sheet Vinyl).
- Rigid core click offerings for light‑commercial needs, made to order, positioned for speed of install.
Across colorways and sizes, the portfolio reaches into the hundreds of SKUs. It is not a pure play in one product thickness or format, it is a resilient range designed to swap into varied applications.
EPD coverage snapshot
As of November 21, 2025, TAJ appears to have one current, third‑party verified EPD that covers TAJ LVT, and several older declarations that have lapsed. In practice this means glue‑down LVT is covered today, while sheet and modular acoustic LVT read as gaps until renewed. If you sell into owner policies that screen for current EPDs, that simple status difference can decide who gets the submittal call.
Why the gaps matter commercially
Procurement teams increasingly treat EPDs like a boarding pass at the gate. No pass, no seat. LEED v4.1 explicitly awards up to two points for teams that select products with verified EPDs and, where shown, improved impacts relative to benchmarks (USGBC, 2024) (USGBC, 2024). On projects that apply such filters, a product without a current EPD forces pessimistic assumptions that drag on the project’s material carbon accounting. That makes swaps more likely and price concessions more painful.
A likely best‑seller that needs attention
Two workhorse families for TAJ’s core markets look uncovered right now: modular acoustic LVT for education and behavioral health, and resilient sheet for clinical zones. Acoustic LVT is often shortlisted for corridors, patient rooms, and classrooms. Sheet vinyl is the go‑to in procedure areas. If these lines lack current EPDs, sales reps will quietly avoid EPD‑driven opportunities or get asked to substitute. It is a blind spot that hides lost revenue.
Who TAJ faces in specs
On typical commercial LVT and sheet bids, expect to see Shaw Contract, Tarkett, AHF Products, Gerflor, Karndean, and Interface. Several of these competitors carry current EPDs across multiple resilient sub‑types, including LVT, sheet, and rigid core. That breadth lets them keep the spec in family when projects require EPDs across zones. TAJ can absolutely compete on design, service, and lead times, but disclosure coverage needs to match the reality of multi‑space, multi‑credit projects.
Practical next steps for TAJ’s product team
- Prioritize EPD renewals where specification pressure is highest: healthcare sheet and 5 mm acoustic LVT. Those two unlock the most square footage.
- Use one EPD to cover multiple colorways and sizes where the formulation is the same. Sales wins come from coverage, not from slicing declarations too thin.
- Pick the prevailing PCR that competitors use for each sub‑category. The PCR is the rulebook of Monopoly. Ignore it and the game falls apart.
- Tighten the data collection loop now. Pull a clean reference year of energy, waste, formulations, and outbound logistics so EPD creation runs fast instead of starting from a blank drive.
Where this leaves the spec battle
TAJ’s design catalog is broad enough for complex interiors. The single current EPD on LVT keeps them in many conversations, yet uncovered acoustic and sheet lines are a clear tripwire. Close those two gaps and the brand shifts from periodic exceptions to an easy yes for EPD‑screened projects, which means fewer substitutions and less margin erosion when competitors show up with a fuller disclosure set.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which TAJ Flooring product families most need current EPDs to protect specifications in healthcare and education projects?
5 mm modular acoustic LVT and resilient sheet vinyl. These are frequently required in corridors, patient areas, and classrooms where owner standards favor or require product‑specific EPDs.
Does one EPD cover all colors and sizes of the same LVT formulation?
Often yes. If formulation and manufacturing are the same, a single product‑specific EPD can represent a family with many colorways. Confirm the scope in the declaration and with your program operator.
What is the LEED v4.1 incentive for carrying product‑specific EPDs?
LEED v4.1 awards up to two points under MR credits for projects that select compliant products with verified EPDs and, where applicable, show improvements versus benchmarks (USGBC, 2024) (USGBC, 2024).
About the Author
Eric works at the intersection of sustainability, regulation, and business strategy, helping manufacturers navigate the evolving landscape of EPDs and LCAs. Having spoken with hundreds of teams across North America, brings a deep understanding of what drives ROI, what regulators are asking for, and how companies can stay ahead with smart, scalable approaches to environmental reporting.
