The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) has welcomed a new international adopter of its rigorous Seal of Approval (SOA) testing and certification program for carpet cleaning products and equipment.

Dansk Fashion and Textile of Denmark will be the first international trade organization to adopt SOA standards for that country's carpet cleaning equipment, solutions and service providers.

Based in Copenhagen, Dansk Fashion and Textile is the trade association for Danish textile and clothing companies and represents 340 of the most robust players in Danish fashion and textile industries.

"In the Danish carpet industry, we want our customers to have access to the best possible cleaning methods and service and this can be obtained by using CRI's SOA system," said Aage K. Fedderrsen, head of standardization and environment for Dansk. "As I see it, the Danish carpet cleaners should have their equipment and products tested at CRI and included in the SOA in order to guide potential cleaning customers to the best cleaning solutions for them."

While Dansk is the first international trade association to endorse the seal of approval program, it is not the only international entity to participate in SOA. Last fall, Angtvattbilen of Scandinavia, which manufactures carpet cleaning equipment for the Swedish market, began certifying its products under the Seal of Approval program. Other international manufacturers have their equipment and products SOA certified for sale in the U.S. market.

CRI's Seal of Approval was established in 2005 when the U.S. carpet industry trade organization began its testing program on carpet cleaning solutions and equipment, including vacuum cleaners and carpet extractors.

Products tested by CRI are evaluated for their effectiveness by an independent testing facility. Products which meet or exceed the stringent program requirements earn bronze, silver, gold, or platinum approval.

"Having SOA certification is important," says CRI's Director of Standards and Specifications, Pat Jennings. "Several major carpet manufacturers recommend the use of SOA products and service providers in their residential warranties. In the commercial world, we are seeing more cleaning customers requiring the use of SOA products and providers in their specifications, so it benefits everyone to be on the list of certified products."