In commercial design libraries, usability matters. Designers want sample books that not only present materials well, but also make it easy to remove, compare, and share swatches. Across the flooring industry, most sample books still rely on permanently adhered samples. The reason is usually not end-user preference. It is cost.
Campbell Printing helped change that by engineering a paper-based removable swatch tray system for premium sample books. First developed for Milliken and later adopted by Bentley Mills, this format gave both brands a more premium presentation, better usability for designers, and a stronger sustainability story.
Commercial designers consistently prefer removable carpet swatches. They make it easier to review options, compare materials, and present selections to clients. But most flooring sample books still use permanently adhered samples because removable tray systems are more expensive and more difficult to produce.
Plastic swatch trays had existed in the industry for years, but no one had engineered a tray made entirely from paper-based materials that could deliver the same function in a premium sample book. The challenge was not only to create a tray that held the carpet securely, but to do it in a way that looked refined, worked consistently, and supported a recyclable construction.
The tray also required precise coordination between print production and sample manufacturing. The carpet had to fit almost perfectly within the tray for the system to function properly. Even slight variation could affect fit, usability, or appearance.
Campbell Printing developed a fully recyclable removable carpet swatch tray built entirely from paper products. The original format was created for Milliken as a way to deliver the usability designers wanted without relying on plastic. Bentley Mills later adopted the same concept to gain those same benefits for its own premium sample book program.
Developing the tray required multiple rounds of R&D. Campbell had to balance appearance, durability, manufacturability, and function in a format that paperboard does not naturally make easy. Unlike plastic, which can be molded to nearly any shape, paperboard has to be engineered through multiple converting and finishing processes.
An early design used thinner paperboard, but it required four additional production steps. Campbell reworked the construction around paperboard that was twice as thick, eliminating those extra steps and creating a cleaner, more efficient, and more robust finished product.
This solution was made possible by Campbell's specialized case-making and die-cutting capabilities, along with close coordination between the print shop and sample company. The result was a tray system that combined premium presentation, repeatable function, and recyclable construction in a way that had not previously existed in the market.
The finished tray format helped elevate premium flooring sample programs by giving designers a better end-user experience while reinforcing a stronger sustainability message. Instead of settling for permanently adhered samples or plastic tray components, Milliken and Bentley were able to offer removable swatches in a paper-based format that aligned more closely with both usability and brand goals.
The format has proven itself over time. Campbell Printing has produced these trays for more than 10 years, and both customers continue to use them today. Milliken was the original customer for the product and still uses the trays selectively on premium collections. Bentley later adopted the format to gain the same advantages and has continued to invest in the program as part of its premium presentation strategy.
Together, these programs demonstrate the value of a better sample book: one that improves usability for designers, supports sustainability goals, and helps flooring brands present themselves at a higher level.
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