Understand Your Green Flooring Options

When looking for environmentally responsible flooring, it is important to have a clear understanding of the various attributes that make a product green.

  • Recycled Content

    This is a term that means the product is made with some percentage of materials that have been recovered or diverted from the solid waste stream. But just because a carpet has recycled content doesn’t necessarily mean it can be recycled.

  • Recyclable

    If a product is recyclable it can be collected, separated or recovered from the solid waste stream and used again, or reused in the manufacture or assembly of another package or product through an established recycling program.1

  • Managed Forestry

    There are various forest certification programs whose underlying goals are to promote forest practices that are environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable.2 Illegal harvesting of forests is becoming a larger global issue that managed forestry programs aim to combat.

    One example of a forest certification program is the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) which sets international standards for responsible forest management. In addition, the FSC product label allows consumers worldwide to recognize products, including some hardwood flooring options that support the growth of responsible forest management.

  • Conservation

    This is a term that means a reduction in the use of water, energy, or raw materials used to produce a product. One example is reclaimed hardwood flooring. Reclaimed wood is wood that has already been used for one purpose, and has been salvaged for another use such as flooring. Using reclaimed wood to manufacture hardwood flooring conserves trees while providing a unique flooring option.

  • Indoor Air Quality

    Since 1992, the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) has developed and administered the "Green Label" Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) testing and labeling program, first for carpet and then for adhesives and cushion materials. These unique testing programs identify low-emitting products by requiring that representative product samples meet scientifically established standards. Organizations which provide guidelines for indoor air quality include The Environmental Protection Agency and The Carpet and Rug Institute.

    Products included in this category either improve or have less of a negative impact of the indoor air quality of a home. For example, hardwood flooring that uses less or no formaldehyde in the manufacturing process and is installed using a low V.O.C. adhesive has less negative effect on indoor air quality.

  • Natural Renewable Resources

    A material qualifies as a renewable resource if its quantity can increase over time, and will not decrease.3 Examples of natural renewable materials used to make flooring include cork, bamboo, rubber, wool, grasses, silk and even corn.

    When cork is harvested, the tree is not destroyed. The outer bark of a cork tree can be harvested about every nine years. Because the tree is not cut down, the harvesting process has less impact on the surrounding habitat.

    Rubber flooring is often referred to as a green flooring option for two reasons. First, some rubber flooring is made from recycled rubber salvaged from tires. Second, like cork trees, rubber trees are not harmed during the harvesting process.3

    As a grass plant, bamboo grows at a rate much higher than trees. Bamboo reaches maturity in just 5-6 years and is considered an eco-friendly, highly-renewable source of material. In contrast, other more common hardwoods used for flooring can take 50 years or more.3

    Linoleum is made from linseed oil (linoxyn) in combination with wood flour or cork dust over a canvas or burlap backing. Linoleum is considered a green flooring option because it generally contains renewable materials and often has some recycled content. The term linoleum is often incorrectly used to describe vinyl or resilient flooring.3

    Natural fibers are made from renewable plant or animal sources, whereas most carpets are made from synthetic (man-made) materials. Over ninety percent of all carpet is made up of synthetic fiber, usually consisting of one of three materials: nylon, polypropylene or polyester. Natural carpets and rugs can be made from wool, silk or even grasses often with minimal processing and treatment.

    Keep in mind that natural fibers are biodegradable. However, not all carpets and rugs that use natural fibers are biodegradable or environmentally friendly due to synthetic dyes and backing materials often used in the manufacturing process. Natural fibers have more limitations in colors and styles available, stain resistance, and durability depending on the material.

1 www.carpet-rug.org; 2 Forest Certification in North America by E. Hanson, R. Fletcher, B. Cashore, & C. McDermott; 3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki