6 Environmentally Friendly Flooring Solutions

There was once a time where eco-friendly conjured the image of bland materials. Nowadays, that's far from the truth. As more and more designers and brands seek environmentally friendly flooring solutions, customers have a range of beautiful options to choose from. Materials, manufacturing, and brands are increasingly focusing on eco-friendly decisions. Fortunately, you can find a flooring solution that’s not only kinder to the planet but looks great too.  

In this article: 

• What is the Most Eco-Friendly Flooring?
• 6 Environmentally Friendly Flooring Solutions 

Several factors influence how eco-friendly flooring is, such as:

• Distance travelled 
• Ability to recycle and renew
• Sustainable and responsible manufacturing 
• Life cycle 
• Maintenance

When shopping for eco-friendly products, the central theme you’re looking at is sustainability. So, do the materials come from a sustainable source? Can you recycle the flooring at the end of its life? Are chemical treatments involved in the manufacturing process? These are all essential questions when it comes to eco-friendly flooring. Various materials and manufacturers produce eco-friendly flooring. By understanding what you’re looking for, it can help to narrow down your choice.

Another key factor in your purchase decision is durability. Short-life flooring may look great for a few years but could end up in the landfill sooner if it’s not durable. Luckily, several flooring materials offer excellent durability and sustainability. 

Engineered wood is more sustainable than other wood flooring products. It has a long lifespan, incredible durability and looks practically the same as solid hardwood. With high market value and lower VOC levels, fewer chemicals go into the air. You can find beautiful and sustainable engineered hardwood flooring to suit a range of styles and decor. 

Cork is both biodegradable and recyclable, making it an ideal eco-friendly option. Although it may not be everyone’s aesthetic, it can look great as a flooring material. In general, cork is harvested from the bark of the trees, so you don’t have to cut down trees to produce cork flooring. Cork also features anti-microbial properties, meaning there will be fewer allergens.  

Reclaimed hardwood is a good option if you love traditional hardwood flooring but want something more sustainable. Reclaimed hardwood is a more eco-friendly option than solid hardwood flooring as you’re reusing material for another purpose. Although it tends to be a more expensive flooring option, it can look great. 

Laminate flooring is another eco-friendly solution to consider. It’s free from solvents and chemicals that often cause allergies. Laminate flooring is surprisingly green because the base layer is primarily made from recycled materials. Our Egger laminate flooring is eco-friendly, durable, and high-quality. 

Technically, vinyl isn’t the most eco-friendly option because of the material used. But, because it’s super durable and resistant, it has a long lifespan. Because it’s so durable, you often don’t need to repair vinyl flooring or change it for a very long time. 

Rubber flooring is made from recycled materials, making it an excellent eco-friendly flooring option. Originally, you may have only seen rubber flooring in medical settings or gyms. But, it’s slowly creeping into the home and other locations as a versatile and beautiful flooring solution. 

As we look for brands, products, and manufacturing processes with sustainability in mind, more and more eco-friendly flooring solutions will come to the market. You can be kinder to the environment and invest in beautiful flooring for your home or commercial environment.