What are the sustainable options for flooring?

With the world constantly moving towards a greener planet, there are many ways we can lead a more environmentally and sustainable lifestyle, even if it’s flooring. While practicality and looks are more favourable, it’s a lot easier than you think when choosing sustainable flooring. It’s okay to say that it’s 100% recyclable, but how is it made? How much shipping is involved? Let’s take a look at how sustainable certain flooring types are. 

Wood 

As well as being super stylish and beautiful, you can’t argue that wood flooring is one of the best flooring options. Not only is it a natural material, but it’s also sustainable and eco-friendly. It’s been used in many homes (even palaces) over time with bespoke patterns such as chevron and herringbone and is incredibly hardwearing. If you want a sustainable wood floor, go for plantation-grown trees rather than from a forest. Wooden floors can be recycled too! You never know what it will be next… 

Marble 

Marble is generally mined in Africa and parts of eastern Europe and takes a long time to ship to countries such as the UK and Europe. Some might say that marble is a sustainable building material. However, while it’s 100% natural, it takes a lot of time to mine. So, with that in mind, is marble really that sustainable? 

Vinyl 

Vinyl flooring can be recycled and reused to make other floors. They come in many styles, patterns, colours and materials ranging from SPC and WSPC. Unlike other floors, LVT flooring doesn’t have any nasty chemicals added to it, which makes it the no.1 flooring option for families and those with pets.  It’s one of the best options to give your home a green stamp too!

Carpet

One of the main things to look out for when choosing a sustainable carpet is where it’s from. Cotton and wool are the best options for a natural and sustainable carpet choice, due to them being renewable materials. But if they’re made from synthetic fibres, they may not be 100% recyclable and are more likely to end up as landfill waste. While carpet is still a popular choice for some, more and more households are moving towards wood flooring for a better carbon footprint. 

Cork 

As well as being sustainable, cork is one of the easiest materials to source. It’s considered to not only be renewable but is on the rise for modern flooring options. Cork comes from Quercus suber that can be stripped of without harming other trees. Did you know that it can live up to 170-250 years? Cork is incredibly comfortable too and is often used as an underlay for luxury vinyl tiles. 

What flooring do you think is more sustainable? Let us know in the comments below!