In a busy household it’s almost impossible to avoid stains and marks on your soft furnishings, but how do you protect your family from the effects of chemical cleaners? Is it possible to minimise the impact your cleaning will have on the environment? With a little thought you can take [...]
When debating whether to choose solid flooring instead of traditional carpet, you need to look at the life cycle of the two options to establish the impact each has on the environment. Sustainable Flooring Production Although some sustainable soft flooring options exist, including rugs made from recycled products, traditional carpets [...]
Recycling materials used in flooring has proved difficult in the past and relies on manufacturers taking their environmental responsibilities seriously. In some cases the environmental imperatives go against traditional economics but there is evidence that manufacturers are beginning to see that investment in green processes will bring increased sales as [...]
Many words have been written on this site about the sustainability of various sheet flooring materials available, comparing plastic surfaces like vinyl with more natural options like lino. But it is important to look at the flooring as a whole and that includes the supporting layer that often has to [...]
Providing non-slip flooring for industrial and commercial properties is an absolute must. Apart from the reduced cost to businesses from the disruption and lost days caused by injuries from trips and falls, the blame culture that the United Kingdom appears to be inheriting from the USA means that businesses are [...]
Finding suitable eco-friendly and non-toxic flooring materials for families with children can be a taxing affair. You want to be aware of the impact on the environment of the manufacture of the flooring and at the same time, sustainable and eco-friendly flooring options are often inherently non-toxic so it sounds [...]
So what does the future hold for sustainable flooring? In a world where consumers are getting more and more conscious of the effect of their buying decisions, a world where climate change will affect the way we live in the UK, what trends and products will appear? Climate Change and [...]
In our article on eco-friendly carpet cleaning we looked at the different substances that can be used to clean carpets, assessing the extent to which these substances can harm the environment. In this article we take eco-friendly cleaning a stage further, looking specifically at carpet cleaning machines to assess their [...]
Underfloor heating is slowly catching on in the UK although it is still largely reserved for prestige new build homes as it is time-consuming, and therefore expensive, to fit compared to conventional radiators. But underfloor heating does require lower temperature water than radiators and this lower energy requirement is what [...]
The manufacture and disposal of carpet and other flooring materials has been affected by a number of changes in legislation in recent years, some from the United Kingdom and others from Europe. The legislation that has been bought to bear should boost interest in sustainable flooring in two ways; firstly [...]
Many flooring materials, if they can be reclaimed, are best re-used as flooring again. This is certainly true of wooden floorboards, stone and ceramic floor tiles. Some laminate flooring is often so full of chemicals that there are no safe uses for it once it's failed as a flooring. But [...]
The three 'R's of sustainability, reduce, reuse and recycle are often mentioned on this site. The point is that although it's good to recycle waste materials rather than throw them in landfill sites, it's actually far better if we can reduce the amount we use and throwaway in the first [...]
The word sisool might look a little odd until you discover that it refers to a carpet made from sisal mixed with wool, combining the best of both of these natural, sustainable fibres. Blended Wool Carpet In our article on wool flooring we touched on the blending of wool in [...]
We touched on wool in our 'Green Carpets' article as it is considered a great sustainable choice for carpets, completely natural and completely biodegradable. We also pointed out that to be truly eco-friendly you need to watch out for some of the treatments applied to wool to counter attacks from [...]
Paper is such a commonplace material in day to day life it is somewhat surprising to discover that it is being used to make carpets. Yarn is constructed from long strips of paper spun together which can then be woven into a variety of patterns that have clear, crisp definition. [...]
Seagrass is a less well known natural flooring alternative to carpet but it looks and feels very similar to coir or other dried grass matting. It's only available in two natural colours, as it does not take dye very well, either pale brown or light green. It is known as [...]
Underfloor heating has gained in popularity over the last few years and it's not hard to see why. It gives even heat coverage, the temperatures are lower than conventional radiators and there are no radiators to work around when decorating or redesigning the interior. Sustainability And Underfloor Heating But why [...]
If you're settled on reducing your environmental footprint then you'll be interested in reusing flooring materials when it's time to get new flooring in. This doesn't necessarily mean having to put up with old and dirty carpets, but a bit of creativity could be required to get new looking flooring [...]
The disposal of old flooring in the UK is now a subject that people in the carpet and flooring trade are now taking more notice of. This is not because they've suddenly developed a green conscience but because they can no longer just take the old tiles, laminate or other [...]
Think it’s impossible to get eco-friendly flooring that is also tough and durable, and easy to clean and maintain? Think it’s impossible to install eco-friendly flooring in an industrial setting or a public place subject to heavy traffic? Think again. Rubber floor tiles made from recycled rubber or sustainably harvested [...]
As we all become increasingly aware of the importance of being environmentally responsible and caring for our planet so that we preserve our natural resources, we are also becoming increasingly aware that being “green” has many advantages for our own health too! A great example of this is flooring – [...]
So you’ve made up your mind that you’re going for an eco-friendly flooring – something made from renewable materials that have been sustainably harvested, with minimal damage to the environment and which will biodegrade when disposed of, so that it does not clog up landfills. Also, something which has been [...]
Aside from the actual materials that flooring is made of, the manufacture and transport of flooring can also have a negative impact on the environment. Both processes use large amounts of energy and resources, as well as producing significant amounts of waste and pollution – all leading to damage to [...]
For those who care about being environmentally-responsible and have made the effort to install sustainable flooring, the final step is eco-friendly floor cleaning. This involves using cleaning products which are plant-based and do not release harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, waterways or general environment, as well as choosing cleaning methods [...]
So you know that you want to invest in eco-friendly flooring and now you just need to decide on the option that offers you the best combination of durability, practicality, aesthetics and price. So here is a comparison of popular options to help you with your choice: Sustainable Hardwood (FSC-certified) [...]
If you’re looking for truly sustainable flooring, it would be hard to go past bamboo. As the fastest-growing woody plant on earth, bamboo is the ultimate renewable resource and probably one of the most environmentally-friendly types of flooring material you can install. Hard Grass? Bamboo is actually not a tree [...]
If you want flooring that is quiet, warm and soft underfoot, as well as being completely renewable and 100% biodegradable, then cork flooring is for you! Cork is one of nature’s most unique materials. It is incredibly elastic and compressible, and thus soft underfoot, while at the same time being [...]
Climate change has far greater repercussions than the mere inconvenience of an unbearably hot summer or even the worry of unpredictable winter floods. Climate change has a significant impact on the environment which can lead to severe changes in how we live – for example, climate change on a global [...]
For those of us wanting to make the sustainable choice, it’s important to know what certification to look for, to ensure that we are not paying for a product or service that does not really live up to its environmentally-friendly reputation. Unfortunately, flooring can be one of the most eco-damaging [...]
For many of us, carpet is still the top choice of flooring, whether it is for its superior insulation, its softness or even just it’s “look”. But choosing carpet need not mean irresponsibility towards the environment. Many of us are taking care to choose carpets made of natural fibres or [...]
As we become more “eco-conscious” and aware of the damage we are causing our planet, we have become keen to explore more ways to be more environmentally responsible, such as through recycling and re-using materials and reducing waste. Now there is a new focus on how we clean and what [...]
As people become more aware of the damage caused to our planet through the misuse and waste of resources, they are starting to look for factors beyond price and style in their search for flooring – for many people keen to be environmentally-responsible, choosing sustainable flooring has become a priority. [...]
In our quest for environmental-responsibility, we often come across terms like “renewable” and “recycled” which are used to describe products and influence our purchasing decisions. But what exactly do these terms mean? Recycled The process of recycling takes existing products and re-processes them into new products. In this way, it [...]
Deforestation leads to many negative effects on the environment, from physical degradation to reduced biodiversity, global warming to disturbance of the water cycle. It is important to be aware of and understand these effects, so that steps can be taken to minimize their impact. Why is it a Problem? Deforestation [...]
Sisal carpets are a good choice for those looking at sustainable flooring options, both in the home and office or other commercial settings. What is Sisal? Sisal is a natural fibre extracted from the leaves of the Agave Sisalana, a succulent plant, which grows in dry, desert climates such as [...]
Coir is actually the fibre from the husk of the coconut and it is probably the oldest form of natural plant covering for floors, with its use dating back for centuries. It is incredibly strong and durable and is thus a great alternative to sisal and other softer forms of [...]
What is Jute? Just is the fibrous inner bark from the stalk of a giant tropical herb, named Cochorus, which is a member of the Linden family and is closely related to hemp. These plants are grown in southern India and other hot, damp regions of Asia and after the [...]
Deforestation occurs when trees are permanently destroyed and removed from a naturally forested area and the land is converted for use as either arable land or pasture for grazing animals, for urban development or simply into wasteland, as the trees are consumed by the logging industry. Unfortunately, deforestation inevitably leads [...]
