3 Eco-Friendly Flooring Trends Posted: Nov 2017 Posted by: Mats Inc.

Eco-friendly flooring is gaining popularity for commercial use as businesses are increasingly becoming more concerned with their impact on the earth – they want to be seen as good citizens investing in the environment as well as in their industry. Eco-friendly flooring comes in a variety of different forms. The style options are endless, and these products are highly versatile and can be adapted to suit almost any environment. Sustainability is a trending topic in the industry, so let’s take a look at some of the options.

Bio-polyurethane flooring is a great sustainable solution for environmentally-friendly spaces. With patterns that mimic the natural textures of stone and wood, this type of flooring is commonly used in industries such as healthcare, hospitality, retail and more. Available in rolls, planks and tiles produced from nearly 90% renewable and natural raw materials and with Environmental and Health Product Declarations, this is the ecologically-friendly alternative to vinyl resilient flooring.

Recycled Rubber is ideal for sports flooring and commercial retail spaces. Its bright color and non-laminated surface provides long-lasting wear while remaining extremely durable and slip resistant. Rubber outlasts carpet and linoleum under normal foot traffic and wear and is ideal for areas that need extreme shock absorption and sound reduction. Gymnasiums, weight rooms, offices, work stations, playgrounds and ice rinks are just a few of the spaces rubber flooring can be used. More and more designers are specifying rubber for corporate offices and public spaces because of these advantages as well as the ability to easily create branded designs.

Cork has amazing acoustic qualities; it is beautiful, lightweight, and incredibly comfortable underfoot. Cork flooring has become more durable in the last several years and is now also available in a wide range of colors for variety. Mixed in with rubber granules, cork can be used to create fun patterns and designs. Cork has excellent acoustical qualities, is hypoallergenic, fire-resistant, stable and renewable. It is also extremely flexible, compressible and elastic, and immediately recovers to its original shape and volume, showing no trace of having been changed or deformed. These physical qualities make cork flooring the perfect choice for education and corporate settings where chairs and desks are present and constantly rearranged or moved.

Bio-polyurethane, recycled rubber, and cork are only a few examples of the many environmentally-friendly options on the market. As more architects, designers and business owners analyze the impact buildings have on the health and wellness of their patrons, employees and clients, the more you will see “green” materials becoming the norm in commercial spaces.

Categories: Architect & Designer News, Corporate Flooring, Dealer News, Sustainability