People tend to believe that altering their lifestyle to accommodate an eco-friendly and green presence is a drastic measure that causes their lives to flip upside down.
In truth, much like the world, we set out to repair, it is done in small steps towards the bigger difference.
As you embark on a greener lifestyle, perhaps starting with the products you use around the home and for beauty as well as food, you might then start thinking about the types of materials you use when creating your home.
To fully attain a 100% eco-friendly lifestyle is a monumental task in itself, so starting from the ground up and slowly building piece by piece is how you should begin the transformation.
Thinking about starting your eco-friendly journey from the ground up, let’s look at flooring.
There are many eco-friendly steps you can take in the revamping of your home when it comes to choosing flooring from ensuring you choose sustainable wood options, and natural materials and looking at the eco-credentials of other flooring choices like vinyl flooring.
Today we’ll look at vinyl flooring. A choice that is very popular, but has not always been known to be very eco-friendly, but you’ll be surprised. The industry is taking steps to address this and there are now eco-friendly vinyl flooring options. Read on to learn more.
Vinyl flooring is a popular choice
Vinyl flooring has long been a popular choice, especially for bathrooms and kitchens, as it’s usually more affordable than other flooring options like real stone or wood.
It’s also relatively easy to fit with most DIY enthusiasts being able to fit it by themselves in a short space of time, instantly updating the look and feel of a room.
Vinyl flooring never used to be a very eco-friendly choice, but that’s changing. Brands such as Karndean have taken steps to ensure their products are as eco-friendly as possible.
Being an attractive choice and recommendation from interior design specialists for many years, Karndean vinyl flooring has a proven track record of being manufactured with the environment in mind. Karndean is committed to using recyclable products as much as possible, their products are consistently measured for safety and use adhesives that have the lowest possible impact on the environment.
It wasn’t always this way, with prior vinyl models containing PVC made from highly toxic ingredients leaching into the surrounding environments whenever produced or disposed of!
These elements would have a detrimental effect on human, animal and plant life prior to its change into green products.
With the focus on eco-friendly flooring solutions, vinyl flooring has taken larger steps to advance away from environmentally harmful products.
How can vinyl flooring be good for the environment?
Whilst you will need to check the eco-credentials for any vinyl flooring you are thinking of buying, it’s good to know that many companies offer eco-friendly vinyl flooring solutions, or are taking steps to address the harm their products were once renowned for.
Here’s how vinyl flooring can now be good for the environment.
· Made with sustainable practices
Many flooring manufacturers now ensure their factories fully meet the criteria of environmental and social practices. As factories battle it out to be the most environmentally friendly solution to win business, they ensure packaging, transport and capacity are second to none in providing environmentally friendly storage and distribution.
· Easy to clean
Vinyl flooring is easy to clean with simple water and vinegar solutions. There’s no need for harsh toxic chemicals and eco-friendly cleaners or homemade cleaning solutions are all that is required. You won’t need specialist chemicals to clean the floor as simple warm water, vinegar and a quick mop with household cleaning items help to retain its look for many years.
· Easy to replace
If you choose vinyl planks or tiles then they are really easy to replace. You won’t need to rip up and dispose of an entire carpet, for example, when a section is ruined. The tiles and planks are easy to dispose of and 100% recyclable. So when needing to replace a singular piece of flooring they can be cut up and disposed of safely and without waste and replaced cheaply without disrupting large sections of the floor.
· Lower VOC emissions
Vinyl flooring used to use a lot of harsh chemicals in its adhesives which caused indoor air pollution, but now many vinyl flooring products are solvent-free with low VOC emissions.
· Contains recycled content
Many vinyl floor companies now offer recycled products. New vinyl flooring can contain recycled content or some companies recycle entire old vinyl flooring to create a circular economy.
· Recyclable
That’s great it’s made with recycled content, but the bigger question you might be asking is is vinyl plank flooring recyclable? Yes! Vinyl flooring itself is recyclable. You don’t need to throw it away when it needs replacing which helps keep it out of landfills and ensures the materials are turned into something new. Waste vinyl can be turned into new vinyl! Never throw it out and find a flooring recycling company. For example, Recofloor is a vinyl flooring take-back scheme preventing hundreds of tonnes of vinyl flooring from ever entering landfills!
· Long-lasting
One of the main ways to be more sustainable when it comes to flooring and home building materials is to choose solutions that will last decades or a lifetime, not merely years. The more we need to replace things, the more of a negative environmental impact this will have.
Cheap vinyl may only last a few years, but there is high-quality vinyl available which should always be your first choice. Vinyl brands such as Karndean are the choice that is worth the investment with styles from Knight Tile Stone to Art Select Wood that can last up to 35 years if properly maintained. This is much longer-lasting than carpet!
Final thoughts
Vinyl flooring can be a green choice for your home. By choosing vinyl constructed from 100% recycled products, PVC free and VOC free, it can be an eco-friendly option. Plus you can fully recycle your vinyl flooring to prevent any waste when you no longer need it.
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