The New Flooring Trend That's Good For Sustainability And Style

When choosing new flooring, homeowners often face tough choices. You already have to consider aesthetics, durability, and cost, and now more than ever, environmental impact. More and more homeowners are starting to think beyond just their own needs and consider how their choices will impact future generations. This is exactly why flooring materials that are made of recycled wood and plastic are gaining popularity. It's a clever way to mix style, practicality, and a little bit of sustainable thinking.

Not all traditional flooring materials are as harmful to the environment. Flooring materials like PVC or vinyl are some of the worst offenders. PVC is a real pain to produce and dispose of. It's made with a mix of terribly toxic chemicals that can cause cancer and it takes 450 years to deteriorate in the environment. Even some of the more traditional flooring options, like installing brand-new wood flooring, have some sustainability caveats. While trees are technically renewable, over-harvesting does lead to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

Is it even possible to find truly sustainable flooring materials? A good start is to look at materials that would otherwise go to landfills. Recycled floorings are more sustainable because they directly reduce waste. They also help decrease emissions from harvesting more trees or manufacturing new artificial materials. The next bottle you toss in the recycling bin might just end up in your carpet!

One way to reduce your environmental impact is to use recycled wood for your floor. These are also called "reclaimed" wood floors because they are made of actual wood pieces that were rescued from going to landfills. These can be old wood pieces from historical monuments, wine barrels, or barns. Reclaimed wood is not just sustainable, it's also beautiful. These recycled wood floorings have character and charm, and they're a fantastic choice for cottage or farmhouse aesthetics. What's more, they don't end with you. Wood pieces can be recycled again afterward. If you're considering a hardwood floor, why not give some old trees a new life instead of buying something that was logged from a forest just for you?

Another way to use recycled wood is to choose eco-friendly laminate floorings. These are types of laminate wood floors that are made of recycled wood pulp. A word of caution here: In some cases, laminate can be recycled, but not always. It depends on the manufacturer and whether they take back the laminate floor to recycle it themselves (your recycling plant is unlikely to do this). Look for these take-back programs and sustainability labels when shopping for laminate floors.

Another (and softer) idea for sustainable flooring is carpets. It's possible to find carpet flooring that's made of recycled materials. You can buy carpeting that's made with a mix of recycled plastic bottles, fishing nets, or even waste from clothes. All of this waste is then turned into recycled nylon yarn which feels soft, just like regular carpeting. That's not all, the backing of the carpet can also be made from recycled plastic.

The good thing about recycled nylon is that it can be recycled again down the line. While some families are starting to get rid of carpet flooring for various reasons, tons of houses still use it. Carpet has a lifespan of about 15 years, which means that, if not recycled, it is quite unsustainable: We keep using more and more, wasting more energy and materials every time. That's why recyclable carpeting is so important. There is even a non-profit in the United States that's dedicated to recycling carpets, the Carpet American Recovery Effort, if you have an old one to get rid of. With so many sustainable options, you can have flooring that looks good and makes you feel good, too.