The whole world is becoming much more concerned with sustainability and being environmentally friendly. There are many ways we can each play our part in this, from where we shop to what we buy and use in our homes. Every one of us uses flooring of some kind in our homes, from wood to carpet or bamboo, and big advances have been made by many companies in making flooring more friendly to the environment.
What is the difference between sustainable and environmentally friendly?
Sustainable means taking something that can be maintained without depleting natural resources. Environmentally friendly (or earth friendly) means anything that does not harm the environment. Overall, these terms refers to products that contribute to green 
living, do not cause pollution, like air and water pollution, and practices that help to conserve essential resources such as energy and water. There is no precise definition for either, they are fairly broad, but both are taken from the same concept.
When a brand uses either or both of these terms, they are making recycled products, promoting recycling, taking from renewable sources or using renewable energy in their manufacturing process. The majority, if not all, products should be non-toxic where these terms are used.
There are official labels that let you know when a brand is sustainable and eco-friendly, like Certified Sustainable and Green Accord. DEFRA have produced a shopper’s guide to green labels which you can find here…
Why is it important to have environmentally friendly flooring?
We all want to leave a better world to our children and we need to act now to preserve the natural resources that we have left and, limit
pollution. In buying environmentally friendly flooring, your are doing your bit by spending with a company that has publicly committed to using both sustainable practices and materials. This will significantly enhance your environmental responsibility.
Sustainable products are, by definition, ones that are high quality and built to last. By investing in your flooring at the outset, it will last in your home for much, much longer.
It also benefits your family immediately, as little to no toxic chemicals are used to produce environmentally friendly flooring, therefore it gives you a healthier living environment. This is better for everyone, especially if you have young children or allergy sufferers in your home.
See original image here…
Which flooring is the most environmentally friendly?
There are many types of flooring available these days which is environmentally friendly and sustainable. Many types of carpet fit the bill, as they are made of wool, other natural fibres or recycled materials, by companies that are using sustainable processes during manufacturing. Reclaimed wood is a great choice (Ted Todd offer a range of ethically sourced reclaimed wood including oak and pine), or engineered hardwood, from a manufacturer that uses sustainable wood (ie FSC certified) and practices. Linoleum, bamboo and cork are other examples of flooring materials that are both biodegradable and recyclable.
Many manufacturers now put environmental concerns at the forefront of their business models. For example, Hammer Carpets are committed to using materials that aid a healthy life cycle, causing no harm to either people or the environment. They use only renewable energy from offshore wind farms to power their factories. During the manufacturing process, they recover excess heat and energy which is then used to heat municipal buildings in the vicinity. The carpet tubes they use to deliver their carpets are all made of recycled polypropylene. In addition, all the waste water that is produced by the manufacturing process is made drinkable before it is disposed of, so it does not cause any pollution. In 2017, Hammer Carpets became environmentally certified in accordance with ISO 14001, proving they put the effort in to achieve environmental certification and continuously maintain it.
See original image here…
Many other manufacturers such as Alternative Flooring and Axminster Carpets also have sustainable, environmentally responsible policies and end of life options for carpet. Miliken is another company that has these policies and also has the Miliken Carpet Take Back programme; they will reclaim used residential and/or commercial carpets. It is then either recycled into new carpets and donated to the voluntary sector, or turned into another product. Miliken is a founder member of Carpet Recycling UK (CRUK).
Herts Carpets work with all the above manufacturers and stock a wide range of flooring that is environmentally friendly and sustainable. Contact us here to book a free estimate with our friendly and professional Herts Carpets team today!
https://ift.tt/3gDi00p
No comments:
Post a Comment