Best eco friendly flooring for your sustainable home (2024)

When it comes to home renovations and building, making environmentally conscious choices is becoming increasingly important. One area that offers several sustainable interior design options is flooring. With a wide variety of materials derived from renewable resources or recycled materials, it’s possible to outfit your home with stylish and durable floors while reducing your environmental impact.

From the classic warmth and character of hardwood to the durability and easy maintenance of tile or linoleum, green flooring doesn’t have to mean sacrificing aesthetics or functionality. Many of today’s eco friendly flooring choices match or even exceed the performance of traditional options while providing peace of mind about their origins and manufacturing processes.

Whether you’re building, renovating or just refreshing one room, making smart flooring material choices can go a long way in creating a healthy, sustainable living space. In this article, we’ll explore the top 10 most eco friendly flooring picks to consider for your next project. You’ll learn about rapidly renewable plant-based materials like bamboo and cork, as well as recycled and reclaimed options giving new life to existing resources. We’ll also touch on durable classics like hardwood and tile from responsibly managed sources.

With a solid understanding of the greenest flooring available, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your lifestyle, design preferences, and environmental values. Let’s dive into the top eco-friendly flooring contenders transforming how we outfit our homes.

1. Reclaimed timber

Reclaimed wood flooring is a sustainable choice that repurposes wood from old buildings, barns, and other structures. This not only reduces the demand for new timber but also preserves the character and history of the wood. Reclaimed wood often features unique textures and colors, adding a distinctive aesthetic to any home.

2. Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo flooring is an excellent eco friendly flooring option due to its rapid growth rate and sustainability. Unlike traditional hardwood, bamboo can be harvested every 3-5 years without causing long-term damage to the plant. It is also highly durable and comes in a variety of styles and finishes, making it a versatile choice for any home renovation project.Bamboo is one of the most eco friendly flooring options available, as it is a rapidly renewable grass that replenishes itself quickly. It’s durable, stylish, offers the charm of timber without the expense, making this sustainable option a bargain for homeowners on a budget.

3. Polished Concrete

Polished concrete flooring containing a high percentage of cement is problematic for the environment, as the process of making cement involves heating limestone (calcium carbonate) to high temperatures, releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, which is the main contributor to global warming . Thankfully, low carbon concrete options have become available, where the cement is partly replaced with additives that don’t release CO2.

Concrete does offer some eco friendly advantages over other flooring – it is highly durable and has a long lifespan, so you won’t have to replace it. Polished concrete also offers unsurpassed thermal mass, meaning it can absorb heat during the day in Winter and release the heat at night, reducing the need for artificial hearing and really adding to the energy efficiency of your home.

4. Cork

Cork flooring is an excellent choice for those looking for eco friendly flooring options for their build or renovation. They don’t look like the cork floors from the 70’s any more – much more stylish! Derived from the bark of the cork oak tree, which regenerates after harvesting, making it a renewable resource. Cork is naturally resistant to mould, mildew, and pests, and it provides excellent insulation properties. Its soft, cushioned surface is also beneficial for reducing noise and providing comfort underfoot.

5. Recycled glass tiles

Recycled glass tile flooring is created from post-consumer and post-industrial glass, diverting waste from landfills. These tiles are not only visually striking but also highly durable and resistant to moisture, making them suitable for kitchens and bathrooms. The production process for recycled glass tiles typically requires less energy compared to manufacturing new glass.

6. Linoleum

Linoleum flooring is made from natural materials such as linseed oil, wood flour, and cork dust, and is both 100% biodegradable and durable. Unlike its synthetic counterpart, vinyl, linoleum does not emit harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds). It is available in a wide range of colors and patterns, making it a stylish and environmentally friendly option.

7. Carpet made from renewable or recycled fibres

Wool carpet is a natural and renewable flooring option, as sheep produce new fleece annually. Wool is biodegradable and has a smaller environmental footprint compared to synthetic carpets. It is also naturally flame-resistant, hypoallergenic, and excellent at insulating, making it a practical and eco-friendly choice for home interiors. There are also many carpets now on the market made from recycled plastic bottles, ocean waste such as abandoned fishing nets and old carpet. Divert these materials from the ocean and landfill into your eco home!