Sustainable Flooring and Heading Towards a Greener Future
There is no hiding the fact that environmental concerns are rising every year and the demand for sustainable practices and products across all industries has never been higher. At Remland we recognise the importance of being sustainable and have made it our mission to make positive changes in our everyday practice.
In this blog post, we look at the eco-friendly flooring and accessories that we offer, highlight leading manufacturers who are creating sustainable products and practices, and what we are doing here to help.
What are we doing?
At Remland we understand the importance of being sustainable and having as little impact on the environment as possible. Here are some of the steps we have taken to create a more sustainable work environment:
Reusing packaging
Where possible we give packaging a second life. We receive lots of deliveries every day and we reuse any boxes, plastic wrapping and package filler that we can. This helps minimise waste and reduces the need to buy new resources.
Recycling in our office
We have a dedicated recycling bin in the office making it easy for our employees to dispose of their waste paper, cardboard, glass and plastic. We also encourage our staff members to recycle as much as possible and educate them on the importance of recycling.
Sample packaging
We send out 100's of samples per day which equates to a lot of packaging. We use cardboard boxes that can be recycled or reused at home and padded paper envelopes which are FSC certified and can also be recycled once the padding has been removed.
Tarkett's ReStart programme
We work closely with Tarkett with their recycling programme ReStart. When we have any Tarkett flooring that we no longer need or cannot be used, we pop it in a big recycling bag, and when this is full Tarkett come and collect it from us and take it back to their factories, ready to give the old flooring a new life!
Eco-friendly vinyl flooring options
Vinyl isn't a natural product, but modern ranges have improved significantly on recycled content, phthalate-free plasticisers, and low-emission manufacturing. If environmental impact matters to you, here are the categories worth looking for:
What the certifications actually mean
FloorScore
An independent standard (by SCS Global Services) that certifies low VOC emissions. Ensures good indoor air quality after installation. Recognised in LEED, WELL and CHPS green building schemes.
BRE A+
A UK Building Research Establishment rating covering a product's full lifecycle environmental impact from manufacture to disposal. A+ is the top tier on a scale from A+ down to E.
Cradle to Cradle
A circularity certification assessing material health, material reuse, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship and social fairness. Awarded at Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum level.
A natural alternative
If you want a genuinely natural floor rather than an improved vinyl, see our Forbo Marmoleum range - biodegradable linseed-oil-based sheet and click flooring with CO₂-neutral production.
What are manufacturers doing?
Here are two manufacturers that are making enormous steps into taking action and prioritising sustainability and integrating it into their daily operations:
Tarkett
Tarkett is one of our most popular manufacturers online and is arguably the leader in achieving sustainability goals, with a strong commitment to circular and eco-friendly practices. They focus on three key areas:
Circular economy - Tarkett assess every link in their supply chain to limit waste and reduce environmental impact. Their ReStart recycling programme reuses and repurposes products at end of life.
Using good materials - They are transparent on sourcing and accredited by third-party scientific institutions to measure their progress.
Health and wellbeing - Tarkett use phthalate-free plasticisers and minimal VOC emissions in their vinyl flooring, creating healthier indoor spaces.
Browse our Tarkett vinyl range.
Forbo Flooring
Forbo believe action makes the difference, not just promises. They achieve trust through full transparency in their circular flooring approach and use of renewable raw materials. Key initiatives include:
Carbon reduction - From 2004 to 2021 they achieved a 70% decrease in CO₂ emissions, with a focus on 100% renewable electricity where possible.
Zero waste - Working towards 95%+ reuse/recycling of product waste and 100% reuse/recycling of office waste.
Sustainable sourcing - Aiming for 100% harmless and traceable raw materials, with products that are toxin and phthalate free.
Marmoleum - Their flagship natural product is made of 97% natural materials including flaxseed oil, wood flour, jute, limestone and pigments. It is climate positive, uses renewable resources, and contains no harmful additives.
View our Forbo Marmoleum range.
With us taking these steps and working closely with manufacturers that care towards a greener future, we are committed to providing sustainable flooring solutions that reduce environmental impact while maintaining quality and affordability.
FAQs
Is any vinyl flooring genuinely eco-friendly?
Vinyl is a synthetic PVC product, so "eco-friendly" is a relative term, not an absolute one. The greenest vinyl ranges use recycled PVC (reducing new-material demand), phthalate-free plasticisers (safer indoor air), and are produced in facilities running on renewable energy. They're meaningfully better than 1990s-era vinyl, but if you want the lowest-impact flooring on the market, natural linoleum (Marmoleum), solid wood from FSC-certified forests, and high-recycled-content wool carpets all out-score even the best vinyls.