Updated October 2026
Is your floor really eco-friendly? Four checks
- Whole life cycle: where it’s made, how far it travels, and what happens at the end of its life.
- Certification: is the wood FSC or PEFC certified, and is the whole product covered?
- How it’s made: the more energy-intensive the process, the worse it scores. Vinyl scores worst.
- How much wood it uses: a 3.5 to 4mm oak top layer is plenty. Thicker means more trees.
Like any industry, the flooring industry faces sustainability challenges.
Almost every flooring manufacturer we know claims their floors are sustainable. We see a never-ending line-up of badges and accreditations, that rubber stamp environmental credentials, so it is no surprise that things get confusing.
If sustainability matters, and for many of our customers it does, then how can you be sure you are making the right choice? Here are our top tips when it comes to eco-friendly flooring.
1. Think about the “whole-life cycle” of the product.
When assessing sustainability, you cannot simply look at what the product is made from. You also need to think about where the raw materials are sourced from, the carbon footprint to get the floor to your home, and, most importantly, how the product will be handled at the end of its life. This is called a life cycle analysis, and if companies are serious about sustainability, they will have completed one for their product. There is a detailed article explaining this process here – Life Cycle Analysis.
The reality is, the majority of mid-priced engineered floors have a supply chain where European Oak is exported to Asia, where manufacturing costs are lower, and then the finished floor is shipped back to Europe. This doesn’t score well in a life cycle analysis. More premium, and sustainable options, are manufactured in Europe, as ideally, your raw materials should be sourced as close to your manufacturer as possible.
Looking at the end of life, while the majority of wood floors can be recycled, vinyl flooring is harder to dispose of. On our trips to the Islington skip, the wood goes in the recycling and the vinyl goes in “non-recycling”. More on that in engineered oak vs LVT.
We found this article useful on cheaper vinyl floors – The dirty truth about your fake wood floors.
2. If the product is wood, is it certified by the FSC or the PEFC?
It’s very common for flooring retailers to simply state “we sell natural wood flooring, and it’s great for the environment”, but it’s rare for consumers to challenge this statement.
A good place to start is to see if the flooring is accredited. The FSC or Forest Stewardship Council GmbH is an international non-profit, that promotes responsible management of the world’s forests via timber certification. If a wood floor is accredited by the FSC, it is the gold standard of sustainability. For a timber floor certification to be achieved, the product’s supply chain must be audited by an inspector.
The reality with manufacturers is products are assessed, but then supply chains change; whether it’s the timber, or the birch or ply that makes up the core of an engineered product. We also know it’s common to see statements like “70% FSC compliant,” which is a way for manufacturers to give themselves sourcing flexibility.
For an example of the standards that can be set, we always look outside the flooring industry, and a company we admire is Ikea. Ikea are currently at 98% of product being sourced from FSC accredited forest, and are working towards a “Forest Positive Agenda”. This includes a commitment that “one third of the IKEA wood-based range will be made from recycled wood by 2030”. Ikea’s commitment.
The FSC is not the only show in town, and another well known accreditation body to look out for is the PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification). However, we’ve read articles that claim there are over 50 timber accreditation bodies, so it’s easy to see how consumers can get confused.
Not being FSC-certified doesn’t mean a wood floor is from the back of a wagon, either. The timber we sell that isn’t FSC-registered still complies with the EUTR, the rules that require timber to be legally sourced.
3. How is the product made?
The less energy-intensive the production, the better. Flooring solutions, like cork, which is a natural harvested product, will always be sustainable. Solutions, that are more energy-intensive, such as vinyl or laminate, will be less sustainable. Wood products, generally sit somewhere in the middle. In this research paper, Solid wood flooring is shown to require significantly less energy to produce than vinyl based products. Life cycle analysis of different flooring options.
It’s also worth asking about the finish. Some floors, finishes and adhesives give off VOCs (volatile organic compounds). The strictest test is eco-INSTITUT’s, done over 28 days in a sealed chamber. Here’s what VOCs are, and whether you should worry about them.
4. How much raw material is used?
This is something that, when you think about it, is obvious, but is rarely considered. With wood flooring, clearly, the fewer trees you cut down, the better, regardless of whether it’s sustainable or not. The world needs more trees!
So, floors with very thick oak top layers will be worse for the environment. This is one of the reasons why most of our engineered floors are 14/15mm with a 3.5 to 4mm oak top layer, which is all the oak you’ll ever need. Here’s why a thicker top layer is money (and trees) in the wrong place. We rarely sell 20mm thick floors.
Our most sustainable floor: the Newington Plus range
If sustainability is high on your list, our Newington Plus range is where we’d start. It ticks off the checks above:
- FSC-certified. The floors are made from fully FSC-accredited timber.
- Made in Germany, so manufactured in Europe rather than shipped to Asia and back.
- Tested for emissions by eco-INSTITUT in Germany, one of the strictest VOC tests in the world.
- A sensible amount of oak, in long, wide planks (200mm wide and 2.2m long).
- A hard-wearing matt lacquer, so it needs very little maintenance and lasts.
All that testing does add about 10% compared with our Newington Range. Prices start at £102 per m², and as with all our floors, we recommend coming to see the large sample boards.
So, if you’re looking for a sustainable flooring option, our advice is to have an honest conversation with your retailer. If they simply say, “We sell natural wood floors, and they’re great for the environment,” then they probably don’t understand that sustainability and flooring are not black and white. But if they talk through the challenges the flooring sector faces, and what they are doing to evolve to a more sustainable position, it’s likely they’ll give good advice.
If you’d like to read more about Kite’s sustainability position, we spoke to Livingetc: Eco-flooring advice.
Sustainable flooring: FAQs
What is the most sustainable type of flooring?
There’s no single answer, so look at the whole life cycle: where the floor is made, how energy-intensive that is, how much raw material it uses and what happens at the end of its life. Natural products like cork score well and vinyl scores worst. A well-made wood floor that lasts decades and goes in the recycling at the end sits in between.
Is engineered wood flooring eco-friendly?
It can be. Look for FSC or PEFC certification, a floor made in Europe rather than shipped to Asia and back, a sensible 3.5 to 4mm oak top layer, and a low-VOC finish.
What does FSC certified mean?
The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is an international non-profit that promotes responsible forest management through timber certification. For a floor to be FSC-certified, its supply chain has to be audited. Watch out for claims like “70% FSC compliant”, which give manufacturers flexibility.
Is vinyl or LVT flooring sustainable?
Generally not. It’s a plastic product, often made from PVC, it takes more energy to make than wood, and in practice it’s rarely recycled.
Which Kite floors are the most sustainable?
Our Newington Plus range: FSC-certified, made in Germany, and tested for emissions by eco-INSTITUT. Prices start at £102 per m².
Do wood floors give off VOCs?
Some floors, finishes and adhesives do. For the strictest standard, look for eco-INSTITUT testing, which is carried out over 28 days in a sealed chamber. Our Newington Plus range is tested this way.
Want to see the Newington Plus range?
Come and see the large sample boards in our showroom at 5 Hackney Road, or book a video call. We’ll talk you through certification, emissions and what suits your home.
