Sustainability has long been a big issue relevant to many different areas of life. Environmentally friendly concepts have even changed the way we design our homes. In the course of this development, increasing numbers of people are consciously opting for sustainable products, and seeking out sustainable and ecological flooring for their own four walls.
Sustainability has become a big issue. Over the years, it has taken on a life of its own, growing far beyond a short-lived trend and becoming anchored in the consciousness of our society. For example, companies are rethinking their entire philosophy based on environmentally friendly concepts, and our mobility and technical accomplishments are becoming greener all the time.
Even in the private sphere, sustainability is gaining momentum. Home owners are increasingly placing greater importance on an environmentally friendly home – by building sustainably or using resource-efficient, ecological furnishings and materials. The same applies to floors, in the form of sustainable flooring. “Quality over quantity” is the golden rule. In other words: it’s better to invest once in a beautiful and durable floor, that will last almost forever, than to replace the flooring every few years with something whose best days are numbered. The latter verges on a waste of time, material and money. As a result, a sustainable floor is the economical choice three times over: for your wallet, for your nerves and for the environment.
Wood has long been one of the top candidates for the most popular material used in natural flooring. Wood flooring is not only classic and beautiful, but offers a wide variety of surfaces to suit any style of interior design that will enhance the appearance of your home for a long time to come. When comes to eco-friendliness, wood flooring is the perfect choice because wood in general is a natural, renewable material. However, it is only really sustainable if it is (FSC- or PEFC-) certified. PEFC stands for “Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes” – an independent organisation dedicated to making forestry more sustainable, which exclusively certifies wood that is demonstrably sourced from sustainable forestry. When you buy wood flooring that is PEFC-certified, you can rest assured that you have helped protect the environment.
If you not only care about the origin of raw materials, but about the responsible use of resources too, you may want to consider Lindura wood flooring. Thanks to the innovative product structure, the real wood covering layer of Lindura is extremely thin. As a result, 5.5 cubic metres of oak wood makes up to 3,600 square metres of Lindura wood flooring! By comparison, the same amount of oak wood makes only 95 square metres of solid planks (20 mm thick) and 850 square metres of parquet flooring (3-layer parquet from MEISTER). As a result, Lindura requires just one eighth of the wood needed for multi-layered parquet flooring. By that measure, Lindura is a real sustainability champion!
But there’s more to Lindura wood flooring than that! It is not only resource-efficient; it is also made of 100% natural materials and is certified with the Blue Angel. Its product structure with wood powder technology makes Lindura a highly practical wood floor that is considerably more robust and durable than conventional wood flooring and parquet. It can be used anywhere in the home, including in the kitchen or bathroom. Thanks to AquaStop edge impregnation, Lindura planks (HD 400) are protected from water for up to 24 hours, while the low-maintenance ultra matt lacquer makes the floor resistant to stains and micro-scratches, which can quickly develop in kitchen areas. Equipped with all these features, Lindura is a wood floor that is here to stay. For many years to come!
Sustainability not only means that a product is sustainably produced, sparing in its use of resources and free from environmentally harmful materials; it also means that it lasts as long as possible, or can be repaired if necessary. Although Lindura wood flooring cannot be sanded like parquet and other wood flooring, due to its special product structure, the naturally oiled surface can be renovated using the Bona Recoat system.
What’s more, if the floor is laid in a floating installation, rather than glued, individual planks can be replaced without replacing the entire floor – an advantage for the environment and your budget!
In addition, floating installation does not cause energy loss or negative effects on underfloor heating. All MEISTER floors are suitable for installation over water-based underfloor heating. Here too, Lindura’s special product structure is advantageous as it has extremely low thermal resistance. This means that heat can enter the room quickly, without too much loss. Accordingly, Lindura is a bit more energy-efficient than conventional parquet flooring.
Many vinyl floors are the exact opposite of environmentally friendly. They contain PVC and harmful plasticisers, which evaporate over time. They can also be difficult to dispose of or recycle. Luckily, there are alternatives: Innovative design flooring, such as “vinyl flooring without the vinyl”, are PVC-free and don’t contain plasticisers. This means they are ecologically non-harmful. At the same time, they offer all the advantages of conventional vinyl flooring, namely durability and low maintenance. They also come in a wide range of decors to suit every taste – even if you prefer a natural look! You can identify sustainable design flooring by “The Blue Angel” – an internationally recognised environmental seal awarded to environmentally friendly products for more than 40 years.
A little-known fact: laminate flooring is also a very ecological floor covering! It consists of 95% natural resources, particularly wood. A robust HDF layer forms the core of the laminate. As laminate flooring gets its appearance from an authentic, high-quality decor paper, there is no need to use real wood to create a beautiful wood aesthetic, or even concrete and stone imitations. High-quality laminate flooring, like that of MEISTER, not only looks fantastic but is extremely durable too. As a result, it withstands daily wear for many years and only rarely needs to be replaced. And when the time comes: laminate flooring from MEISTER can simply be disposed of with normal household waste, as it does not contain any harmful substances requiring special disposal. That you can be sure of, as this product group from MEISTER has been awarded “The Blue Angel” environmental seal.
If you want to do your bit for the climate, it is not only the environmental friendliness and sustainability of the products that matters. Consumers can also take the manufacturer’s commitment to sustainability into account in their purchase decision. The company MEISTERWERKE, which is behind the products of the MEISTER brand, has been dedicated to sustainability for many years. Examples of this are clever energy management and the use of LED lighting, the increased use of electric vehicles for logistics within the company, and a socially responsible attitude to its employees. To be transparent in its efforts and keep on improving, MEISTERWERKE has published its first ever sustainability report.
