Whether you are a mum, a parent to a couple of furry friends, or have elderlies living in the same household as you, it is pivotal that your home is designed to be a healthy one. If we were to take things back to the basics and peek at every property, we’ll notice that there is one common theme – that flooring lays the foundation of the interior architecture in every home. A major component of any home, your choice of flooring should be suitable for the elderly and the young. However, with the vast sea of flooring types available for you to choose from, how do you ensure that your flooring is healthy for you and your family?
Understanding Non-Toxic Flooring
From laminate flooring to ones manufactured from bamboo, the list of floor types at our disposal is endless. Tagged together with choice paralysis, the hunt for the best non-toxic flooring for your abode can be a tedious one. This is especially so since many popular flooring options which are easily accessible tend to contain harmful chemicals.
Dive deep into the search for non-toxic flooring, and you’re sure to come by the term “VOC”. A significant source of indoor air pollution, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), are harmful chemicals that you do not want to have impacting the air quality of your home because of the dangers it poses to human health. Including probable carcinogens like benzene and formaldehyde, breathing in VOCs on the regular can result in skin reactions, irritation, headaches, and even damage the liver, kidney, and Central Nervous System. So how do you go about trusting suppliers that their flooring is “low in VOC”?
Certification for non-toxic flooring
Other than trusting the words of your flooring provider, you could keep a lookout for a FloorScore certification. The most recognised indoor air quality certification standard for flooring, this accreditation indicates compliance with the EPA ecolabel and GSA requirements. After on-site audits by the SCS auditor, flooring products will be submitted to an SCS-approved independent lab for emissions testing according to the California 01350 standard. If the emissions test is passed, flooring manufacturers are granted the right to use the FloorScore logo. Approval by the FloorScore programme hence indicates two things – the flooring contributes to better indoor air quality, and the supplier cares about delivering quality flooring solutions to their clients.
Understanding Eco-Friendly Flooring
Beyond looking for FloorScore certified flooring, “Green” floors are an indicator of minimal chemical processing. Yes, you read that right – Green Floors. This has got nothing to do with the colour of the flooring but rather the assurance that the content of the floors comes from controlled sources. Although VOCs are indeed found in several household items such as building materials and even cleaning products, verification that certain design elements are engineered with strategies that deliver high performance in areas of human and environmental health, is key to building a safe, non-toxic home.
Certification for environmentally-friendly flooring
- Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)
Aimed to empower consumers to buy and companies to distribute sustainably, the PEFC is for forest-based products – think wood flooring. Getting certified by the PEFC indicates that companies promote sustainable forest management and use certified materials during production.
- Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The ASI (Assurance Services International) will carry out assessments to evaluate compliance to the FSC-STD-20-001 standards through on-site audits before granting FSC accreditation.
- Nordic EcoLabel
Being certified under the Nordic EcoLabel is relatively tough as it requires strong proof of environmental efforts. If certified, it serves as an indicator that there are limited chemicals present that will impact the health of individuals and the immediate environment.
- Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS)
To meet environmental standards, SGLS officials will check if the products fall within the SGLS scope of certification. This certification is granted credibility through major players such as the GENICES and GEN due to its conformance to the ISO 14024 & ISO 17065 standards.
Floorrich – Your Trusted Eco-Friendly & Non-Toxic Flooring Provider
Here at Floorrich, we are one of the top suppliers of eco-friendly and non-toxic flooring in Singapore. Driven by the philosophy of carrying top-quality, safe, and visually appealing flooring, we keep your health at the forefront of our business model. Proud owners of all the above-mentioned accreditation and certification, our range of non-toxic floors such as low VOC vinyl flooring and various types of wood flooring are popular choices amongst homeowners in Singapore. Here is a breakdown of some of them:
- Wood flooring
An absolute classic, wooden floors or solid timber, are a versatile choice due to their classic appeal.
- Low VOC Vinyl flooring
What is vinyl flooring? Water-resistant, durable and affordable, vinyl flooring from Floorrich is non-toxic, so you do not have to worry about VOCs.
- SPC flooring
What is SPC flooring? New to the market, SPC flooring is one of the most robust floor types that has recently gained popularity due to its non-toxicity and ease of maintenance.
- Engineered wood flooring
What is engineered flooring? An alternative to hardwood flooring, engineered flooring is a durable, affordable, and eco-friendly flooring that looks and feels just like parquet floors.
- Outdoor decks
Not sure what flooring types to have installed in your outdoor space? Manufactured to withstand external factors like heat, water, and termites, composite decking is ideal for your balconies.