Top Rated Sustainable Flooring Companies

Our main driving force throughout this research was to find companies that primarily focus on sustainability and safety for their products. For ranking, we covered a variety of factors ensuring sustainability and health, and calculated a score for each company. This score included negative points for unsustainable/unhealthy products, giving more weight to companies which only sold sustainable products.

For each organization in the list above, we have given (below) an introduction as an overview of the company. For further details, we provide the ‘key-features’ section for each company, followed by a summed-up list of pros and cons. This includes information on their products and company ethics from a holistic sustainability perspective.

# 1: PIONEER MILLWORKS

Pioneer Millworks is a customer-oriented company dedicated to operating on the idea of the “triple bottom line”, meaning they equally prioritize people, planet, and profit. Pioneer Millworks accomplishes this through several company-wide initiatives. For instance, they are 30% employee-owned, working to up that number to 100% in the future. Additionally, they are the first (and only) flooring company to be a JUST Company. JUST is a transparency platform with the International Living Future Institute for companies to disclose operations, treatment of employees, and financial and community investment. On top of this, they are a Green America Approved company. Green America is a non-profit defining environmentally and socially responsible companies with a dedication to a number of green and socially responsible practices. As far as their products go, Pioneer Millworks has a wide variety spanning across three home categories: exterior cladding, interior cladding, and flooring. They are Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) Chain of custody certified in the categories of FSC Recycled, FSC Controlled Wood, FSC 100%, and FSC Mix. Pioneer Millworks also has a selection of fresh-sawn wood products, which are sustainably sourced from forests that are carefully managed to strict FSC requirements. However, where this company truly shines is in their reclaimed wood options. According to our ranking, reclaimed wood is the most sustainable option that is currently available on the market, due to its incredibly low embodied carbon and non-toxicity. As an innovative company with a huge selection of their products being reclaimed wood, Pioneer Millworks secures the number one spot on our list.

KEY FEATURES

As a result of their commitment to salvaged wood products, pioneer Millworks has the country’s largest selection of salvaged FSC Certified solid flooring, engineered flooring, and paneling. On average, they process 1,062,000 board feet of reclaimed wood a year. Additionally, they have a wide variety of GREENGUARD certified flooring options, and all of their products have health product declarations available. All options (except for their reclaimed teak line) are sourced and manufactured in the United states, which helps keep carbon emissions from transportation down. They have also created their own reclaimed engineered wood products that are FSC-certified©, formaldehyde-free, UL GreenGUARD gold certified, low-VOC and CARB II compliant. Due to the VOC content (albeit very low, low enough to still be UL GreenGUARD gold certified), this line of products is not recommended by us over their solid/reclaimed options. Overall, Pioneer Millworks is a company with both sustainability and people in mind and extensive offerings of salvaged and reclaimed wood products.

PROS

• Even considering transportation and manufacturing, Pioneer Millworks flooring is still carbon negative

• Almost all of their products are grown, reclaimed, and manufactured in the US

• Pioneer Millworks is a chain of custody certified in several FSC Categories: FSC Recycled, FSC Controlled Wood, FSC 100%, and FSC Mix

• A JUST Company

• All of their products are listed in the Mindful MATERIALS library

• Many of their flooring options have a GREENGUARD certification

• Their products contribute points to LEED certification

• This company is Green America Approved

CONS

• Some of their product lines contain low amounts of VOCs

• This flooring is on the more expensive side

• Reclaimed wood flooring oftentimes has a more inconsistent look compared to other options

#2 : TERAGREN

Teragren is a company that was founded on the principle of being “environmentally, socially, and economically responsible, while providing durable and beautiful products.” Teragren flooring is made from Moso bamboo that is grown in the Zhejiang province of China. While there are more than 1,500 species of bamboo, Moso (Phyllostachys pubescens) is among the hardest, with dense fibers that make for strong timber and durable bamboo products – specifically flooring. In order to ensure their products achieve the qualities that bamboo is so admired for, they only harvest their bamboo between 5-6 years old. When the bamboo reaches maturity at 5-1/2 to 6 years, its fibers are at peak density. By only using bamboo that is harvested at this age, Teragren can guarantee that their products are harder and more stable for enduring lasting beauty and performance. To further assure that their forestry practices are and will remain responsible, Teragren is FSC Chain of Custody certified in two categories: FSC 100% and FSC Mix.

Additionally, Teragren is very responsible when it comes to considering the carbon cost of importing a product from China. While it’s no surprise that the carbon footprint of manufacturing a material that is grown and harvested from across the world might pose a concern from an environmental standpoint, Teragren is committed to minimizing the transportation footprint of their products. Teragren only partners with Clean Cargo member carriers (for ocean transport) and SmartWay carriers (for land transport within North America.) Ultimately, 70% of Teragren deliveries travel at least half of their journey via rail, which uses 76% less fuel per mile than other overland transportation methods.

They have also maintained a commitment to indoor air quality, which is reflected in the high standards the company maintains during the production of their products (see below). Ultimately, it is due to their commitment to healthy indoor air quality and preserving bamboo’s natural propensity for carbon sequestration that Teragren secures a second place slot on this list.

KEY FEATURES

Teragren has an impressive track record for ensuring the indoor air quality of their customers. In fact, they have been devoted to designing and manufacturing bamboo and bamboo-mix products that are non-toxic in homes and to the environment. Due to this commitment, all Teragren flooring products are tested and certified to the California 01350 standard for indoor air quality, which is one of, if not the most stringent indoor air quality standards in the world. Additionally, all Teragren products are CARB Phase II compliant, and all flooring emits significantly less formaldehyde than allowed by the CARB standard. It is important to note that the aforementioned standards are also used as benchmarks for the indoor air quality credits in LEED products. These high standards are able to be met because of Teragren’s exceptional quality control methods during the manufacturing process. All products are manufactured in a certified ISO 9001:2000 and 14001 factory with 11 quality-control inspection stations throughout the production process, plus a quality control engineer periodically performs random quality control examinations. Additionally, all products are tested through a US-based independent, third-party ISO/IEC17025 accredited laboratory specializing in the analysis of organic chemicals emitted by and contained in building products.

Teragren is also committed to preserving the naturally sustainable properties of bamboo, which can be lost if a company is not careful. While deforestation has been on a rise in Asia to make way for the increasingly popular bamboo farms, Teragren’s status as an FSC Certification company ensures that they are committed to sustainable forestry. In fact, the raw bamboo used for Teragren products is actually harvested by hand, with each culm being carried out of the forest on foot to maintain the bamboo root systems underneath the forest floor. All of their manufacturing facilities are located within a day’s drive of the forest in order to cut down on emissions and build strong relationships with the family farmers who grow and harvest all of their bamboos. As mentioned earlier, they also partner with both land and sea freight companies to ensure that by the time Teragren flooring is under your feet, it is still carbon-negative – holding on average 0.84 lbs of CO2 per square foot.

PROS

• Even considering transportation and manufacturing, Teragren flooring is still carbon negative

• All flooring is FloorScore Certified

• The only company in this list where information about all possible parameters (sustainability, physical description, types and colors, properties, recommended usage, etc.) is present

• Their products contribute points to LEED certification

• Teragren is a chain of custody certified in several FSC Categories: FSC 100% and FSC Mix

CONS

• The bamboo for their products is grown and manufactured in China

• Some lines contain trace amounts of VOCs and formaldehyde

#3 : KAHRS

Established in 1857, Kahrs provides a variety of wood and vinyl flooring solutions. They are one of the oldest and most innovative manufacturers of engineered wood floors in the world. They have a stellar track record of holistic innovations and patents aimed at reducing toxicity in production processes as well as improving quality and durability. Their commitment to innovative sustainability, health benefits of using wood flooring, and multiple environmental certifications laud them as our number three choice in this comprehensive list. Their goals include improving the appearance, strength, and durability of flooring through innovation.

Their most sustainable option is wood flooring, which is sourced from Sweden, where more trees are planted than harvested. One significant drawback, however, is that they ship their products to North America which tremendously increases their carbon footprint due to transportation. In order to offset this, their production process utilizes the wood completely, as the scraps are sent to a local energy company. One of their patented innovations, a mechanical glueless joint system, has significantly improved the installation of wooden flooring by strengthening the overall flooring structure. Their surface treatments are healthy and sustainable: they are free of harmful solvents and coupled with the variety of finishes they have. While highly renowned for the quality of their products, they are on the higher end of the price range. They operate out of the USA and Canada only.

KEY FEATURES

The entirety of Kahrs wood flooring has exhaustive filtering options, which include color, collection, floor type, wood species, thickness, design, grading, surface, and refining treatment. In addition to wood, they offer vinyl flooring. Despite the environmental hazards and health concerns of vinyl, their “Dry Back Enomer collection” is an excellent alternative to consider. It offers the same durability as vinyl but is free from PVC, plasticizers, halogens, and phthalates (a highly toxic compound in normal vinyl). This results in a significant drop in VOC emissions. Other vinyl collections include PVC but not phthalates, which should definitely be avoided in products. Kahrs offers a diverse variety of construction methods (3-layer, 2-layer, veneer), installations (float, glue-down, nail down), and joint systems which include their patented designs (Woodloc® 5S and Woodloc®) as well. They also offer a 5-year warranty for their commercial and activity floors and 15-25 year warranties for products used for residential flooring. Multiple accessories like skirting, molding, installation products, and maintenance & repair products can be found on their website as well. For a user-friendly online experience, they offer real-time visualization of their floorings. For example, a user can upload a picture of his/her bedroom and use the tool to apply different flooring options to the picture, thus acting as real-time visualization of the flooring.

PROS

• Wood contributes to healthier indoor air as it does not trap pollutants and is free from toxins, and the majority of their wood is sourced from Sweden where forests have grown in volume by 60% over the past 100 years

• Sustainable use of wood as a manufacturing material stimulates reforestation, which combats climate change by acting as a carbon sink. This is achieved as harvested wood stores carbon, and after harvesting, reforested trees are stimulated to grow again, increasing the absorption of carbon

• 6 environmental certifications which include EMAS, ISO, FSC®/PEFC™, LEED, AND FLOORSCORE for their wooden floorings; M1-CERTIFICATE and FRENCH A+ which certify air quality standards for their vinyl offerings

• Their patented joint-free installation option allows the flooring to be laid out entirely without glue, which is enormously beneficial to the environment and also adds to the strength of the flooring

• Kährs also claims their wooden flooring is exceptionally stable and renowned for being far less sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity and 75% greater stability than a solid, nail-down wood floor

• Phthalate and PVC-free vinyl flooring collection certified by M1 and French A+ which ensure safe indoor air standards from construction materials to installed floors

• Their manufacturing process is aimed at being environment-friendly: No wood is wasted during manufacturing, all wood is recycled

• Their hardwood floors come in a great variety of colors, species, sizes, patterns, and finishes, from a rusty natural finish to a soft glossy finish, and they work well with underfloor heating

• A distinguishing feature is that the vast majority of their products are wide boards between 5-8+ inches, giving them a truly authentic, straight-from-the forest appeal

CONS

• Products cannot be bought online, their geographical presence is limited to North America, and the wood is shipped from Sweden. These factors add tremendously to its carbon footprint. However, it is worth noting that their sustainability report for 2018 claims that wood sold by them held more CO2 than it released

• Their products are on the higher end of the price range

• While all of their vinyl floorings are phthalate-free, only one of their collections is PVC (essentially plastic) free as well. Vinyl can still contain toxic compounds which off-gas (such as lead, dioxin, vinyl chloride, dichloroethane, mercury, etc), adding to indoor pollution. Additionally, when PVC burns it produces hydrogen cyanide and phosgene, two extremely toxic gasses that can cause immediate death given enough exposure. Hence, compared to other substitutes like Linoleum, this is not the best sustainable option

• Their wood does not include reclaimed wood, which is a highly sustainable and effective option

# 4 : SUSTAINABLE FLOORING

Based out of Boulder, CO, this company’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its branding and products. Their offerings include various types of environmentally-friendly flooring and wall products, designed to be suitable for any residential or commercial application and installation. They are #4 on our list because they offer sustainable wood flooring options that include composite/densified wood, traditional wood, and cork, but they didn’t have a current sustainability report on their website. A distinguishing feature in transparency is that they provide comprehensive information (including information on LEED certification points contribution) about their products in the product description. While they do not have a sustainability report available to confidently back their claims, they do provide multiple certifications in safety and sustainability. While emphasizing sustainability, they provide an aesthetic selection of products in a variety of colors, dimensions, and finishes with detailed instructions on installation. They supply their products all over North America and have several trademarked innovations.

KEY FEATURES

Their product description involves details about physical appearance, finish, hardness, edge details, and installation. They also provide a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)7, CSI Spec, and E84 Fire Testing Results8 for each product to maintain transparency. Additionally, installation guides, accessories available for particular products, care and maintenance guides, and a cut sheet are provided. Their warranty varies depending on residential vs. commercial use, and relevant details are provided for each product. They have their own SpecMatcher Service, which is a product and specification solution service that helps provide users with customized solutions. Each product has its own ‘Sustainability Story’ that describes the unique sustainability and safety of the product as compared to conventional toxic products. Since they own all parts of the value chain, they can custom build for any requirements customers may have.

PROS

• Their products contribute to LEED certification points, the standards for which are listed for each product

• Transparency with regard to details on materials used, while simultaneously highlighting harmful materials not used

• The only company in this list where information about all possible parameters (sustainability, physical description, types and colors, properties, recommended usage, etc.) is present

• Samples are available for order online

• Their Specmatcher service can customize solutions based on a comprehensive list of parameters such as project timeline, type of wood species and construction, finish, installation method, etc.

CONS

• A sustainability report could not be found, we consider this essential for any company to back its claims on sustainability

• No mention of their goals from a sustainability perspective

• No substitute for marble/tile look flooring

#5 : DALTILE

Founded in the 1940s, Dal Tile’s mission statement is that great design can help create better places to live and work that are both innovative and earth-friendly. They commit to sustainability by reusing, recycling, and reducing both solid materials and water used for manufacturing. An extraordinary claim they make is that more than 98% of their manufactured products contain pre-consumer (post-industrial) recycled materials. If they are manufactured holistically (i.e. reuse of energy used in manufacturing), tiles are an extremely healthy product, as they are devoid of VOCs and can have an extremely low carbon footprint. However, there is no mention of such a practice followed by Dal Tiles, so the high consumption of energy adds significantly to their carbon footprint. Due to this feature and their lack of alternatives, Dal Tile is ranked 5th. Nevertheless, their sustainability initiatives are praise-worthy and include recycling office supplies, which help builders earn LEED certification credits through their products and achieve green certifications on building projects. Their tiles come with a variety of appearances including wood, marble, stone, concrete, fabric, metallic, etc. They promote ceramic and porcelain tiles as ‘Healthy Tiles’ because they provide even a reduced impact on health and the environment due to fewer VOCs (though it is important to note that porcelain, while stronger, utilizes even higher kiln temperatures for its making). They currently operate 11 manufacturing facilities in North America, five Regional Distribution Centers, and over 250 Sales Service Centers (SSCs) throughout the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.

KEY FEATURES

Their manufacturing process includes some distinguishable measures. They focus on recovering and reusing wastewater at their plants, and the materials which cannot be used in tiles go to state-approved beneficial reuse programs. They have strategically placed manufacturing plants, regional distribution centers, sales centers, and showrooms to decrease fuel consumption and emissions. As a company, they have undertaken various initiatives towards sustainability. Their corporate office has recycled over 340 tons of cardboard and office paper since 2003. Through their affiliation with the U.S. Green Building Council12, they offer online tools on their website that make it easier to determine how their products can help in achieving LEED certification credits. Their tiles are outfitted with water-based glazes, which use a minimal amount of solvents, thus avoiding harmful VOCs. They are green certified and completely free of VOCs, plastics, and dangerous chemicals present in other flooring types. They offer a 1-year warranty on their products.

PROS

• Green manufacturing process which ensures everything is recycled/reclaimed (pre-consumer and post-industrial)

• Dal Tile products help builders earn LEED certification credits and achieve green certifications on building projects

• Their manufacturing process has reduced energy usage and they claim their efficiency improvements will help save 11 million kilowatts of electricity per year

• Tiles contain no VOCs (especially ceramic and porcelain) and they don’t include formaldehyde, PVC, or allergens either

• Samples can be ordered online – 1 sample costs about $8 but they offer them free for trade professionals

CONS

• Tiles require high use of energy, which isn’t the most sustainable manufacturing process

• While they have increased their energy efficiency, there is no claim of reuse/diversion of energy

• No alternative flooring options are provided by them apart from tiles

• Lack of extensive geographical coverage

#6 : SHAW FLOORS

Shaw Floors is a company which shows promise in moving towards sustainability. They supply carpet, vinyl, hardwood, laminate, tile, and stone flooring products, and synthetic turf to residential and commercial markets worldwide. Their carpet offerings are better than traditional options because they can be washed, which can make them healthier. While they’re still not on par with others in innovation, compared to the other companies on this list, Shaw’s website provides the easiest access to its sustainability reports. The reports show promise and their transparency in this aspect is commendable. Almost 90 percent of their products are Cradle to Cradle Certified™, a measure of safer, more sustainable products. An astounding claim made by them is that since 2006, they have reclaimed and recycled almost 1 billion pounds of post-consumer carpet.

Their flooring is excellent for users focusing on better flooring acoustics and they have a patented acoustics tool to hear the difference between different floorings. To maintain transparency, they maintain Health Product Declarations (HPDs) for all commercial carpet products and Living Building Challenge (LBC) Compliant Declare labels for EcoWorx® tile products. They are located throughout the U.S. as well as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France, India, Mexico, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. They are ranked 6th because of the many unhealthy products they offer and importing most of their materials.

KEY FEATURES

A unique carpeting product they offer is Floorigami, which is a stick-on-floor-mat that is durable, easier to install and maintain, and is an excellent alternative to rugs or mats. It can be washed, unlike traditional carpets, which justifies their claim of being kid- and pet-friendly. Their sustainability initiatives focus on reducing their energy usage and investing in innovations for improving quality and sustainability. They have achieved carbon neutrality in commercial carpet manufacturing operations across all their branches. They are also a signatory to the UN Global Compact, a widely recognized set of principles focused on upholding and protecting human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption standards. They have implemented the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact throughout their supply chain via a sustainable sourcing policy and related terms and conditions for all suppliers. They provide detailed information on their products which includes maintenance, warranty and installation guidelines.

PROS

• Their hardwood is FSC-certified and they have turned more than 3 billion clear plastic bottles into carpet fiber by recycling them since 2009

• They have been successful in reducing their use of water by ⅓ compared to 2010

• Floorigami is a healthy, pet- and kid-friendly carpeting option

• Their PET resilient flooring is made from 40% recycled content that can be recycled into new PET resilient flooring at the end of its life

• Their vinyl tiles contain no ortho-phthalate plasticizers (including benzyl butyl phthalate)

• They offer a color match service to visualize their flooring in your rooms and a robust and diverse catalog of products, including various finishes and installations

• They have a wide geographical presence

CONS

• Disadvantages which arise from using vinyl flooring (a plastic, unsustainable option) and tiles (requiring high kiln temperatures for manufacturing)

• Sustainability-focused innovation in their products is not as competent as compared to other companies in this list

• Their wood does not include reclaimed wood, which is a highly sustainable and effective option

#7 : MILLIKEN FLOORING

Milliken’s Flooring Covering division specializes in flooring products which they have been reusing and recycling since the 1900s, long before mainstream awareness about sustainable development even existed. Their products include Carpet (modular, broadloom, and mats), Luxury Vinyl Tile, and Protective Flooring. The protective flooring segment includes 3 varieties that incorporate innovations such as the ability to trap dust and moisture, seamless transition from carpet to floor, easy installation, etc. Some of these designs are patented. While carpets are efficient in maintenance and durability, they are not as effective as hardwood flooring (among other alternatives) in maintaining a healthy environment. Their carpets consist of 4-6% of a phthalate and PET, which can be highly toxic and contribute to VOCs. Their vinyl offering isn’t an environmentally-friendly option either, constituting 34% PVC, especially when better alternatives such as those by Kahrs exist. Hence, because of an absence of a sustainable product, they rank last on this list. Still, their commitment to sustainability and recycling has always taken center-stage in its policy and actions, with multiple initiatives to back its claims.

Milliken owns the world’s largest textile research facility to create innovations that eliminate waste, increase product performance, preserve resources, and shorten the journey to sustainability. A remarkable aspect of their company is their Supplier Code of Conduct through which they expect their suppliers to uphold a commitment to diversity, sustainability, and ethics. This forms the agreement with their suppliers, and is phenomenal from a sustainability perspective because it promotes environmentally-friendly practices at all levels of the supply chain. Through conservation and efficiency, their floor covering division has reduced its global eco-footprint by 50% over 15 years. Their goals are zero landfills, zero waste generation, and zero air emissions. They have implemented a diversity of initiatives in place to achieve these goals. Of the companies on this list, they have the greatest diversity of geographical coverage, manufacturing in the US, Mexico, United Kingdom, Belgium, France, China, and Australia, and supplying from the US, Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and Australia/NZ.

KEY FEATURES

Milliken’s manufacturing facilities are ISO-14001 – the highest global standard for environmental responsibility, and they were the first U.S. company to obtain carpet manufacturing certification from the ISO 9000 Series Standard for quality management. Their products undergo scrutiny using Life Cycle Analysis against the ISO 14040 Environmental Management Standard before implementation. All of their U.S. plants are certified as OSHA VPP STAR and all their global locations meet or exceed safety regulatory standards. A distinguishing feature is their landfill diversion program, which accepts old carpets that can then be recycled into new carpets that are reused in other buildings, down-cycled into other products, donated to nonprofit organizations, or sent to waste-to-energy facilities. Initiatives like these have the potential to cause a tremendous impact on solving waste management in landfills. Their cushion-backed carpet is one of their key products specifically designed to promote standing in workplaces, which can reduce muscle fatigue by 25% and heel impact loads by 30% – all while lasting up to 50% longer than conventional carpet tiles. They also offer a floor-covering visualizer tool similar to the one by Kahrs.

PROS

• Highest global environmental standard for their manufacturing sites

• Transparency about their claims: they share the environmental impacts of their products using Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)

• 100% of their post-consumer or post-industrial plastic content is recycled along with their water usage. Some of their products utilize recycled content too

• They have set ambitious goals for their 2025 vision, much like the UN’s SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) centered around reducing their global footprint

• Their Landfill Diversion program recycles carpets to reduce negative impacts on landfills

• Diverse and substantial geographical presence

• Carpets offer ease of installation and maintenance

• Option to filter products to view only recycled ones

• A unique variety of aesthetic carpet designs

CONS

• The vinyl tiles sold by them, which forms one-third of their product segment, utilize no recycled content and constitute 34% PVC. A highly unsustainable option when PVC and phthalate-free vinyl tiles and linoleum (a better substitute) exist

• Their carpets consist of 4-6% of a phthalate and PET (though recycled), which can be toxic and add to air pollution in the form of VOCs (Raw materials report)

• Carpets are susceptible to trapping dust and causing air pollution/allergies