Our Guide To Sustainable Flooring
The choices we make for our homes can have a lasting impact on the world around us. From the raw materials we select to the way products are manufactured and disposed of, every step matters in building a more sustainable future. Today, flooring is more than just a design decision — it’s an opportunity to reduce our environmental footprint, support responsible resource use, and enjoy products that are healthier for our homes and the planet.
At Flooring Xtra, we’re proud to offer a range of innovative and eco-conscious flooring solutions — from renewable engineered and hardened timber, to natural wool and recycled carpets like ECONYL®, and even underlays made from repurposed materials. Each option blends durability, style, and environmental responsibility, proving that you don’t have to compromise on quality or beauty to make a positive difference.
In this guide, we’ll explore the unique benefits of each sustainable flooring type, helping you choose the one that best suits your lifestyle, values, and home. Explore our variety of soft and hard flooring options designed to enhance your space whilst being gentle on the planet.
Engineered Timber
Engineered Timber is one of the most environmentally friendly flooring options available as it comes from trees, which are renewable. The forests that provide our flooring products are growing faster than they are being harvested. Timber flooring is also biodegradable, recyclable and requires less energy to produce than other flooring options. Timber floors with environmental certification are always available.
Since trees play a crucial role in combating climate change and stimulating biodiversity, we must treat them with care. That’s why we use slow-growing species, such as oak, only in the top layers of our timber flooring. The core of timber flooring often consists of either wood from fast-growing trees (Spruce, Hevea) or a high-density fibreboard (HDF) made of recovered wood. For our wooden herringbone ranges, we created unique designs using small pieces of wood that would otherwise go to waste. That’s how to get the most out of every tree.
Sustainable forest management involves the harvesting of trees with the protection of our planet and biodiversity in mind, preventing trees from being cut at a faster rate than new ones are being planted. Suppliers maximise the use of thinned wood, which is wood that needs to be harvested to keep forests healthy – such as small or bent trees that could hinder the growth of other trees – but is perfectly suitable for flooring. By using wood from sustainably managed forests, we’re sure our wood sourcing doesn’t contribute to deforestation.
Engineered Timber floors use numerous layers of wood running in opposite directions, normally from 3, up to 7 layers are used. They normally come completely pre-finished, and as such are much quicker and easier to install, without site dust and coatings to worry about. Most engineered floors can be sanded and refinished in the same way as solid flooring, depending on the top layer thickness. In addition to being an environmentally friendly hard flooring solution, engineered timber has the added benefit of stability. They aren’t as prone to shrinking or growing with humidity, and you will not get gaps between boards, like with solid flooring.
Hardened Timber
Hardened Timber is one of the most durable, stable and dent and scratch-resistant hard flooring options available. It is made with a top layer of real timber - showcasing the natural beauty of woods such as oak and walnut, while allowing for sustainable management of Europe's precious forestry resources. Beneath this is a super strong ultra high-density board, which contributes significantly to the material's strength, stability, and impact resistance. While the technology varies slightly between brands, a wood backing layer adds further stability, and the protective surface lacquer ensures durability and resistance to scratches and dents. Our collection of products from Parky and Bjelin all have commercial grade class 33 finishes and come with a residential warranty of 35 years - so you know this flooring is made to last.
Choosing Hardened Timber is an eco-friendly decision. At Flooring Xtra, we are committed to doing our part when it comes to a sustainable future. We offer only Hardened Timber products that are sourced from sustainably managed forests, ensuring that you are making a responsible choice for the environment. By utilising only a thin layer of real timber, the harvested wood can be used in a more optimal way. By opting for hardened timber flooring, you are not only investing in your home but also contributing to the preservation of our planet's resources.
Wool Carpet
Wool naturally resists general soiling, crushing, and most stains. Wool has inherent fire retardant and anti-allergenic fibre. The soft look and rich feel of wool is still unmatched by any man-made fibre, and may be more affordable than you think. Wool is naturally biodegradable in soil, adding nutrients back to the earth that helps grow the grass that feed our sheep. Microplastic pollution is increasingly recognised as one of the most critical global challenges facing humanity. It is estimated that 12.2 million tonnes of plastic enters the global marine environment each year. Wool also degrades in the ocean, therefore wool fibre does not contribute to microfibre and plastic pollution.
The best quality wool is from New Zealand, and you will find that many of our Wool carpets are made from New Zealand Wool. Wool is naturally biodegradable in soil, adding nutrients back to the earth that helps grow the grass that feed our sheep. By choosing Wool Carpet for your home, you can rest assured that when it comes time to replace your carpet in the future, it will naturally break down, reducing the long-term impact on waste.
ECONYL® Carpet
ECONYL® is a revolutionary fibre that is transforming the way we look at flooring materials. It's not just a carpet; it's a commitment to the environment. ECONYL® is a regenerated nylon made from recycled waste, such as abandoned fishing nets, fabric scraps, and industrial plastic waste. By transforming discarded materials into a high-quality and durable fibre, ECONYL® helps reduce environmental impact and promote a circular economy.
For every 10,000 tonnes of ECONYL® raw material produced, 70,000 barrels of crude oil are saved, and 65,100 tonnes of CO2 emissions are avoided. ECONYL® nylon fibre has the potential to be recycled infinitely without ever losing its quality, making this an excellent long term carpet choice for your forever home.
Choosing a carpet range that is produced more sustainably does not mean compromising on style. The range of carpets available at Flooring Xtra that are produced using ECONYL® fibre are considered premium carpets that offer a wide array of design options to suit every style of home. Best of all, it’s a choice that you can feel good about knowing you are supporting a circular economy by keeping products that have reached their end of life, out of landfill.
ECONYL® not only repurposes waste but also requires fewer resources compared to traditional nylon production. This translates into a reduced demand for raw materials, energy, and water, aligning with our vision for a more sustainable and eco-friendly flooring industry.
Choosing to purchase a carpet made from ECONYL® fibre means you are actively working towards reducing the environmental footprint associated with carpet production.
Sleepyhead Zero Underlay
Sleepyhead Zero Underlay is made from local recycled foam that's better for the planet and better for your home. Approximately 80% of the scrap foam in this underlay is sourced in NZ rather than imported keeping more foam out of New Zealand landfill. On top of that, Sleepyhead Zero Underlay packaging is fully recyclable. This plastic is repurposed into other products such as fence posts. Sleepyhead Zero Underlay is available exclusively at Flooring Xtra. In 2024, Flooring Xtra customers purchased 7,323 rolls, which diverted approximately 154.7 tonnes of scrap foam to landfill.
Sleepyhead Zero is one of our highest quality underlay options available. Did you know that choosing a quality underlay is likely to extend the life of your carpet? We often find that underlay will wear down before the carpet does, so by choosing a premium underlay and extending the life of your soft flooring, you're contributing further to a more sustainable future.
