By Heather Sperling | Tue May 26, 2009 10:51
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Buy Green: Bamboo Flooring
Green the floor beneath your feet with sustainably sourced bamboo from five green-driven companies.
Bamboo can be an excellent, ecological flooring option, but not all bamboo is created equal. Since it caught on in the early 90s, this building material has been heralded as a green, sustainable, plentiful resource—it is fast-growing and can be harvested and replenished with virtually no impact to the environment, due to the fact that it regenerates in 3-5 years. It is also a high oxygen-producer. Yet there are a few caveats: Some bamboo flooring contains glue with formaldehyde; some producers raze existing forests to make way for their bamboo crop; and there is no Fair Trade certification to guarantee appropriate conditions and wages for workers.
The key is to be smart about your choices and look at a company's labor practices, materials, and overall ethos. We've made the job easier by picking five favorites based on eco factor, accessibility, and visual appeal. Each company uses sustainably harvested bamboo—that's a given. What makes these companies stand out is their commitment to going above-and-beyond, whether through certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), community involvement, or commitment to sustainable practices in all aspects of their business, from the bamboo factories to their home offices.
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Plyboo Flooring From Smith & Fong
Why We Like It: Smith & Fong, which produces the Plyboo line, is the world's first fully FSC-certified bamboo flooring company. The company's Web site supplies the LEED credits each flooring option qualifies for, as well as a real-life sample image (from stores, restaurants, hotels, and homes). If you are going beyond the floors, check out the bamboo wall paneling and plywood.
Eco Factor: FSC certification is a big deal—it ensures that the bamboo is being grown and harvested in the most eco-friendly way possible.
Visual Appeal: Lots of colors and textures, from classic natural stains to funky zebra-striped.
Where: Widely available from authorized Plyboo dealers.
How Much: Standard floor starts at $3.60 per square foot, pricier options range from $5.50-7 per square foot.
Image courtesy of Smith & Fong
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Bamboo Flooring From Teragren
Why We Like It: Bamboo flooring, panels, and veneer manufacturer Teragren founded 15 years ago by "avid environmentalists," follows the principles of The Natural Step, an organization that spreads the gospel of sustainable business practices. The site has a great glossary of all the bamboo terms you could ever need to know, not to mention gorgeous wood.
Eco Factor: Teragren is a member of Business for Social Responsibility and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and for the last decade has partnered with a factory group in China that shares their commitment to sustainable business practices (including fair wages and safe working conditions). Although the adhesive in Teragren's products emits less formaldehyde than allowed by global standards, the firm is moving towards those that comply with the USGBC's LEED specifications. As an added bonus, unused portions of bamboo are recycled, shavings are used as fuel in the factories, and the firm's Bainbridge Island office is fully carbon-neutral. The co-founder is also on the board of the Environmental Leadership Program.
Visual Appeal: The flooring is available in a vast range of colors and grain textures—the largest of the bunch.
Where: Widely available across the country: Try Teragren's retailer locator.
How Much: Approximately $6-$10 per square foot, with installation running from $3.50-$5.50 per square foot.
Image courtesy of Teragren Fine Bamboo Flooring, Panels & Veneer
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FSC Certified Bamboo Flooring From Bamboo Hardwoods
Why We Like It: Bamboo Hardwoods has more than 30 styles of bamboo—ranging in color, hardness, and grain—from three different species of bamboo. If you're a big DIY-er, try the unfinished bamboo that you can stain yourself. You can also purchase bamboo deck tiles meant for outdoor flooring surfaces (patios, decks, etc).
Eco Factor: Bamboo Hardwoods has two FSC-certified bamboo floor options—maple-stained and mahogany-stained—and the firm is a member of Built Green, a Seattle-area green housing association.
Visual Appeal: Very classic, subdued range of colors and textures. A full set of flooring samples is available for $25.
Where: Online at Bamboo Hardwoods, locations in Washington State, or through a distributor in Berkeley, California and Madison, Wisconsin.
How Much: $4.25-$6 per square foot for the standard bamboo, $6-$8 per square foot for the FSC-certified options.
Image courtesy of Bamboo Hardwoods
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Bamboo Flooring From Bamboo Mountain
Why We Like It: Bamboo Mountain's entire product line fits within LEED specifications. This 12-year old company "relentlessly recycles everything," and ships most flooring within 24 hours, delivering within 2-6 days of ordering. While color selection is limited, the company is the only one on this list to have wide-plank flooring.
Eco Factor: Floors are made of mature bamboo and manufactured with the lowest VOC finishes and adhesives available, including 100 percent formaldehyde-free glue. Beyond the actual flooring, the company implements a stringent company-wide recycling program and the U.S. warehouse is strategically located close to the San Diego airport to help trim transportation emissions.
Visual Appeal: For a little drama, you can't beat Bamboo Mountain's wide-plank flooring, which is 6 feet long by 6 inches wide. The firm also has long-strip flooring (6 feet long by 3.5 inches wide), and "fuse" flooring that weaves together bamboo strands for funky visual effect. Each option comes in 3-4 colors. Samples are available for online purchase.
Where: Online at Bamboo Mountain or from a local dealer.
How Much: $5-$5.80 per square foot, plus flat-shipping rates of $100 for up to 1,000 square feet, and $200 for up to 2,000 square feet.
Image courtesy of Bamboo Mountain
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Bamboo Flooring From Cali Bamboo
Why We Like It: In addition to flooring, Cali Bamboo boasts bamboo fences, palm thatch, and slats. As an added perk, detailed, DIY-friendly installation guides are available online.
Eco Factor: Manufactured from 5-7-year-old organically grown bamboo, all Cali Bamboo Flooring product lines qualify for a LEED credit for Rapidly Renewable Materials, but only some qualify for LEED Low-Emitting Materials credit—that said, almost all products can be altered to use low-emission adhesives that meet LEED standards. The company is a member of the USGBC and 1% For the Planet, donating 1 percent of product sales to environmental groups including Surfrider, dedicated to protecting the world's oceans, waves and beaches, and Rainforest Relief.
Visual Appeal: Cali Bamboo has 18 different flooring options, ranging from natural to dark mocha.
Where: Online at Cali Bamboo.
How Much: Prices range from $2.92-$5 per square foot.
Image courtesy of Cali Bamboo
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