The state of our environment is top concern for many of us and influences our daily decisions – including when we decide what we put in our homes. Whether it be the carbon emissions a product plant emits or the amount of recycled content a new product contains, there are a lot of different ways something can be “green”. Here are some things to consider, and products to look at, when wanting to make eco-friendly choices for your home.

Cork is a renewable resource as the trees are not cut down when harvesting the cork. Layers of the bark are removed, which then grow back. A cork tree can be harvested for 150 years and live for a good 200.

Wicanders Cork, available through Floors First Canada, comes in a wide variety of Greenguard Gold Certified finishes for both your floors and walls.

Cork’s honeycomb structure means it’s full of air acting as both an acoustic and thermal insulator. Its natural elasticity allows it to absorb impacts and return to its original shape. These features make it a great flooring option for your home.

Looking for products that contain recycled content is another way of being green with your renovation choices.

Tiles are a finish where you can find many eco-friendly options, and Ceragres has a lot of these to choose from like glass tiles made from 100% recycled materials, stone mosaics that are 98% recycled, and porcelain tiles manufactured in low emissions environmentally conscious plants.

Maxwell carries a wide selection of OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified fabrics, easily found on their website. Here are just a few of the awesome patterns and colours these fabrics are available in!