As the environmental movement gains steam and green ideas are becoming more and more mainstream, natural and renewable materials are gaining popularity with builders and home buyers alike.

Many popular flooring types raise serious environmental concerns. Most carpet is made from nylon – a petroleum-based product – and its manufacture requires the excessive use of fossil fuels. Vinyl, another widely-used flooring material, is also petroleum-based. Furthermore, neither carpet nor vinyl is biodegradable, making landfills the only option for their disposal.

But the trend toward natural, renewable building materials goes beyond environmental responsibility. Many consumers are becoming aware of the potential health benefits of natural materials. There is growing concern that some types of standard flooring – including popular nylon carpets – may create a health hazard for home and office inhabitants thanks to chemicals used in their production and the methods used to install them.

While many longtime homeowners may assume that upgrading to green materials is cost-prohibitive, renewable flooring options are becoming more affordable and more widely available. And because of their popularity with home buyers, particularly young families, green floors can actually add value to your home and help to distinguish it in a crowded real estate market. Following are just a few of the most popular renewable flooring options.

Environmentally Friendly Flooring Types

Bamboo

Both eco-friendly and attractive, bamboo has become a popular alternative to hardwoods. Because bamboo grows quickly and is easy to replenish, it eliminates the deforestation concerns associated with wood floors. Bamboo also has several other benefits. First, it’s extremely strong and durable, making it a long-lasting option for even very highly trafficked areas. Second, it’s versatile – there are a wide variety of colors and finishes to choose from. Last, bamboo flooring is exceptionally cost-effective thanks to its wide availability and ease of installation. For these reasons, bamboo is quickly becoming the hottest trend in hard floors.

Wool Carpet

Although the vast majority of carpets manufactured in the U.S. are synthetic, there is a high-quality natural alternative. While sometimes hard to find, wool carpet is a safe, renewable alternative to petroleum-based nylon. And although wool can be a bit costly, it offers a soft, natural feel and loads of aesthetic appeal. Wool is also naturally soil and stain resistant, making it relatively easy to care for and particularly resilient.

Recycled Carpet

A recent and rather surprising addition to your eco-friendly flooring options is recycled carpet. Inexpensive , colorfast and, according to several manufacturers, more durable than virgin fiber carpet, recycled carpet is a win-win for the environment. Usually made from recycled plastic soda bottles, recycled carpet helps to keep non-biodegradable materials out of landfills while providing a flooring material with great looks and resiliency. Recycled carpet requires less energy than nylon to manufacture, and no special installation is required. While recycled carpet is not as widely available as nylon, expect it to become more popular in the coming years.