WOOD SUSTAINABILITY IS IN THE SOURCING


Steve Grimwood, Managing Director of Osmo UK, explains the importance of


checking the harvesting properties of all hardwood flooring to guarantee the most sustainable and environmentally friendly product available.


The rustic and natural look that wooden flooring delivers to any room has kept it as one of the most popular choices to date. In addition to its aesthetic qualities, wood is the choice of the moment due to its ecological qualities. If sourced responsibly and sustainably, wooden flooring is a perfect option for the eco-friendly. However, unbeknown to many, depending on the harvesting method chosen, the woods sustainable levels can vary dramatically. Ecologically speaking, without the correct harvesting practice in place, using wood can be environmentally destructive and wholly unsustainable.


Hardwood sustainability can be judged several ways. Firstly, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, international, non-governmental organisation that provides certification of wood that's been harvested in a responsible manner. Dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world’s forests, the FSC places its ‘tick tree’ logo on all wood products that have been sourced from well-managed forests, maintaining the forest’s biodiversity, productivity, and ecological processes.


“To fully ensure wood is


sustainable and comes from a sustainable forest seek the FSC label.”


In addition, each species used in hardwood flooring has a unique hardness rating which indicates its natural resistance to normal wear and tear in a home. Measured by the Janka scale, a woods hardness scores the species resistance to denting and wear. The higher the wood’s Janka scale, the harder the species, the greater longevity it will provide and therefore the more sustainable material. The Janka scale ranges from 22 up to 5,000. Brazilian walnut has one of the highest ratings at 3684, while yellow pine has one of the lowest at 690. Oak is the benchmark standard for hardness at 1360 as well as teak measuring in at 1,000.


However, a higher Janka rate doesn’t necessarily guarantee sustainability. For instance, tropical hardwoods, such as black acacia, are the hardest woods on the planet. Occupying the top positions on the Janka scale, such woods


18 | SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS


make them a great choice for durable flooring. However, harvesting tropical woods cause significant ecological destruction in its natural habitat, and are difficult to manage sustainably due to poor regeneration after logging. To overcome this issue it is always recommended to seek that the wood is FSC-certified to ensure the wood has been harvested in a sustainable manner.


Recycling existing wood flooring also provides an alternative way of sourcing sustainable wood. One of the many great qualities wooden flooring has is its versatility and prolonged existence. With wood known to outlast the lifetime of a house, preventing existing wood from the scrap heap is another eco- friendly option available to ensure you’re providing sustainable materials. Reclaimed wood can come from previous flooring installations and can even be sourced from disused barns and old barrels. For wooden flooring, there are many products available that can repair and revive the appearance of old wood. If you are looking for a bigger change you can change the floor colouring entirely, all whilst preventing the need to harvest additional trees.


Finally, specifying local wood species also helps increase sustainability. Wood that has been harvested locally minimises transportation-related energy and pollution whilst supporting the local economy.


Although wooden flooring is a natural and ecological material, it doesn’t guarantee the species sustainability. To fully ensure wood is sustainable and comes from a sustainable forest, managed with consideration to local inhabitants, wildlife, environment and regeneration, seek the FSC label. If the label isn’t displayed, the other methods listed will help judge a hardwoods sustainability qualities and ecological benefits.


OSMO UK - AN ETHICAL BRAND We were pleased to celebrate 11 years of Ethical Accreditation by being named one of the Most Ethical Brands of 2017, demonstrating our commitment to its green policies and social responsibilities.


The Most Ethical Brands are awarded to companies following research carried out by the Ethical Company Organisation. The Good Shopping Guide aims to help people make informed decisions about which brands are best for the planet, best for animals and best for people worldwide. It promotes equality, justice and sustainable development by helping to empower people to transform trading structures and practices in favour of an ethical economy based on justice and fairness.


www.osmouk.com www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com


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