By Louis Iannaco
In today’s “going green” world, alternative flooring choices are quite the buzz. Consumers are seeking different ways to be earth- friendly, and both dealers and manufacturers have taken notice. One such choice is cork, an option that, while it has been around for 100-plus years, is now taking on an more significant role in the flooring arena due to its green attributes.

Peter Nazarenko of Planet Hardwood in St. George, Vt., said his sales staff puts an enormous emphasis on education. “Cork is a great story in that it is a finite sustainable harvest, looks great, is now user friendly with the ‘clic’ panels, and is ‘kind’ underfoot. And, additionally, like wood, it goes with any décor.”

Planet Hardwood’s cork business has grown at a rapid rate recently, “an average of 20% a year,” he said. “It performs well and satisfies the growing eco-consciousness as an ingredient in the decision. Also, people are looking more at non-traditional (if cork indeed falls in that category) floor coverings like cork and rubber.”

Jack Dean, sales manager of G. Fried in Sarasota, Fla., who has seen his business grow by 25% in recent years, believes selection and education are key to increased cork sales and profits. “We have a fairly large selection of cork flooring in our showroom. All of the cork has literature to go with it. I find most consumers are unaware of the many options available to them and they probably go to the Internet after they have been exposed to the product in the showroom.

“I find it is most important for my sales staff to be able to tell the consumer of the many benefits of cork. It’s non-allergenic, no bugs eat it and it has a very soft walk to it. This is great for anyone with bad knees or hips. I have called on orthopedic surgeons to tell them of the health benefits. We also have many styles and designs for the discriminating buyer with great fashion sense. I think the reason [it has grown] is our sales staff is more comfortable with it and [the shopper] sees how well it wears.”

Joe Bell, owner of Bell Floor Covering in Philadelphia, said, “What we love about cork is that it brings together comfort and durability. Our cork business has grown a lot in the last couple of years, so much that we have become a stocking dealer. We stock two patterns in tile and two patterns in floating. Approximately 85% of our cork sales are that of the floating variety.”

Bell believes cork’s green story will soon become less of a niche tale as it becomes more prominent and specified in the marketplace. “The market for green building materials has taken off in the past couple of years, and I believe it has come time for it to be the mainstream. You hear it in the news every day about the human footprint on the world, and I believe people are finally taking notice.”

Cheryl Matthews, manager of Nova Distinctive Floors, said during the last few years the company has experienced “significant growth” in its cork business. “The residential areas are larger and aren’t limited to kitchens anymore.

“Commercial areas are specified for cork more often now,” she explained, “and installations aren’t just floors, but walls, shelves, tables. Designers are now seeking cork. We constantly look for new colors and patterns to keep the options fresh. This is what keeps the architects and designers coming back to Nova for their cork.”

Nova offers show floors, display racks, brochures and large samples to retailers to entice the shopper, noted Matthews. “The core winning points for cork flooring: The tree is never cut down. We use the bark and the bark grows back. It’s very eco- friendly; it’s a noise insulator; it’s a thermal insulator; it’s soft underfoot; it’s hypoallergenic and therefore good for people with allergies; it’s insect and microbe repellent, and it’s easy to maintain with its polyurethane finish.”

Historically, she stated, cork has been used for projects since the 1800s. “Many homeowners call us to inquire about maintenance tips when they discover their 1920s to 1930s house has cork floors under the carpet. Cork floors of today are more durable with the new improved finishes available. Our finish is a green-friendly, water-based polyurethane. Improvements have also been made in the scratch resistance, chemical resistance and the UV blocker.”

According to Philippe Erramuzpe, COO of Natural Cork, with the growing awareness of the green movement, consumers are becoming more sensitive when selecting products and tend to lean more and more to the ones that will help preserve the environment. “Cork is a material with outstanding properties that has proven itself to being an established flooring alternative. Many wrong perceptions had to be overcome, the main one being its durability, but experience has shown that cork floors do last.”

In addition to being specified for areas where it had been used traditionally, he noted, quite often as replacement of an existing cork floor, in museums, libraries and courthouses for the most part, the commercial applications for cork continue to grow. “With the greening of health care facilities, cork could become more in demand. The same is to be said for schools. As an alternative to carpet, cork flooring makes perfect sense in office spaces.”