In addition to the many built-in green qualities by manufacturers, laminate flooring as a whole has numerous inherent environmentally friendly characteristics that make it easy for retailers to use as selling points. The following is a sampling of some of those innate traits as well as some of the more general things the major mills are doing to make the category green.

• Laminate floors can effectively imitate any of the very popular endangered materials. From exotic hardwoods to rare stones, not a single tree is felled or rock mined.

• Laminate is made from wood chips/fiber. Mills can use any type of easily renewable species—pine, oak, etc.

• Everything but the bark and leaf are used, so close to 100% of the tree is utilized, making for less waste.

• Just about all laminate floors in the market today utilize some type of mechanical locking system. This means there are fewer materials to use to install it; the product can be easily repaired without lifting or repairing the whole floor, and there is less of a need for any power tools, which means less energy, less noise and less waste.

• Laminate flooring requires minimal maintenance. This means no harsh chemicals are needed to clean the product.

• Laminate flooring is a very durable and long-lasting product. This results in less need for replacement—and, thus, less discarded flooring sent to landfills.

• Most of the product’s cores today are produced using recycled materials, with some ranging between 75% and 100%. Check with the specific mill for its recycled content.

• Some no longer use adhesives in the manufacturing process—products are created using heat and pressure only.

• The decorative paper is printed using water-based, low-VOC inks.

• Many mills now package their laminate products in cartons that are made from recycled cardboard.

• Because of its mechanical locking system, laminate floors can be donated to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity instead of being thrown into the landfill.