Photo by Forbo
PVC-free natural linoleum is made from a mixture of jute, flaxseed, linseed oil and wood or cork flour.
By Mindy Pennybacker
Grandma's linoleum floor made her kitchen a true living space. When we played jacks the balls bounced higher. When we fell, we nearly bounced. When we spilled, it wiped up fine, no fuss. And it absorbed noise, which made it popular for playrooms, too.
True linoleum, invented more than a hundred years ago (before petroleum and synthetics), was all natural, made of wood or cork flour, jute, flaxseed and linseed oil. Not to be confused with the PVC vinyl sheeting or tiles that have been called "linoleum" since 1947, when, because of their cheap price, they began to be the first choice for resilient floors.
What no one knew then was the problem PVC poses for human and environmental health. Children in homes with PVC flooring were found to have higher incidence of bronchial problems and eczema in a 2005 study published in Environmental Health Perspectives. The researchers traced the symptoms to levels of phthalates in house dust. The source of the phthalates? Vinyl floors. Their manufacturing unleashes carcinogenic dioxins into our air and water.
The good news: Old-fashioned natural linoleum flooring is making a big comeback. Plus, it comes in a multiplicity of durable patterns and colors from manufacturers such as Armstrong and Forbo.
Natural, resilient, timeless. Like Grandma.
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