10 Minutes with … Forbo Flooring
We recently were awarded for participation in the Fly Forbo Competition, a competition for architects and designers showcasing Forbo products in projects. We took the third spot for our interior design work for the University of the Arts London project in Peckham which we completed last year. Forbo has always been one of our favourite flooring suppliers for many years and reasons, but their sustainable conscience is certainly at the top of the list. It can be hard to find sustainable products at a great price point, but this is something we have never struggled with at Forbo. If you’re interested in some great sustainable products, flooring inspiration/trends or Forbo as a brand this one’s for you.
Design by @nelsonandlong
What in your opinion makes Forbo flooring one of the best on the market?
In my opinion, I think we’re one of the best because of our wide portfolio of high quality, sustainable and design led products. In fact, we have a solution available for all areas of a building, whether that’s busy communal areas, comfortable living spaces or bathrooms. Thanks to the variety of products available, architects and specifiers can create beautifully integrated flooring schemes.
We also manufacture some of our solutions in the UK too, which is sometimes rare in this industry. Our Tessera carpet tiles are manufactured in Bamber Bridge, near Preston; our Nuway entrance flooring systems are hand made in Telford; our Flotex flocked flooring is produced in Ripley, near Derby; and our Marmoleum sheet and tile products are manufactured in Kirkcaldy, Scotland.
Image courtesy of Forbo - Product Tessera carpet tiles
What is your most sustainable product and has it been received well?
Our most sustainable floor covering at Forbo is our own brand of linoleum, Marmoleum – the raw ingredients that are grown to make Marmoleum absorb more CO2 from the atmosphere as they grow than it takes to manufacture it. If someone invented Marmoleum today the world would be amazed!
Marmoleum is Climate Positive from Cradle to Gate, without the need for offsetting. A Bio-based floor, it is manufactured from 97% natural raw materials, including flax, jute and linseed oil, which are obtained from annual crops, as well as wood flour and pine rosin that are sourced from sustainably managed forestry plantations. In fact, 61% of the natural ingredients are renewable, of which 29% are rapidly renewable, meaning it will grow back within one year. Marmoleum also boasts 43% reused and recycled content to reduce the demand for virgin raw materials.
In May this year, we also launched our newly refreshed Marmoleum Cocoa range, which goes one step further when it comes to sustainability. As well as being manufactured with 97% natural raw materials and 43% recycled content, it also includes upcycled cocoa husk waste from the chocolate manufacturing industry and now, for the first time in Forbo’s history, it also contains End of Life (EOL) recycled Marmoleum content.
Marmoleum is one of our top selling solutions and is installed within modern commercial interiors all over the world.
Image courtesy of Forbo - Product Marmoleum Cocoa
What is the most popular flooring and why (in the PBSA/BTR/PRS sector)?
Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) are consistently growing in popularity.
Our LVT brand Allura is available in an array of beautiful, realistic wood and stone effects, which feature natural colour variations and in-register embossing structures to emphasise the texture of the planks for a truly authentic aesthetic. They are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, and in plank and tile formats, meaning specifiers can experiment with installation designs. It's also practical, durable, easy to maintain and will stand the test of time.
However, noise reduction always plays an important part in key building standards. So, specifiers need to choose flooring solutions that not only look the part and can stand up to the demands of busy environments but can also create acoustically sound spaces. We also have an acoustic LVT, Allura Decibel, which offers the aesthetics and convenience of an LVT but with built in 19 dB impact sound reduction. This makes an acoustic LVT installation less costly and quicker, as no underlay is required.
Image courtesy of Forbo - Product Allura Decibel
Where does the inspiration come from for your collections? and what new ranges have you launched?
When it comes to developing new collections, our designers follow the company’s design principles and use their unique Global Colour Card, which is based on the latest design trends. By using the Global Colour Card, they can develop an offering where different product ranges complement each other, allowing specifiers to create integrated flooring schemes with ease.
We are constantly updating our ranges so that we always have something contemporary to offer. As well as Allura Decibel and Marmoleum Cocoa, we have also launched three new carpet tile ranges: Accord, Infused & Harmony, as well as totally refreshing our Allura LVT ranges.
Design by @nelsonandlong
What trends do Forbo predict for future collections (in the PBSA/BTR/PRS sector)?
From a design point of view, I anticipate that more warm tones will be specified when it comes to flooring in BTR and PRS projects – moving away from cooler, desaturated shades – to act as a contemporary, neutral, yet warming, backdrop.
However, sustainability is going to be hot on everyone’s agenda soon – if it’s not already! So, I believe specifiers will take an even bigger interest in the sustainability of a product and how it can contribute to a circular economy, whilst reducing the carbon footprint of a building.
Over and out N+L