Nature Underfoot: How Cork Is Reshaping Sustainable Design
Original article by dezeen.com
Ten colourways are available, all of which recall tones found in the natural world
Dezeen Showroom: French flooring brand Tarkett has released a collection of 100 per cent recyclable linoleum created by the brand's design manager, Valerie Pavard.
Since its inception in 1898, Tarkett's linoleum has been made from a combination of various naturally-derived ingredients.
Lino Materiale celebrates the brand's material heritage while putting cork at the forefront of its makeup.
By bringing cork to the surface of the material – both literally and philosophically – Tarkett aimed to allow nature to be present in the built environment, softening aesthetics and improving users' quality of life.
photos: dezeen
"The restorative effects of organic materials in the built environment are widely recognised," said Tarkett. "Designed to reflect the intriguing irregularities of nature, each roll of Lino Materiale is unique, enriching indoor educational and commercial spaces with the calming textures and tactility of the outdoors. "
Waste cork from the Sardinian and Portuguese wine industries was used to make the material, alongside raw cork from sustainably harvested from cork oak trees. The abundant use of cork gives the material sound-dampening properties, making it suitable for noisy, high-traffic interiors.
Lino Materiale's sustainability credentials include it being made from 96 per cent natural content, 83 per cent bio-sourced content and 39 per cent recycled content. Tarkett also operates an in-house take-back scheme, allowing the material to be returned and repurposed at the end of its lifespan.
The material is available in a choice of ten earthy colourways, enhancing the linoleum's association with nature beyond its materiality.
Cork is the primary component of Lino Materiale