Biobased

A biobased product is composed, either wholly or partly, of biomass— from fungi, plants, or animals.¹ Building products like flooring, composite panels, paints, insulation, and textiles can be biobased.

What qualifies a biobased product?

• Biobased content is estimated with ASTM standards with a ratio of new organic carbon to new + old organic carbon in the USDA BioPreffered program.
• Fabrics must contain 25% biomass,¹ whereas carpets must contain only 7% biomass, to be considered biobased.

Although many biobased products are actually mostly synthetic¹, they generally provide less carbon intensive alternatives to petroleum derived products.

Alternative flooring to LVT

• Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is a commonly used, but carbon intensive, flooring material.

• LVTs are derived from petrochemicals,² meaning that in addition to health concerns, their manufacturing produces large amounts of carbon.

• LVT disposal³ also often involves incineration, a process that produces dioxin pollution— a family of bio-accumulative, toxic chemicals that are persistent in the environment.

Dive deeper into understanding LVT here.

Is biobased always better?

• Always beware of greenwashing. Just because a product is labeled as “biobased” does not necessarily mean it is certified as being healthy or sustainable. Make sure to research and spec materials that include HPDs and other transparency documents.

The development and mainstreaming of affordable and resilient biobased flooring has the ability to compete with wholly synthetic, plastic products. Overall, they provide a healthier, more environmentally friendly alternative to fully synthetic, petrochemical-derived flooring options.