As The World Turns Green...
a definition of terms

GREEN - refers to a manufacturing process or substance that utilizes renewable, sometimes raw, manterials and/or recycled material or energy sources.  Green also refers to systems that use less energy in their manufacturing process and in final use.

RENEWABLE - materials are those that come from naturally derived sources that renew quickly.  Nonrenewable materials tap into resources that once depleted, are gone forever, such as petroleum, some minerals, and some types of wood.

SUSTAINABLE - flooring products are those that minimize impact on the environment at each phase of their life cycle.  Sustainable products also typically wear very well and can be reused in myriad ways.  Think of the life cycle of beams in an old warehouse being re-milled into residential floors a century later.

RECYCLED - materials contain some percentage of recovered materials in the finished product.  Some of the materials that go into recycled floor covering products include light bulbs, old windshields, mining byproducts, tires and, not surprisingly, worn-out flooring.

RECYCLABLE - products can be used again or reused in the manfacture or assembly of another package or product through and established recycling program.

RECLAIMED - products are usuallin the same category as recycled products, consisting of materials that have been recovered or diverted from waste to be recycled for others uses.

POSTCONSUMER - Postconsumer materials are those that have served their intended use as a consumer item and have been diverted or recovered from waste.  they are also categorized under the broader term "reclaimed" or "recovered."

NATURAL - floor coverings are derived from products found in nature such as grasses, cottons and wools.  Linoleum is a well-known natural floor, as are ceramic tile and cork, among others.