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FLO O RI N G
VINYL FLOORING IN 2020 AND BEYOND Over the last decade, flooring tends have changed and adapted considerably. In keeping with the end users’ needs for flooring to be easy to clean and maintain, beautiful, comfortable underfoot and environmentally conscious, vinyl floors have developed to meet all of these demands and more – making it the ideal solution for the busy business or home owner of the 2020s. “Ten years ago, Luxury Vinyl Tiles and modern vinyl sheeting were still relatively new in the market. We had to work hard to change the perception that we were selling the ugly, dated vinyl of the 1970s and 80s – which they often confused with linoleum. Today, vinyl flooring has evolved more than any other type of flooring available on the market,” says Tandy Coleman, CEO of Polyflor SA – one of South Africa’s leading suppliers of vinyl flooring. “The characteristics of vinyl that makes this flooring category highly attractive
for use in offices, hotels, educational institutions and retail environments, include superior product performance and endurance, easy maintenance where cost and effort are concerned, its ‘green’ rating and improved sustainability credentials, aesthetics, ability to absorb sounds (acoustics) and comfort underfoot.” WIDE VARIETY OF COLOUR AND DESIGN OPTIONS Historically, vinyl flooring was available in a limited choice of colours and finishes. Recent years have seen a technological revolution take place in the flooring industry, allowing manufacturers to create realistic looks in a wide array of finishes, colours and with many interesting and unique textures that mimic natural looks, such as wood and stone, or create unique, decorative looks currently unavailable in any other style of flooring. Polyflor also produces ranges in a rainbow of bold, dynamic colours, such
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as the Palettone PUR – a spectacularly colourful, homogenous flooring collection with seven colour palettes comprising a total of 50 different shades, including classic neutrals, soothing pastels and daring brights. GROWING AWARENESS OF SUSTAINABILITY If there’s one area where the flooring industry is experiencing growth and change, it’s the ‘green market’. Specifiers are demanding floors that are environmentally responsible, sustainable and
recyclable. Polyflor continues to be innovative with regards to sustainability achievements, including having used harvested rainwater for production since 1915, recycling vinyl floor off-cuts and being the first commercial flooring manufacturer to achieve the BRE’s standard for Responsible Sourcing, BES 6001 for many products. There were many other firsts, including being the first flooring manufacturer to achieve GreenTag LCARate certification. www.polyflor.co.za
