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  3. Floor coverings 029

Floor coverings 029

A Nordic Swan Ecolabel floor covering or flooring underlay has reduced environmental impact throughout its lifecycle. The requirements span from renewable and/or recycled materials to chemicals and energy consumption. There is also a focus on circular aspects such as quality, traceability, warranty, repairability and recyclability.

The requirements include:

  • Use of a high proportion of renewable and/or recycled materials.
  • Environmental and health properties of chemicals both used in manufacturing and added to the materials.
  • Limits for energy use during manufacturing.
  • Limits on emissions from formaldehyde and VOC in the final product.
  • Test of the quality and performance
  • A 5-year warranty.
  • Traceability to the manufacturer to ensure refurbishment, repair or recycling.

The product group includes floor coverings intended for indoors use as well as flooring underlays based on wood, cork, bamboo, laminate, linoleum, and PVC-free plastic raw materials.

    1. Start your application process by reading the criteria document and find out if your product can obtain the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. 
    2. Read your Application Guide.
    3. Request login credentials.
    4. Now you are ready to enter the Nordic Ecolabelling Portal.

     

    Portal sign in                               Get login credentials

     

    Should you wish to transfer your licence, please use this form. 

  • Valid from 1/1 2025

    Amount excluding VAT

    Application fees

    		  
    Application for a new licence 3 348 EUR
    Application for renewal 1 673 EUR

    Annual licence fee

    The licence fee for the Nordic Swan Ecolabelled products is based on their turnover in the Nordic region.

    Up to 20.6 million EUR. 0,15% of the products' turnover
    More than 20.6 million EUR. 0,05% of the products' turnover
    Minimum fee in the Nordics 2 232 EUR per year.
    Maximum fee in the Nordics 103 000 EUR per year.
    Fixed fee applicable to turnover outside the Nordic region 2 232 EUR per year for turnover exceeding 300 000 EUR.

    Fee for extension / change of licence

    Fixed fee that is charged depending on how long the work takes.

    Up to 4 hours 418 EUR
    4-8 hours 836 EUR
    8 or more hours 1 673 EUR

    Fee for on-site inspections

    One on-site visit within the Nordic region is included in the application for a new or renewed licence.

    Additional on-site inspection within the Nordic region 557 EUR per visit
    On-site inspection outside the Nordic region, but within Europe 1 673 EUR per visit
    On-site inspection outside Europe 2 790 EUR per visit
    Additional fee for on-site inspections lasting longer than one day 1 115 EUR per day

     

  • In the criteria document, you can read about how to document and verify compliance for each requirement. You can also find other application documents here.

  • There are many possibilities to communicate the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. Find more information here.

  • Information on the latest version of the criteria for floor coverings

    7.1 ⇛ 7.2: Adjustment of the criteria

    On the 18th of March 2025 Nordic Ecolabelling decided to reintroduce the limit value of 15 weight% when the requirement shall be applied. It was also decided about adding an exemption for Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK, CAS No. 78-93-3) in requirement O28.

    7.0 ⇛ 7.1: Adjustment of the criteria

    On the 4th of June 2024 Nordic Ecolabelling decided to adjust requirement text for bisphenols in requirements O20, O22, and O28 to have similar formulation for the text as in the criteria for 096 Paints. It was also decided on adjustment in requirement O29 Nanomaterials.

    On the 13th of August 2024 Nordic Ecolabelling decided to add an exemption in O26 for trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA, CAS 15625-89-5) and classified as H351, as an ingoing substance in surface treatment products and printing inks.

    On the 17th of December 2024 Nordic Ecolabelling decided to add specific exemptions for two-component products in both O25 and O26. Also to add exemptions for glyoxal in O26, for BHT in O20, O22 and O28, for crystalline silica/quartz classified as H350 in O26 and DBNPA in O28 based on similar changes as in the criteria for 096 Paints. It was also decided to reformulate requirements for PFAS and halogenated organic compounds in requirements O20, O22 and O28.

    The new version of the criteria is 7.1.

    7.0: New criteria generation

    Nordic Ecolabelling adopted version 7.0 of the criteria for floor coverings and flooring underlays on 05th of December 2023.

    The criteria are valid until 31st of December 2028.

    6.13 ⇛ 6.14: Prolongation

    Nordic Ecolabelling decided on 30 January 2024 to prolong the validity of the criteria to the 31 March 2025. The new version is called 6.14.

    6.12 ⇛ 6.13: Adjustment of the criteria

    On 18 April 2023, Nordic Ecolabelling decided to remove references made to textile flooring and some of the related requirements from the documents. Textile flooring can now be ecolabelled under Nordic Ecolabelling’s criteria for Textile floor coverings and carpets instead.

    At the same time, an exemption to SVHC melamine was granted and it was made clearer that test for 1,3-butadiene content was irrelevant for natural latex

    The new version is called 6.13.

    6.11 ⇛ 6.12: Adjustment of the criteria

    An adjustment was made in requirement O19 where an exception for printing inks classified as Repr. 2 H361 has been introduced.

    The new version is called 6.12.

    6.10 ⇛ 6.11: Adjustments of the criteria

    An adjustment was made in requirement O19 where resins with melamine are exempted from the classification prohibitions H351, H361 and H373. The new version is called 6.11 and is valid to 31 December 2024. 

    6.9 ⇛ 6.10: Prolongation

    Nordic Ecolabelling decided on 5 April 2022 to prolong the validity of the criteria to the 31 December 2024. The new version is called 6.10.

    6.8 ⇛ 6.9: Adjustments of the criteria

    Requirement O19 has been adjusted for adhesives containing isocyanates. These are exempted from classification H373. The new version is called 6.9.

    6.7 ⇛ 6.8: Adjustments of the criteria

    Requirement O31 has been adjusted regarding UV-curing surface treatment products. The new version is called 6.8.

    6.6 ⇛ 6.7: Adjustments of the criteria

    Requirement O4 has been adjusted according to the new wood list over prohibited and restricted tree species and O19 has been adjusted regarding titanium dioxide. The new version is called 6.7.

    6.5 ⇛ 6.6: Prolongation

    The validity of the criteria Group has been prolonged with 18 months to the 30 June 2023. The new version is called 6.6.

    6.4 ⇛ 6.5: Adjustments of the criteria

    Requirements O19, O22, O31 and O32 have been adjusted as to halogenated sustances. The new version, 6.5, is valid until December 31st, 2021.

    6.3 ⇛ 6.4: Adjustments of the criteria

    Requirements O19 and O27 have been adjusted to harmonize with the corresponding requirements in the criteria of Nordic Ecolabelling for Textiles. The new version, 6.4, is valid until December 31st, 2021.

    6.2 ⇛ 6.3: Prolongation

    Nordic Ecolabelling’s Criteria Group decided on 14 December 2017 to prolong the criteria with 24 months to the 31 December 2021. 
    The new version is called 6.3.

    6.1 ⇛ 6.2: Adjustments of the criteria

    • O5: The share of raw material (wood and bamboo) from certified areas has been changed to 50 per cent.
    • O22: An exemption for polymerized vinylchloride in sealants and adhesives, in concentrations up to 2,0 weight% has been introduced.

    The new version, 6.2, is valid until December 31st, 2019.

    6.0 ⇛ 6.1: Adjustments of the criteria

    The following adjustments have been introduced:

    • For requirement O17 the limit is raised to 15% by weight.
    • And exception is introduced in O22 to clarify that epoxy acrylate in UV-varnishes are not banned or restricted.
    • Requirement O38 on durability are completed with a calculation method regarding parquet flooring.
    • An error on Appendix 9 regarding CMR-substances is corrected.

    Version 6.1 is valid until December 31st 2019.

    6.0: New criteria generation

    A new generation of Nordic Ecolabel's criteria for floor coverings has been published. Version 6.0 of the criteria is valid until December 31st 2019.

  • In the background document below you will find reasoning and facts behind the specific requirements in the criteria document.

    Here you can also read the comments, requirement for requirement, from the public hearing.

    If the documents are in a Nordic language, you can get help in understanding the sections you need by contacting the product specialist in your chosen country below.