Linoleum is not vinyl. This is the most important sentence in this article, and the most frequently misunderstood fact in sustainable flooring. The two materials look similar in photographs, share a similar format, and are often confused by contractors and clients alike — but they are chemically unrelated. Vinyl (PVC) is a petrochemical product. Linoleum is made from linseed oil.
The confusion has cost linoleum decades of market share and a great deal of reputational damage it did not deserve. Natural linoleum — especially Forbo's Marmoleum range — is one of the most comprehensively sustainable floor materials available anywhere in the world. It is older than the petrochemical industry, and it will outlast it.
What Marmoleum actually is
Forbo's Marmoleum is made from the following natural raw materials: linseed oil (oxidised with air, not chemicals), wood rosin (a pine resin by-product), limestone (calcium carbonate), wood flour, and a jute backing. The mixture is calendered onto the jute under heat and pressure, then cured in drying rooms over several days.
The result is a floor with a colour pattern that goes through its entire thickness — unlike vinyl, where the pattern is a surface print. Scratch a Marmoleum floor and the colour underneath is the same as the surface. This is why well-maintained Marmoleum floors in European schools and healthcare buildings are still in use after 40–50 years. The material genuinely improves with age, becoming harder and more stable through a continuing oxidation process.
"When we designed the Marmoleum Modular collection, we stopped trying to make linoleum look like something else. We leaned into what it is: a material with depth, variation, and a warmth that no synthetic floor can replicate." — Simone van Elk, Forbo Design Studio
The key collections for designers
Forbo produces Marmoleum in four primary formats, each suited to different project types:
- Marmoleum Click — The click-lock format. Easiest installation, suitable for residential and light commercial. Square or plank formats. No adhesive needed, making it fully reversible and recyclable.
- Marmoleum Modular — Glue-down tile format in large squares (50×50cm, 33×33cm). Maximum design flexibility — tiles can be mixed to create patterns, gradients, or contrast borders. Our favourite for high-design residential projects.
- Marmoleum Real — Continuous roll format. Most cost-effective for large commercial areas. Available in 138 colours.
- Marmoleum Concrete — A collection with a deliberately stone-effect, matte surface. Currently one of the most specced Forbo products among contemporary architects who want the visual temperature of concrete with none of its weight or hardness underfoot.
Sustainability credentials
- Carbon neutral manufacturing — Forbo's Assendelft factory (Netherlands) runs on 100% renewable energy and has been carbon-neutral since 2017.
- EU Ecolabel — Marmoleum carries the EU Ecolabel and the FloorScore Indoor Air Quality certification — important for LEED, BREEAM, and WELL-certified projects.
- Zero VOC — Natural linoleum has a characteristic linseed oil scent when freshly installed that dissipates within weeks. It contains no plasticisers, no phthalates, and no formaldehyde.
- Bacteriostatic — Linseed oil is naturally bacteriostatic. Independent tests show Marmoleum inhibits the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and MRSA. This makes it an ideal specification for healthcare, food preparation, and educational environments.
- Recyclable — Forbo operates a take-back programme (ReStart®) in most European countries including Spain. End-of-life Marmoleum is recycled into new Marmoleum production.
Our verdict
Marmoleum is the flooring specification we most often recommend to clients who want a natural, sustainable floor with a sophisticated aesthetic and a proven track record. The colour range is extraordinary — 338 colours and growing — and the Marmoleum Concrete and Modular collections in particular have a design confidence that positions them not as a budget alternative to anything, but as a deliberate, premium material choice.
Available in Spain through Forbo's national distributor network. Ask for the Marmoleum Professional Specification Guide, which includes installation details, maintenance protocols, and the Cradle to Cradle Material Health Certificate.
Affiliate disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to Forbo Marmoleum and Tarkett. Soul Materials only recommends products independently evaluated by our editorial team. Commissions support our work at no additional cost to you.
