At the heart of the "Up North" lifestyle is our admiration for the beauty that surrounds us. The beauty of nature is a gift to us all. How we choose to cherish these gifts defines the quality of our life. Over the years our Industry has taken a keen interest in listening to consumers' feelings on this issue, and have developed products that respect our appreciation for nature. So many of these products have actually been with us for a long time. It is so interesting to watch as they experience a rebirth in use and popularity. This rebirth is a reflection of our industry's commitment to reaching back to once popular and effective flooring materials from nature. In this way we are beginning to overcome some of the trends that have allowed these natural treasures go little noticed for too long. CORK is a renewable natural resource that is harvested from the bark of Cork Oak trees. These trees only exist in the Western Mediterranean Basin. This area contains the unique blend of altitude, moderated climate, and soil enrichments necessary for the growth of Cork Oak trees. Not a single tree is chopped down in the production of cork. Most Cork Oak trees live for 150 to 200 years and the bark can be safely harvested every nine years once the tree has achieved full growth. Cork's natural "Honeycomb" cell structure provides more than a beautiful floor. Thermal insulation, sound reduction, and elasticity are the inherent benefits that make this flooring so wonderful to work with. Modern technology has created a wear surface that is extremely durable and easy to maintain. The natural beauty of cork runs more than skin deep. BAMBOO is one of nature's greatest gifts. Bamboo has been used in many ways since the beginning of time. Surprisingly, this renewable floor covering is not a hardwood! Bamboo is actually a grass that has four to five times the bio-mass of many popular hardwoods such as oak, cherry, and maple as well as other exotics species. The bamboo "mother plant" produces shoots that mature within four to five years. Once these shoots are harvested, the mother plant continues to thrive and produces more shoots. The natural hardness of Bamboo makes it a wonderful floor product. The natural graining provides unique beauty as well as inherent camouflaging for the imperfections inflicted by the rigors of our everyday lifestyles. Being a grass that is laminated together, bamboo does not shrink and expand with varying humidity, making it much more practical than most hardwoods. LYPTUS™ hardwood is actually a hybrid eucalyptus tree. Grown on former South American plantations, these well-managed tree farms now use the land that had been degraded by over farming. One third of the original plantation is covered with native vegetation. To further help restore natural habitat, stands of indigenous trees are interspersed among the hybrid eucalyptus trees. Thriving in South America's climate, these trees grow to harvest size two to three times faster than traditional North American hardwoods. Properly managed plantations can provide a constant renewable supply of this beautiful hardwood. Exotic beauty is the aesthetic appeal of this incredibly hard wood. All applications are suitable for this product since it is available as solid ¾" stock or in engineered formats. WOVEN WOOL CARPET has always been the benchmark standard for the Carpet industry. Endlessly renewable and still the most durable, easiest to maintain, softest, and most colorful carpet fiber. Most wool carpets are made on premium weaving machines, not high speed tufting machines, so the natural beauty of wool can be designed into exquisite patterns. Create that special feel in any room in your house. Let our industry partners show you the beauty and uniqueness you can enjoy when you choose woven wool carpet. MARMOLEUM™ is manufactured by combining several natural ingredients: •  Linseed oil, which is obtained by pressing the seeds of the flax plant. •  Rosin, which is tapped from pine trees. •  Wood flour, which is used to bind with the pigments. •  Cork flour, which is the ground bark of cork oak. •  Limestone, very finely ground. •  Jute, which is spun from the fibers of jute plants. Color and design drive your creativity when you choose Marmoleum. Do not confuse this product with preprinted vinyl. With over 100 colors plus insets and borders, you design the floor the way that best defines your lifestyle. Your floor will always be just that—your floor. No two installations are the same. Marmoleum has been a mainstay of our industry for over 100 years. Because of it's inherent organic properties, performance is enhanced over time. Durability, softness under foot, quiet surroundings, and endless design possibilities–all from pure natural ingredients–that's the Marmoleum story.