linum & oleum

DLW? DLW stands for Deutsche Linoleum Werke. This company was founded as early as 1882 as the first linoleum factory in the German Empire. In 2018, DLW was taken over by the French group Gerflor. The Austrian branch of Gerflor GmbH (www.gerflor.at) is located in Pasching near Linz, but will move to 1010 Vienna in early 2022.

With the Austrian Ecolabel. The following Gerflor GmbH products bear the Austrian Ecolabel: Mipolam EVO, Creation EVO and DLW Linoleum. They are manufactured in Europe: Mipolam EVO in Troisdorf near Cologne, Creation EVO in St. Paul Trois Chateaux in Provence and DLW Linoleum in Delmenhorst near Bremen.

For a future worth living. In principle, linoleum - the word is a compound of linum (flax) and oleum (oil) - is a floor covering for which linseed oil is mixed with other substances. What exactly is the composition of the state-awarded DLW Linoleum? Judith Mader of Gerflor Austria: "This high-quality floor covering consists of 41 % linseed oil, 8 % jute, 19 % limestone, 2 % cork, 20 % wood flour, 3 % colour pigments and 5 % resin. 98 % are natural raw materials, 74 % of which are rapidly renewable. DLW Linoleum contains up to 40 % recycled content from "production waste".

98 % sustainability. What are the arguments that convince customers of the government-awarded DLW Linoleum? "Thanks to the Austrian Ecolabel, consumers can be sure that with linoleum they are investing in a sustainable and liveable future. Linoleum is the most sustainable resilient floor covering, as it consists of 98 % natural raw materials. On the way to achieving the climate goals, sustainable products like linoleum are an essential contribution," explains Judith Mader. Other plus points of DLW linoleum: it is odourless and antibacterial, easy to clean and free of maintenance for life, and has a higher scratch resistance than standard linoleum. If necessary, touch-ups are possible.

Increased demand. These are all reasons why customers specifically ask Gerflor for floor coverings with the Austrian Ecolabel: "We are noticing an increasing demand from the public sector, especially from schools and kindergartens. Because children are in contact with the floor a lot there", informs Judith Mader.

For example, Gerflor very successfully furnished the Sidonie kindergarten in Sierning, Upper Austria, with DLW Linoleum: Colourful, child-friendly motifs such as the sun, a flower, a star - inserted into the floor - encourage play and joint activities. The pictorial elements also help the children find their way around the building: they can easily find their way to their group room.

Coloured elements in DLW Linoleum also enliven the corridors in the Bertha-von-Suttner-Haus retirement home in Schwanenstadt. Designs on the walls pick up on the motifs of these inlays in the linoleum, thus helping the residents to remember and thus to better find their way around in their new surroundings.

"Sustainability-oriented architects are increasingly asking us for linoleum again. This is because this floor covering is also increasingly being installed again in private living areas. Especially when a very puristic design is important: DLW Linoleum in particular offers many attractive concrete looks," says Judith Mader from Gerflor Austria.

Stay on the floor. One thing should always be considered when choosing a floor covering for interiors: the floor is the largest designed surface of a room and, if it is of the right quality, it will last for generations. In combination with the design of the walls, the floor covering determines the basic mood of a room, conveys flair and often exceeds the lifespan of many pieces of furniture. However, it also has a strong influence on the well-being and health of the occupants or users of the room: DLW Linoleum in particular ensures particularly good indoor air quality due to its very low emissions!

Gerflor's floor coverings, which have been awarded the state seal of approval, offer the best solutions for floor design in terms of aesthetics as well as sustainability and climate protection!