Designers often talk about colour palettes, textures, patterns, and finishes, imagining how a floor will look in morning light or against a favourite piece of furniture. But beneath the beauty lies another dimension that’s just as important: performance. A floor should not only please the eye, but also stand up to the realities of daily life, from the scrape of furniture legs to the fluctuating temperatures of changing seasons.

At Karta, we believe that what’s beneath the surface matters as much as what you see. That’s why, in this blog series, we’re reading between the layers of our floors to uncover the materials and methods that make them not only practical and durable, but also planet-friendly.

Today, we’re focusing on the very heart of our floors: the wood fibre core.

The Heart of Karta

Every Karta floor starts with a core layer made from wood fibre, a material that brings strength, stability, and sustainability into perfect alignment. It’s this core that allows us to create wide planks and panels alike with confidence, knowing they will remain stable in homes, offices, and commercial spaces across the years.

Wood has been a trusted flooring material for centuries. Its natural warmth, unique grain patterns, and resilience make it an enduring choice. But traditional flooring manufacture often relies on only a fraction of the tree, leaving behind large amounts of unused material. Karta takes a different approach, one that ensures no part of the tree’s potential is wasted.

Resource Efficiency in Action

Our wood fibre core is produced using a blend of PEFC-certified recycled wood, sawdust, and parts of the tree that would typically be discarded, such as branches and twigs. This is an important shift in thinking: instead of viewing these as by-products without value, we treat them as integral resources.

Through a process of breaking down these natural materials and bonding them under high pressure and heat, we create a dense, highly stable board. This engineered core resists moisture, temperature fluctuations, and everyday wear, offering a level of durability that plastic-based floors simply can’t match.

By doing this, we’re giving new life to materials that might otherwise end up as waste, reducing the demand for fresh timber, and by using more of what the forest offers, we help to preserve valuable woodland by lowering the need for additional felling.

From the Forest Floor to Yours

Sourcing matters just as much as manufacturing. That’s why all the wood fibre in Karta floors is sourced as close to our production facilities as possible. This localised approach minimises transport distances, which in turn lowers carbon emissions and reduces our reliance on long-haul supply chains.

Shorter journeys don’t just mean a smaller footprint. They also mean stronger connections with local communities and industries. By supporting nearby suppliers, we help sustain skilled jobs, encourage responsible forestry practices, and keep economic value within the regions where our materials originate.

And because we follow strict forestry and recycling standards, every fibre in our floors comes from responsibly managed forests. With our floors, you can enjoy the beauty of wood with the reassurance that it has been sourced and handled with respect for the environment.

Every Fibre Counts

In the natural world, nothing is wasted. Fallen leaves nourish the soil, decaying branches shelter new growth, and the cycle continues. At Karta, we take inspiration from this principle of circularity. Every piece of wood fibre we use is utilised to its full potential.

This commitment to resource efficiency not only about more than just reducing waste, but extending the life of valuable materials, keeping them in circulation for as long as possible, and ensuring that the forests we rely on today can continue to thrive for generations to come.

By diverting offcuts, sawdust, and other by-products from landfill or incineration, we’re actively reducing the environmental impact of our production.

Powered by Renewable Energy

Our commitment to sustainability is as much about the materials we choose as how we transform them into finished floors. Karta’s manufacturing takes place in an energy self-sufficient facility, powered entirely by renewable sources. This means that from the moment wood fibre enters the factory to the moment it becomes part of a Karta plank or panel, the process is driven by clean energy.

Using renewable energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions and lessens our reliance on fossil fuels. But it also speaks to a bigger ambition: to prove that high-quality manufacturing can happen without compromising environmental integrity.

Designed for Smarter Living

Floors are the literal foundation for daily life. They need to be practical, easy to care for, and adaptable to different settings. By combining recycled and renewable materials with advanced engineering, Karta’s wood fibre core delivers exactly that.

Our values are simple: use resources wisely, tread lightly on the planet, and create something that lasts. Every decision, from the raw materials we choose to the power that drives our production, is made with both performance and responsibility in mind.

It’s easy to be drawn in by the visible beauty of a floor: the rich tones of oak, the clean lines of a plank, the way light moves across its surface. But the real test of a floor’s quality often lies where you can’t see it – in its core. A strong, stable core means a floor that resists warping, stays level, and maintains its integrity through the years. It means confidence that your investment will stand up to whatever life throws its way. And when that core is made with the planet in mind, it means your project can be one where style and sustainability walk hand in hand.

Looking Ahead

The world is changing, and with it, the way we think about the products we use. Sustainability is no longer a bonus feature, but a necessity. At Karta, we believe that choosing sustainable materials should never mean sacrificing performance or style.

Our wood fibre core is just one example of how thoughtful design and responsible manufacturing can work together to create something exceptional. It’s proof that when you start with the right foundation, you can build a floor, and a future, that’s both beautiful and sustainable.

The Core of the Matter

Our exploration of Karta’s construction doesn’t end here. In the weeks ahead, we’ll uncover the other layers that bring each floor to life, from the hidden foundations that ensure lasting performance to the finishing details that define its character.

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