19.08.2025. A hardwood floor is more than a design statement — it’s a foundation for well-being. From supporting cleaner indoor air to nurturing creativity and mental readiness, here are five science-backed reasons why our certified hardwood is ideal to help children grow, play, and thrive.
- Clean Air for Healthy Lungs
Breathe easier with hypoallergenic surfaces
- Fewer allergens: Carpets can trap over 60 hazardous substances (EU study available), alongside dust, pollen and pet dander. Hardwood, by contrast, is easy to clean and doesn’t harbour allergens — helping reduce asthma and allergy risks, especially in young children.
- Low-emission and certified safe: Solid hardwood, especially when untreated or finished with natural products, emits virtually no toxic chemicals — unlike many laminates or vinyl floors.
- Strict chemical safeguards: FSC standards either ban or tightly regulate highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs), including those listed under international conventions. Alternatives must be prioritized and risks managed. Learn more in our Responsible Forestry and Procurement Policy.
- Natural Comfort & Emotional Security
Hardwood supports calm, focus, and well-being
- Soothing to the touch: Studies show that walking barefoot on wood or touching natural wood surfaces reduces activity in the brain’s prefrontal cortex — the center for stress, decision-making, and self-control — and activates the parasympathetic nervous system (relaxation response and lower heart rate).
- Natural benefits: Wood’s visual warmth and tactile feel have been shown to lower stress levels and support mental well-being, creating calmer, more comforting indoor environments for children and adults alike.
- Built for Play, Learning & Exploration
Durable, safe, and ready for imagination
- Resilient by nature: High-quality hardwood, when chosen from the right durability class, stands up to tumbling, dancing and years of play — even in outdoor or high-traffic settings. With no risk of splinters or cracking, it’s made to last.
- Better brain development: Research shows that children who play with wooden toys rather than plastic or screen-based devices develop richer imagination, 23% more neural connectivity and stronger spatial reasoning. Wooden blocks, in particular, have been shown to boost school readiness, language development, and quality of parent–child interaction.
- A Material You Can Trust
Certified for sustainability — and peace of mind
- Forest stewardship guaranteed: Our dual FSC® and PEFC™ certification ensures that every board comes from responsibly managed forests — protecting biodiversity, water sources and the rights of local communities and Indigenous Peoples.
- A low-carbon alternative: Hardwood stores carbon throughout its life and unlike steel or concrete, it requires minimal energy — mostly sunlight — to produce. That makes it one of the only building materials with negative embodied carbon when managed sustainably. Life Cycle Analysis evaluations (LCAs) are available for our products.
- Long Life, Lower Impact
Built to last — and easy to restore
- Enduring value: A single certified hardwood floor, properly maintained, can last 50 to 100 years without needing replacement.
- Repair, don’t replace: A 2019 study by the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute found that refinishing a wooden floor saves 78% more carbon emissions than replacing it — and reduces energy consumption by 92%.
In Summary
Our certified hardwood is more than a beautiful surface.
It’s a proven ally for children’s health, creativity and safety — and a long-term investment for parents.
About Interholco
The valorisation of a natural forest of 1.16 million hectares in the Republic of Congo Brazzaville is our DNA here at INTERHOLCO. As an FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®, FSC® C022952) and PEFC and PAFC certified producer, INTERHOLCO is a well-established player in the trade of its edged boules, sawn timber, glue laminated scantlings, decking boards and more.
We are a leading provider of high-quality wood products ‘Made in Africa’ holding a verified environmental and health performance statement (FDES requirement in France). Our teams carefully manage the supply chain from forest to customer. Our story is fully illustrated by enabling the people living in Ngombe to access better life conditions. We make it possible to design and build a healthy living environment with bio-based, eco-friendly materials, one of the real solutions for the planet and climate. Follow us on LinkedIn
Communication contact Interholco
Tullia Baldassarri Höger von Högersthal
INTERHOLCO AG, Neuhofstr. 25, 6340 Baar, Switzerland
Tel.: +41 (0)41 767 03 82
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
