FCNews unveiled the winners of its fifth annual FCNnovation Awards—a program designed to recognize and showcase some of the most innovative new products and technologies launched in 2025. These awards honor groundbreaking ideas and industry-changing concepts that have impacted flooring across categories and verticals.
Below are the rigid core winners.
LICO – True Earth Floorworks
Sustainability must extend beyond isolated product features and cover the entire product lifecycle, a challenge in the resilient category. By thinking in closed loops, LICO aligns every stage of a product’s life. That process runs from development and production through use and material reintegration. This approach supports meaningful, long-term sustainability.
The company designs its products to support recyclability and meet its sustainability objectives. It has placed the highest value on using natural and, whenever possible, regional raw materials.
“The question is always: ‘What can we do with raw materials, which other industries only discard? What can we do to save or maintain raw materials in the cycle?’” said Edwin Lingg, CEO. “With this concept, we are able to transform waste into high-quality flooring systems like True Earth Floorworks. We believe this is mandatory to maintain our world for the next generations.”
Highlights
- Manufactured in Müstair
Nestled among the Swiss Alps, the facility is equipped with a photovoltaic system and operates exclusively with its own green energy. - Strict zero-waste policy
All production residues are either reused or fed into the system for thermal and electric energy recovery. - 2nd Life System
When a floor has reached the end of its life, it can be returned to LICO via the retailer. - Carbon neutral production
Architessa – Ever 
Ever offers a luxury vinyl plank that delivers performance without compromising planetary health. While the LVP category continues to expand, its environmental shortcomings—PVC impact, landfill permanence and indoor emissions—remain major industry concerns. Ever directly addresses these issues with patented CarbonCore technology, a proprietary blend of activated bamboo charcoal engineered to reduce harmful indoor chemicals and promote healthier living.
Ever combines sustainability with practical performance. The 8mm planks measure 9 by 60 inches and are waterproof. They are FloorScore Certified, phthalate-free and include a 20-mil wear layer. The planks also offer Uniclic installation and sound ratings of STC 53 and IIC 61.
Ever shifts LVP from a convenience product to a conscious product. It helps clean the air, reduces environmental impact and sets a new sustainability benchmark in vinyl flooring.
Highlights
- VOC absorption
Ever actively adsorbs and degrades formaldehyde over time, releasing negative oxygen ions that improve air quality. - CO₂ reduction
With bamboo producing 35% more oxygen than trees and reaching maturity within one to five years, its use in the core supports meaningful carbon sequestration and responsible material sourcing. - Limited lifetime residential warranty
-
35-year commercial warranty
