Can a PVC-free wallcovering be Type II?

Yes. W-101 (2025) sets the same Type II minimum weight, 13.0 oz per square yard, for PVC coated and polyolefin coated wallcovering. Koroseal's Arid PVC-Free fact sheet lists WA-101 Type II, CCC-W-408D Type II and ASTM F-793 Category V.

What is TPO wallcovering?

TPO stands for thermoplastic olefin (Koroseal writes Thermo Polymer Olefin). In Koroseal's PVC-free Type II products a TPO film is laminated to a cellulose polyester or woven polyester and cotton backing.

What is the difference between an EPD and an HPD?

An EPD reports life cycle environmental impacts under a product category rule. An HPD reports product contents and associated health information. Koroseal publishes both for its PVC-free Type II non-woven products.

Do PVC-free products need a different adhesive?

Koroseal says its PVC-free products are installed using the same adhesive as its standard products. Follow the manufacturer's hanging instructions for the specific line.

Specification guide

PVC-Free Commercial Wallcovering: What It Is and How to Compare It

Reviewed October 27, 2026 by the Commercial Wallcoverings team. Sources listed below.

PVC-free commercial wallcovering replaces the polyvinyl chloride wear layer with another polymer; Koroseal's PVC-free Type II lines use a thermoplastic olefin (TPO) film on a non-woven or woven backing. Compare them the same way as vinyl: Type rating under W-101, ASTM E84 and NFPA 286 results with their test conditions, CA 01350 emissions, and the EPD, HPD or Declare documents that describe impacts and ingredients.

What "PVC-free" means

Standard commercial vinyl uses a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) wear layer. PVC-free products replace it with another polymer. The W-101 (2025) standard sets the same Type I, II and III weight minimums (7.0, 13.0 and 22.0 oz per square yard) for "PVC Coated" and "Polyolefin Coated" wallcovering, so a PVC-free product can carry the same Type rating as vinyl.

Koroseal's PVC-free Type II wallcoverings are "made by laminating a Thermo Polymer Olefin (TPO) film to a cellulose polyester fiber blend backing" (non-woven) or to "a woven polyester fiber and cotton blend backing," then embossed and printed with water-based inks, according to its EPD. Koroseal describes them as "PVC-free and plasticizer-free," "installed using the same adhesive as standard products," and says they "maintain the same cleanability and durability expected of Type II wallcoverings." The last statement is a manufacturer claim; ask for test data if your project needs it.

Documents to request

Document	What it tells you	Koroseal PVC-free Type II example
Fact sheet	Type, weight, width, fire tests, content	Arid: content "Thermo Polymer Olefin"; WA-101 Type II; CCC-W-408D Type II; ASTM F-793 Category V; ASTM E84 Class A on GRC board with A-848-B adhesive; NFPA 286 meets requirements on 5/8 in Type X gypsum with A-848-B
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)	Life cycle impacts under a product category rule	SCS-EPD-10324, program operator SCS Global Services, valid February 18, 2025 through February 17, 2030; product-specific, cradle-to-grave; functional unit one square meter installed and maintained for 75 years; externally verified
Health Product Declaration (HPD)	Content inventory and hazard screening	HPD v3.0, PVC-Free Type II Non-Woven, published 2026-07-07, expires 2029-07-07, inventory threshold 1,000 ppm, self-prepared
Declare label	Ingredient label from the International Living Future Institute	We did not find a Declare label for these lines; ask if your project requires one
VOC emissions	Results under CDPH Standard Method V1.2 (2017), "the emission testing method for California Specification 01350"	Arid fact sheet: "California 01350, meets emission requirements for schools and offices"; EPD lists CA 01350 classroom and office as Pass

The HPD Open Standard (current version 3.0) is designed for "accurate, reliable, and consistent reporting of product contents and associated health information." The Koroseal HPD itself notes that it "does not assess whether using or handling this product will expose individuals to its chemical substances or any health risk."

Comparing EPDs

EPDs are not automatically comparable. The Koroseal EPD states that, under ISO 21930, "EPDs are comparable only if they comply with the core PCR, use the same sub-category PCR where applicable, include all relevant information modules and are based on equivalent scenarios." This EPD uses UL 10010 Part A and Part B (Wall and Door Protection). Before comparing two products, check that both EPDs use the same rules, scope and functional unit.

LEED v4.1 material credits, in general terms

LEED v4.1 groups these documents under Building Product Disclosure and Optimization: Environmental Product Declarations, Sourcing of Raw Materials and Material Ingredients. USGBC's July 2022 checklist states that Option 1 of the EPD credit for BD+C projects requires "at least 20 different permanently installed products sourced from at least 5 different manufacturers," and Option 1 of Material Ingredients requires the same counts with chemical inventory "to at least 0.1% (1000 ppm)." Qualifying programs include HPDs and Declare labels. A wallcovering is one product toward these counts; the project team decides how it is counted. Requirements change, so confirm current rules with USGBC.

Koroseal PVC-free Type II lines in our catalog

Koroseal lists these eight lines on its EPD document page for PVC-Free Type II:

Authenticity PVC Free Type II
Linsey PVC-Free Type II
Arlo PVC Free Type II
Timberline II PVC-Free Type II
Sandscape PVC-Free Type II
Stitched Sashiko PVC-Free Type II
Harriet PVC-Free Type II
Arid PVC Free Type II

See them at PVC-free commercial wallcovering. For fire terms see the fire ratings guide; for Type ratings see the Type I, II and III guide.

Questions to ask

Is the Type II claim tested to W-101, CCC-W-408D or ASTM F793, and is the test data available?
Which substrate and adhesive were used for the fire tests?
Does the EPD cover the exact backing (woven or non-woven) you are buying, and is it still valid?
Does the HPD threshold (for example 1,000 ppm) meet your project's disclosure requirement?
Do the published cleaning instructions match your maintenance plan?

Questions

Can a PVC-free wallcovering be Type II?: Yes. W-101 (2025) sets the same Type II minimum weight, 13.0 oz per square yard, for PVC coated and polyolefin coated wallcovering. Koroseal's Arid PVC-Free fact sheet lists WA-101 Type II, CCC-W-408D Type II and ASTM F-793 Category V.
What is TPO wallcovering?: TPO stands for thermoplastic olefin (Koroseal writes Thermo Polymer Olefin). In Koroseal's PVC-free Type II products a TPO film is laminated to a cellulose polyester or woven polyester and cotton backing.
What is the difference between an EPD and an HPD?: An EPD reports life cycle environmental impacts under a product category rule. An HPD reports product contents and associated health information. Koroseal publishes both for its PVC-free Type II non-woven products.
Do PVC-free products need a different adhesive?: Koroseal says its PVC-free products are installed using the same adhesive as its standard products. Follow the manufacturer's hanging instructions for the specific line.