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Message from the CEO At IFL, our mission has always been simple: to make flooring trade easier, safer, and more reliable. |
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Global supply chains are being rewritten in real time. In flooring alone, a market exceeding $400 billion globally, sourcing is rapidly shifting across China, Southeast Asia, and beyond. Opportunity is expanding, but so is volatility. New factories, new regions, new partners, one reality: quality can no longer be assumed; it must be engineered, verified, and controlled.
At IFL, we believe quality is not a checkpoint. It is a system. Our mission is to make flooring imports not just easier, but fundamentally more reliable in a world where inconsistency is the greatest hidden cost. Industry data suggests that quality failures and rework can account for up to 10-20% of total supply chain costs, a silent drain on margins, timelines, and trust.
That is why, whether in China or Southeast Asia, our standard remains absolute: no compromises. From raw material verification to final product testing, our inspectors and laboratory teams operate as one. Every process is structured. Every deviation is flagged. Every report is traceable. Because in today’s environment, reliability is not built on promises, it is built on proof. We are not just supporting global trade. We are redefining what confidence in sourcing looks like.
To our clients and partners, both current and future, thank you for your trust and continued partnership. As the market evolves, we remain confident in the opportunities ahead and committed to building long-term partnerships grounded in consistency, transparency, and performance. Farnam Sharifi Founder & CEO |
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Big News from IFL!
We are proud to announce that IFL has officially received ISO 17020 accreditation for our Flooring & Accessories Inspection Systems. This is a remarkable achievement, not only because ISO 17020 is a globally recognized standard for inspection bodies, but also because our expertise was so specialized that we worked directly with ISO to help shape the certification itself.
Granted in August 2025, this accreditation is a recognition of our competence, impartiality, and consistency across all inspection processes, from product evaluation and installation checks to reporting results with accuracy and transparency to clients and authorities. With this milestone, IFL is raising the bar for quality assurance in the flooring industry, reinforcing our commitment to reliable inspections and trusted results. |
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Testing Focus: Wood Flooring Moisture Content |
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As the industry well knows, a critical quality aspect of any wood flooring, whether solid or engineered, is to ensure that the moisture content aligns with the destination climate and service conditions. Particularly when underfloor heating is involved, accurate moisture content determination makes the difference between a stable installation and a problematic one. 1. The sample is first weighed using a very sensitive balance, which has its own dedicated room in our ISO certified lab. 2. It is then placed in a calibrated oven to dry. 3. After a specific period of drying time, the sample is weighed again. 4. These steps are repeated three times. Depending on which testing standards are being applied to the test results (EN or ASTM), a specific formula is used to determine the exact moisture content percentage of the test sample. This test helps guarantee that the flooring will not warp, shrink, or expand unexpectedly once installed. |
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How IFL prevented a $37,000 Claim |
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During a standard pre-shipment inspection, uneven and excessive paint on the bevels of an SPC flooring shipment was detected. While this appeared as a minor visual defect on individual planks, particularly on the short ends, it would have become significantly more visible once installed, especially under lighting that reflects off the surface and joints. Thanks to IFL's timely inspection, the issue was identified before shipment, preventing a potential claim of USD 37,000 for the product alone, and significantly more had the flooring been installed at the customer's property. The factory was able to implement Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA) immediately, protecting both this client's order and future production runs. Investigators found that two machining problems had caused this defect: inconsistent bevel sizes and dried paint lumps on the wheels of the bevel painting conveyor belt, which caused instability in the belt's movement. The combination of these two mechanical issues led to the unevenly painted bevels on the SPC planks. This case highlights the importance of consistent process implementation, production monitoring, and quality control protocols at the factory level. |
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Industry Insight EUDR Compliance The new EU Deforestation Regulation is reshaping flooring imports. Our audits, testing, and species identification are designed to help you stay compliant and secure your access to the market. The European Union’s anti-deforestation law, known as EUDR, has officially been delayed for a second year. The amendment was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on Dec. 23, 2025. The EUDR bans the import of commodities, including cocoa, coffee, soy, beef, timber, palm oil and rubber, that come from areas deforested after December 2020. Producers are required to provide precise geo-localized data to demonstrate that their commodities do not originate from land affected by recent deforestation. The law was first approved in 2023 and originally set to apply from the beginning of 2024. However, following pressure from producers, industry groups, and governments, its implementation was delayed by one year and has now been postponed for an additional year. |
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The latest amendment approved by the EU states that large operators will be required to comply with the law from Dec. 31, 2026, while smaller operators will follow from mid-2027. However, European lawmakers have also included a revision period in April 2026, leaving room for potential further adjustments, delays, or rollbacks. Despite this delay, preparation efforts across the supply chain continue. At IFL, audit teams have been actively working with suppliers to support early alignment with EUDR requirements, focusing in particular on training and readiness around geodata collection, traceability, and documentation processes. These efforts aim to ensure that suppliers are not only technically prepared but also operationally aligned with the regulation well ahead of enforcement, reducing future compliance risks and disruptions. |
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