Most often associated with the kitchen of your grandmother, linoleum has come back in fashion as an environmentally friendly product. Linoleum is often confused with plastic vinyl because they both come in sheet form. But vinyl is made from synthetics and linoleum from natural materials; it's a felt or canvas coated with linseed oil, cork, and resins. The Latin root of the word linoleum means flax or linen combined with oil. It comes in plain or decorative patterns, including ones that resemble marble.