ZenWall is a 1/4" thick encapsulated fiberglass core with a reflective foil vapor barrier on the back side and a decorative vinyl finish on the front side. We use foil as a vapor barrier because it gives the added benefit of a radiant barrier, and therefore some resistance of heat flow through the panel one way or the other. While the colors and pattern and texture of the ZenWall vinyl finish hide dirt and marks, the panels are also washable, so keeping them clean is not a problem.