Eco-Friendly Rugs

Eco friendly rugs are green by definition and made from some surprising materials.

Just like the braided and rag rugs that great Grandma used to make out of outgrown clothing, wool suits, coats and ties, today’s weavers are utilizing both new and recycled fabrics to create eco friendly rugs. Re-purposing cast off items into different products isn’t a new idea but the motivation may be. The drive to reduce landfills and find renewable sources has resulted in an array of merchandise made from discarded materials. Industry waste is now a commodity.  Rugs, for example, are now being woven with by-products from bedding, curtains, clothing and upholstery. Denim jeans, athletic socks and wool sweaters are more of the surprising sources for rug materials. Others include the following:

Clothing – Woven from cleaned and softened wool sweaters, rugs of this type [top] are offered in simple potholder designs.

Plastic – Used soda bottles (polypropylene) are recycled into rugs, a good alternative since these containers are said to take forever to decompose in a landfill. Made from multicolored polypropylene strands, the tubular thread doesn’t stain, its colors don’t bleed, and the rugs can be quickly hosed down.

They come in a multitude of styles — including Persian rug designs. Not in the same league as hand-knotted wool Oriental rugs, they are still hardy performers for areas of high foot traffic. These rugs are affordable and popular, which I can vouch, as we clean a lot of them.

Sisal – Often promoted by decorators, sisal rugs have become increasingly popular over the past few years. They look particularly nice in a beach house or lanai. Sisal is a natural fiber (from desert succulent plants) but one that must be carefully considered. If you tend to go barefoot, you may find it uncomfortable to walk on. Cat scratching posts are also made of sisal, so cats may take a liking to these rugs for claw sharpening exercises.

I would not recommend sisal for a heavy use room. Unlike pile (napped) rugs, spills have nowhere to hide and remain on the surface as stains.  We have mixed results cleaning sisal and sometimes the fibers will lighten in color. Beware of sisal rugs with foam-rubber backing which can leave a crumbly mess on the floor once it starts to break down.

Bamboo – If you have it in your yard, you know how fast bamboo grows. Reaching its full height in six to twelve weeks, this tropical workhorse is considered a high-yield renewable resource.

Be sure to read the fine print for each product to understand how the bamboo was prepared. Slats may be kiln-dried and carbonized (heated or steamed) to repel insects and prevent cracking and warping. Some also come with a rubber non-skid backing attached. Decorative binding used on the edges is either cotton or polypropylene.

Jute, Hemp and Seagrass – Each of these are natural products. Similar in durability to sisal, they also have sturdy structures, but may stain easily. Hemp is a fiber in the cannabis family. Jute fibers (most familiar from gunny sacks) are long, soft and shiny.  Seagrass is an acquatic plant and tends to be most water-resistant.

Wool – Of course the oldest “natural” area rugs are the tried and true handmade wool Orientals. Wool is naturally stain resistant, plentiful and can be dyed in a multitude of colors. When properly cared for, a wool rug will last for generations.

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