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Why Buy A Sustainable Rug?
A study found that around 33% of the airborne particles in our buildings are microplastics originating from synthetic fibers such as polyester, polyethylene, and nylon-like those used in carpets and rugs. Synthetic rugs have also been known to off-gas VOCs and emit unhealthy chemicals that worsen the indoor air quality in our homes.
As awareness grows on microplastics' origins in synthetic fabrics and their implications on our health and planet, demand is growing for sustainable natural fiber textiles.
Let's dive in and learn more about this fascinating trend.
What Are Natural Carpet Fibers Made Of?
Natural fibers are sourced from renewable plant and animal sources such as wool, cotton, hemp, sisal, bamboo, seagrass, coir, and jute. Each originates in different parts of the globe. It's ideal to pick a material sourced closest to you to mitigate the embodied energy required for transportation.
Synthetic rugs and textiles find their origins in fossil fuels and come in nylon, polyester, polyethylene, and triexta. Triexta is a hybrid material that combines corn sugar and polyester.
What Kinds of Natural Fiber Rug Materials Exist and Where are They Best Suited?
It can be tricky to sift through all the various rug options and decide where they fit best in the built environment. Land Of Rugs, a rug retailer in the UK, provided advice on this front:
What Is Wool Carpet?
Before synthetic fibers, wool dominated the rug market. Wool remains the most popular natural carpet fiber and is the go-to option for comfort, affordability relative to other natural materials, and durability. Land of Rugs suggests that wool rugs are best used in living rooms and bedrooms. Wool is a soft material, making it a warm and comfortable rug option. Wool is heat resistant and doesn't melt while also offering thermal and acoustic insulation properties. Wool repels dirt and mold and is resistant to compacting and crushing but is best used indoors. Sheep are raised all around the world, making it a regional option in many locations.
What Is Hemp Carpet?
Hemp is a growing trend in the natural fiber market that offers a great blend of durability and comfort. It is mildew resistant, and its anti-bacterial properties make it likely the best natural fibers outdoor option. However, if you are looking for an outdoor rug in a high-traffic area, jute might be the best option. Hemp carpet gets softer over time, so it's also a fantastic option for living rooms and bedrooms. Hemp is grown in many regions of the globe.
What Is Cotton Carpet?
Cotton grows in warm climates worldwide, with the majority originating in the US, China, India, and Uzbekistan. Cotton is a durable and soft rug option. While it is very breathable, it can mold in very humid conditions. So it shouldn't be exposed to excessive moisture and is best for indoor use in small to medium-sized rugs.
What Is Bamboo Carpet?
Bamboo is a fast-growing tree found in tropical regions is turning into a fast-growing niche in the sustainable rug market. This material is limited to small area rugs and isn't as soft as other options. Bamboo can be the right choice in high-traffic areas in kitchens and bathrooms and is a viable option outdoors. Bamboo rugs can also be spot cleaned with a damp cloth, making them easy for homeowners to maintain.
What Is Sisal Carpet?
Sisal fibers are extracted from the leaves of the agave plant, a cactus native to Central America. The fibers are durable, making them great for high-traffic locations like kitchens and bathrooms. Sisal is best reserved for smaller indoor rugs. If you live in a drier climate, sisal can be used outdoors.
What Is Jute Carpet?
Jute is a plant that primarily originates from India. They make an excellent option if you are looking for a hard-wearing rug for your kitchen, living room, or other high footfall areas. They are not the best choice in humid climates, but you can use them outdoors in a drier region.
What Is Seagrass Carpet?
Seagrass is a sedge grass grown in warmer coastal areas around the world. It is a highly durable and abrasion-resistant material. It's soft and more comfortable than sisal and is typically used in kitchens and bathrooms.
What Is Coir Carpet?
Coir rugs are made from the husks of coconuts from tropical regions. They are very durable and can handle exterior conditions, and are excellent in high traffic areas as small to medium-sized rugs.
How Long Natural Rug Materials Last?
Durability comes down to the material choice, rug quality, and how it is used. Synthetic materials like polyethylene and polyester are said to last anywhere from 5 - 15 years. Nylon is the most durable synthetic material, and a mid to high-quality nylon rug can last 8 - 15 years. Triexta rugs can last at least 10 -15 years.
Wool is the king when it comes to durability. High-quality wool rugs and rugs are said to last over 20 years and even well beyond that when properly maintained. Wool can bend over 20,000 times before breaking, making it ideal to withstand high traffic areas. The other natural-fiber options are comparable to synthetics in their lifespan and typically don't last as long as wool.
At the end of their service life, natural fibers are biodegradable and can sometimes even be composted. You could even use them as a weed block material in your garden!
Some types of synthetics, like nylon, can potentially be recycled. The majority, however, will end their service life in a landfill, unable to decompose like all other plastics in the world.
Rugs and Mats
Shop beautiful, healthy, and planet-friendly rugs and mats for your home.
Hook and Loom
Hook and Loom provide 100% natural undyed environmentally responsible wool rugs - hand-woven and hand-bound edges eliminate the need for hazardous synthetic backing, glues, and other chemical bonding agents. They also make recycled Eco Cotton rugs out of reclaimed textile fibers - hand-woven on a wooden loom with no dyes, chemicals, or latex. No harmful waste is produced in production and keeping existing cotton out of landfills. Visit their website to learn more about their perspective on why recycled cotton, and even organic cotton, was not the most environmentally friendly choice compared to their Eco Cotton alternative.
Natural fiber rugs offer a renewable and sometimes biodegradable alternative to synthetics - and do not emit VOCs and microplastics in our homes. If you are looking for ways to reduce your environmental impact and create a healthier living environment, consider natural fiber rugs.
Tom Saxton
Based in Washington State, Tom's education focuses on holistic land management that sustainably grows renewable building materials in a way that replenishes natural systems. His interest is in building systems that combine old techniques and modern science.
