Yes, it’s possible. There are many ecologically friendly rug materials used, as well as a few manufacturers who have taken steps to insure their manufacturing plants or the processes they use are also helpful to our environment. There are a few things to consider when trying choosing an area rug that is less harmful to the world we live in.
You are going to want to determine whether you would like a rug made some recycled materials, or something recyclable, reusable, or actually environmentally friendly. There are a few things to consider helping you with this process. When deciding on a material you would like, consider the renewability of the product. A good choice is a renewable resource that can be replenished in a short period of time as compared to centuries it takes for things like natural gas or oil. Also consider the effect the resource will have on its environment. How much land and water would be necessary to develop the renewable resource (most likely a plant or animal) to full growth. And finally consider the amount of chemicals needed to grow or process them material to make it ready for sale.
One of the best materials to consider is wool. Sheep grow wool constantly, and have to be sheared at least once a year to be comfortable in the summer, and this process causes no pain to the sheep, and will just grow right back after a short period of time. Wool is a great material for area rugs due to its durability and beauty and versatility. Another wonderful choice is Bamboo. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the planet. It might take a 50 foot tree 50 years to grow back, however it would only take approximately 50 days for the same amount of bamboo to grow back, making it cost effective and not as harmful to the environment. You might also want to look into other plant-based materialslike jute, sisal, seagrass, cotton and mountain grass.
Another way to choose an Eco-Friendly area rug is to choose one from one of these two manufacturers. Shawhas a program to recycle nylon known as Green Edge. Their Evergreen Nylon Recycling plant in Augusta Georgia uses a technology that takes post-consumer rugs and carpet and breaks them down to their original material, and then it can be used to make carpet fibers again and again, even with the same durability and color options. Mohawk uses their Greenworks program and operates the world’s largest integrated plastic bottle recycling plant. Mohawkpurchases 25 of the 30 percent of plastic bottles recycled each year in the U.S. Then they recycle them to make polyethylene terephthalate carpet and rug fiber. This process sorts the plastic bottles, chops the plastic into little pieces, cleans the pieces and then melts then into polyester resin. It is then cut and shipped to Mohawk manufacturing plants to make products made up of 100% post-consumer content. They also use the caps and labels and make them into things like plastic carpet cores.
So if an Eco-Friendly area rug is what you are looking for, be sure to check out the rugs on rugbin.com. You can search by material, or manufacturer to help find just the right area rug for you. And since rugbin.com has over 6500 area rugs you are going to have plenty to choose from.
