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Buying a new rug is definitely one of the easiest ways to change things up in your home décor situation, or even just to fill up some empty space on the floor.
But when you’re shopping for a new rug, it’s not just about choosing the right design or colors to suit your theme. Well, there’s also your budget… but there’s actually something that’s a little more serious that you should consider – your health!
Bringing a traditional rug into your home can expose you and your family to a ton of toxic chemicals. What’s worse is that once you bring one of these rugs into the household, the fumes could potentially linger in the air for years.
Thankfully, there are brands that are dedicated to creating safer options for us through the use of natural materials. Organic cotton, wool, jute, seagrass, and sisal are natural materials that are commonly used to produce healthy and eco-friendly rugs. What we can appreciate is that these brands are committed to making rugs that we can feel safe (and proud) to bring into our homes.
Benefits of investing in an organic cotton rug
As long as you have a good understanding of what you should look for and what you should try to avoid, choosing a healthier rug for your home isn’t as challenging as it might seem. Let’s take a closer look at why you should consider investing in an organic cotton rug for your home!
Helps you create a safe environment within your home
Traditional rugs are FULL of toxic chemicals.
These rugs usually contain synthetic materials or petroleum-based synthetic fibers. From chemical dyes and adhesives, to fire retardant, pesticides, and formaldehyde, a variety of harsh chemicals are used throughout the production process to help them repel water and stains.
You definitely don’t want to be near these chemicals – let alone, placing them in your home near your loved ones.
Better indoor air quality
Toxic rugs contain a number of different chemicals that have the potential to off-gas volatile organic compounds, which are also known as VOCs. You know that fresh “new carpet smell?” Yeah, those are the fumes that you want to avoid! These fumes can pollute the quality of our indoor air. The bad news is that they can linger in the air for years.
Exposure to poor indoor air quality can have negative implications on our overall health. More specifically, toxic rugs contain dangerous chemicals that have been linked to serious health risks, such as heart disease, respiratory diseases, and cancer.
The real question here is: Why buy a toxic rug when you can purchase a beautiful rug made out of a healthy, natural material like organic cotton? By investing in an organic cotton rug, you can sleep better knowing that the quality of your indoor air isn’t compromised.
Reduce your ecological footprint
Getting yourself an organic cotton rug is much safer for your health AND the environment. In an effort to minimize your ecological footprint, purchasing a rug made from sustainable materials is definitely a great place to start!
Non-toxic rugs are usually made from natural fibers that are either recyclable or biodegradable. What’s great about organic cotton is that it’s grown through an eco-friendly process, meaning it has a very low impact on the environment. The entire process doesn’t involve the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides.
Best organic cotton rugs
HOOK & LOOM
Hook & Loom is a brand that you can truly depend on for the most beautiful, safe, and Earth-friendly rugs! What makes this brand stand out is their extraordinary dedication to lowering our environmental impact. Hook & Loom makes it very clear that it’s always their main priority to seek new and innovative ways to create the most Earth-friendly rugs.
To ensure that they never lose sight of their mission, this brand has listed a very specific set of company guidelines on their website that they wish to uphold throughout the production process:
- Dyes are never used (even green alternatives)
- No chemicals
- No latex
What we love the most about Hook & Loom?
What we can really appreciate about this brand is that their strong commitment to protecting the environment is made clear from start. Hook & Loom offers two different types of materials for their rugs: Eco Cotton and Natural Undyed Wool. In an effort to inspire more companies to follow in their footsteps by using the same method to produce Eco Cotton, this innovative technique remains unpatented!
To make Eco Cotton, the entire process begins with clean, donated textiles. These textiles are pulled apart and converted into fiber form, then they are spun into colorful yarn and woven by hand to create a one-of-a-kind Eco Cotton rug.
Conclusion
The first step towards leading a happier and healthier life is becoming more eco-conscious of the products that we are bringing into our homes. This is especially true when it comes to our rugs and carpets.
Forget about the typical ol’ rug that’s full of toxic chemicals. You have plenty of safer, more environmentally-friendly options to choose from! With brands like Hook & Loom that have set out to make a positive impact on the environment, it’s never been easier to shop for a healthy, durable, and Earth-friendly rug.
Compared to the conventional rug, an organic cotton rug looks, feels, and smells way better. And of course, it’s non-toxic. Investing in an organic cotton rug will give you peace of mind! You can rest assured knowing that you’re doing everything that you can to create a safe space within your home for you and your loved ones, while fulfilling social responsibility.
Do you already own an organic cotton rug? We’d love to hear all about your own personal experience shopping for a non-toxic rug. Let us know in the comments down below if you have any questions, or any tips to share with us on how to choose the best organic cotton rug for our home!
This post was originally published on December 24th, 2019. It was most recently updated on September 10th, 2020.
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