11 Sustainable Rugs To Elevate Your Eco-Friendly Home
Sorry to pull the rug out from underneath you but that thing you’re standing on might be ruining what we’re all standing on.
Comfy rugs may feel nice to the touch but their footprint is anything but soft on the planet.
94% of rugs today are made from plastic like polypropylene—which can be potentially toxic, especially when kept inside.
Let’s replace those planet-killing Persians with the most sustainable rugs around.
Everything we recommend to you on Sustainable Jungle is independently researched and we ask all brands to confirm their claims. To avoid waste, we test products on an as needed basis. This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more about why we do this here.
Rug Roll Please….For The Best Sustainable Rugs
If you’re done tip-toe-ing around toxins, rugs like Cold Picnic’s colorful range will brighten your home and spirits.
Parachute is out to save the day with elegant eco-friendly rugs for your living room delivered carbon neutral.
In addition to zero-waste production, Lorena Canals makes the first-ever washable sustainable wool rugs.
We unravel our rug-picking process at the foot of the article or read on for more of the best sustainable rug brands.
The Full List Of Sustainable Rug Companies
- Cold Picnic | Visit Store
- Lorena Canals | Visit Store
- Parachute | Visit Store
- Burrow | Visit Store
- Boutique Rugs | Visit Store
- FHYGGE | Visit Store
- Loomy | Visit Store
- Made Trade | Visit Store
- Rawganique | Visit Store
- Fab Habitat | Visit Store
- Ten Thousand | Visit Store
1. Cold Picnic
About Cold Picnic
Price Range: $150–$1,950
Despite its name, Cold Picnic will warm your home with a welcoming collection of blankets, pillows, and natural rugs.
From doormats to eco-friendly oval rugs, you’ll find all shapes and sizes in a huge selection of abstract prints and bright colors.
Change your home for the better with the versatile Changeling Cold Picnic runner.
Cold Picnic’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Cold Picnic’s eco-friendly floor rugs are mostly made of either 100% TEX New Zealand wool or bamboo silk, both with cotton backing.
They offer more durable rugs made of 100% hemp to use as eco-friendly patio rugs and bath rugs made of 100% organic cotton.
All yarn is dyed in small batches using sustainable dyes and finished without toxic chemicals or flame retardants.
Supply chain & labor practices:
All rugs are hand-tufted in a GoodWeave and Care & Fair (C&F) certified factory in India, both of which require transparency ensuring no child labor, forced labor, or bonded labor.
Their bath mats are made in India at a small, SA8000, GOTS, and GRS-accredited facility.
Green business practices:
Their Indian eco rug factory runs entirely on solar energy, including the weaving machines.
They reuse plastic wrapping and tubing used to protect the rugs during transport.
Their bath mats are packaged in locally-sourced compostable bags as more products soon will be.
Community & charitable giving:
In addition to their Indian rug factory fully funding a local school for 140 children, Cold Picnic’s rugs fund an extensive list of nonprofits.
They do so by donating all proceeds from specialty collections.
Most recently, they sponsored a contest for Black design students to create a capsule collection of blankets. The three winners will receive 100% of the profits.
2. Lorena Canals
About Lorena Canals
Price Range: $99–$995
Woman-owned Lorena Canals is the carpet connoisseur of rectangular, round, runner, and silhouette eco rugs in various colors for any space, indoor or outdoor.
Not your run-of-the-mill sustainable rug manufacturer, their range includes unique interactive play rugs for those looking for eco-friendly baby rugs.
Complete the room with complementary decor, floor poufs, cushions, and kid’s toys.
Lorena Canals’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Pure cotton, recycled cotton, and ethical wool make up the material trifecta.
The most sustainable cotton rugs are those in their RugCycled ® line, made of upcycled production scraps.
The cotton features eco-friendly dyes while the Woolable sustainable wool rugs are undyed and get their color from the natural coats of different sheep.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Products are handmade under fair trade practices by a team of mostly-women artisans based in India.
The factory is ISO9001, 14001, and 18001-certified.
Green business practices:
Aside from being 100% sustainable natural fiber rugs, they come packaged in a cotton tote bag.
The Woolable rugs are the first washable wool rugs, keeping them looking clean longer.
After launching the scrap-upcycling RugCycled® rug collection, Lorena Canals rugs became zero-waste.
This saves 90% of the water typically used in production, though they also employ water recycling methods.
Community & charitable giving:
The Sakûla Project is Lorena Canals’ charitable arm, which builds nurseries for underprivileged children in northern India. These nurseries provide safe spaces, free meals, and education.
This project also donates funding to an Indian public school.
3. Parachute
About Parachute
Price Range: $129–$1,799
Toxic home textiles got you (falling) down?
Parachute can remedy that.
All their decor and home textiles—which includes everything from non-toxic shower curtains to eco-friendly aprons—are OEKO-TEX certified non-toxic.
This includes sustainable wool rugs available in earthy tones and soft neutrals.
Parachute’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Parachute uses only natural materials like non-mulesed New Zealand wool and cotton, with hand-braided jute rugs for outdoor and high-traffic areas.
For a non-slip grip, pair any of these natural sustainable rugs with an eco-friendly rug pad made of 100% recycled fabrics and natural latex backing
Supply chain & labor practices:
These ethical rugs are made in a Fair Trade Certified factory in Panipat, India that provides educational programs for employees’ children.
Many items are also Craftmark certified, identifying rugs handmade by traditional artisans.
Green business practices:
Sample swatches mean you can try before you buy. However, if you do need to return one it’ll be sent back (as it was sent to you) via carbon-neutral shipping.
Rugs are made using partially renewable energy and shipped in 80% recycled mailers.
Community & charitable giving:
Parachute is involved in the UN’s Nothing but Nets and runs the Home For Dreams Initiative, a training and grant program dedicated to uplifting black-owned businesses.
4. Burrow
About Burrow
Price Range: $195–$895
Burrow may be best known for eco-friendly sofas, but its rugs are nothing to shake a stick at either.
This American-made furniture brand specializes in sustainable area rugs.
Between fashion-forward geometric patterns to classic gray speckles, you’ll find your feng shui no matter the room.
Burrow’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
With Burrow, you get eco-friendly area rugs made from natural fibers or recycled materials.
The 100% wool Empire Rug and low-maintenance 100% recycled polyester Earl Grey Rugs are their most sustainable rugs.
For eco-friendly baby rugs, the soft Ridge Rug is baby skin-friendly and made of wool and viscose.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Burrow ensures affordable sustainable rugs by eliminating expensive middlemen and shares how these prices compare with other brands.
Green business practices:
For couches, Burrow uses FSC-certified wood suppliers who are members of the American Tree Farm System and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
They’re committed to making durable products that won’t end up in landfills.
5. Boutique Rugs
About Boutique Rugs
Price Range: $87–$7,099
Boutique Rugs is a direct-to-consumer USA sustainable rug company.
In addition to light fixtures, throws, poufs, and decor, they (obviously) offer a selection of rugs.
Shop by color, size, material, or style—which encompasses a range from farmhouse to mid-century modern—but not all are eco-friendly.
Boutique Rugs’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
In addition to recycled rugs made from PET, they have ones made of 100% jute or wool.
Less sustainable rugs use blends of traditional cotton, viscose, and virgin polyester or polypropylene. The leather, hide, and silk rugs do not specify the ethical conditions or manufacturing practices behind these materials.
None of Boutique Rug’s rugs contain chemicals considered harmful to humans or pets.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Each product description states where it’s made, predominantly in India and Argentina.
We’re not sure what (if any) ethical protections are in place in these factories and have yet to receive a response from Boutique Rugs.
Green business practices:
Each description also states whether it was made by machine or knotted, tufted, or woven by hand.
Some rugs are machine washable and none come with an incorporated non-stick bottom, making these 100% natural material rugs compostable.
6. Fhygge
About Fhygge
Price Range: $85–$900
Fhygge is a portmanteau of the Danish coziness concept “Hygge” and the Taoist harmonious space concept “Feng”.
Aside from the name, this defines their values.
In addition to lighting, prints, decor, and vintage fabric cushions, this female-founded brand makes organic rugs in the form of entry rugs, eco-friendly runner rugs, full-size tapestry rugs, and custom options.
Fhygge’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Choose between sustainable lifestyle rugs made from either jute, hemp, or a blend of wool and cotton, minimally colored with vegetable-based non-toxic dyes.
They also offer a PVC vinyl rug mat but since PVC is a type of plastic we don’t want in the house, we wouldn’t recommend this.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Fhygge is based in Barcelona, Spain, but they have not confirmed with us where their rugs are made or their wool-sourcing policies.
Green business practices:
Etsy orders will be delivered via carbon offset shipping.
7. Loomy
About Loomy
Price Range: $348–$10,500
Enabling consumers to buy ethical rugs directly from the artisans themselves, Loomy is “the right way to rug”.
Whether you’re in need of pet-friendly eco-friendly runner rugs or decorative eco-friendly rugs for your kitchen, Loomy offers an environmentally-dedicated range.
They also offer custom sustainable rugs and complimentary rug styling.
For one of their softest natural fiber rugs, check out the high-pile Elephante Shaggy sustainable rug.
Loomy’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Loomy’s environmentally-friendly rugs feature ethically-sourced New Zealand wool, jute, cotton, hemp, and banana silk—all biodegradable.
Some exceptions include eco-friendly outdoor rugs made from recycled plastic water bottles.
Loomy only uses OEKO-TEX-certified materials and low-impact dyes.
Supply chain & labor practices:
From “loom to room” the brand is backed up by a transparent supply chain across the indigenous community of weavers.
Green business practices:
More than 2% of American landfills are made up of rugs. Loomy hopes theirs don’t, prioritizing small-batch handcrafting to ensure your eco-friendly area rug lasts many years.
8. Made Trade
About Made Trade
Price Range: $55–$4,950
As far as sustainable stores go, woman-owned Made Trade is one of the best.
They curate rugs from the best of the best brands (i.e. those that are fair trade, heritage, made in the USA, vegan, and more).
Not only do they source ethical furniture, but all you would need to go with it.
Their selection of beautiful organic and sustainable rugs guarantees you’ll find the right color, design, size, and shape to go in any room.
Made Trade’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The fabric selection is just as diverse as the rugs themselves, with materials like jute, traditional/organic cotton, and wool.
That said, not every rug is equally sustainable, so be sure to read the description.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Made Trade shares where each product has been made and by whom. The brands Kiliim and Mumo Toronto’s rugs are made in Egypt, for example.
You’ll see many made using traditional techniques, associated with direct trade or fair trade programs, and/or certified by GoodWeave.
Green business practices:
Made Trade is Carbon Neutral and offsets all shipping emissions.
Community & charitable giving:
They’re a member of 1% for the Planet.
9. Rawganique
About Rawganique
Price Range: $140–$970
Rawganique may just be the only sustainable rug company run by off-grid homesteaders—enough said?
The brand sells some of the best raw, minimally-processed, vegan, non-toxic and hypoallergenic products.
With everything from organic linen curtains to sustainable slippers, natural sustainable indoor rugs are a natural feature of Rawganique’s clean home offerings.
Rawganique’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
For sustainable hemp rugs, Rawganique has your back (er, floor).
Their minimal but essential range of organic sustainable rugs includes those made of 100% hemp, a blend of organic cotton and hemp, and a blend of organic hemp and wool.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Using only natural materials that are sustainably grown in Europe, where most are also processed in a chemical and sweatshop-free workshop.
A handful of items are made in the USA.
Their supply chain ends with the final processing of non-toxic rugs in Canada or the USA.
Green business practices:
Rawganique’s list of materials across their whole product line is small, but their list of prohibited substances is long: VOCs, formaldehyde, PVC, plastic, latex, dioxin, and harmful chemicals.
10. Fab Habitat
About Fab Habitat
Price Range: $62–$650
Fab Habitat is a family-owned USA sustainable rug brand blending high style with low prices.
Their range includes affordable eco-friendly rugs, doormats, and hammocks.
Fab Habitat’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
For inside, choose between sustainable jute rugs, jute/wool rugs, or recycled cotton rugs (sourced from cut-offs, scraps, and leftovers from the textile industry).
The eco-friendly patio rugs and doormats are made from otherwise discarded coconut husk coir. This is similar to sisal, for those seeking sustainable sisal rugs.
A waterproof and stain-resistant recycled polypropylene makes up their outdoor recycled material rugs—repurposing 279 containers per 5’x8’ rug!
Supply chain & labor practices:
These ethical rugs are handmade in India under GoodWeave certified and fair trade adhering practices that ensure safe and voluntary working conditions.
Green business practices:
In addition to being reversible (two rugs in one!), they’re also pet-friendly, machine washable, and resistant to UV damage, mold, and mildew.
When they do wear out, all rugs except the outdoor ones are fully compostable.
No wonder they were awarded the SustainAbility Award by the New York International Gift Fair.
Community & charitable giving:
As a supporter of the Navjeevan Society, Fab Habitat helps better the lives of individuals with special needs in India.
11. Ten Thousand Villages
About Ten Thousand Villages
Price Range: $25–$4,075
Ten Thousand Villages unique “maker-to-market” model effectively cuts out the middleman, maximizing artisan wages.
With a vast range covering all your shopping needs—sustainable home decor, games, gifts, supplies for the kitchen, jewelry, sustainable laundry baskets, and more—sustainable lifestyle rugs are just the beginning.
You’ll find many rugs in Persian, Chobi. Kazak, and Kilim styles.
Ten Thousand Villages’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
TTV’s eco area rugs utilize 100% handspun wool on a cotton warp and weft.
Supply chain & labor practices:
All rugs are handmade in Pakistan, where TTV ensures artisans are receiving enough pay to contribute to sustainable business practices.
In all, they’ve supported 20,000 artisans in 30+ developing countries, many of whom are women, people with disabilities, and others often excluded from the global economy.
Green business practices:
TTV prefers to work with brands with energy-efficient workshops, small supply chains to minimize shipping emissions, and those that prioritize renewable, recycled, and locally-sourced materials.
Beyond that, they help their artisans grow into thriving sustainable businesses.
Community & charitable giving:
Shoppers have the option to donate more to provide microloans to ensure additional livelihood opportunities for artisans.
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What Makes A Rug Sustainable?
We didn’t sweep anything under the rug when it came to finding the best eco-friendly floor rugs.
Which is why we want you to understand exactly how we picked these brands, using our sustainable fashion criteria:
Materials:
It is possible to make rugs without plastic—even if the industry tells us otherwise.
But what are the most eco-friendly rugs?
A natural fiber rug made purely from compostable, sustainable fabrics (AKA the softest rug materials). These include recycled/organic cotton, hemp, wool, bamboo silk, and banana silk.
While these natural fibers are fine for sustainable indoor rugs, we want something more durable for sustainable outdoor rugs, whether these be natural or recycled materials (recycled synthetics, jute, and coconut coir).
Rugs are often treated with chemical compounds known to release carcinogens like benzene, toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde.
Stomp out toxic dyes and choose those not treated with toxic chemicals like flame retardants.
- Certifications: Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Global Recycle Standard (GRS), OEKO TEX 100
Supply chain and labor practices:
Ethical rug brands shouldn’t be shy about lifting up their rugs with complete supply chain transparency.
To roll up any greenwashing that comes our way, we look for transparent information about where our products came from, who made them, and how they were treated.
Even better if the brand has a third-party certification, though it’s worth reading up on things like B Corp greenwashing to realize these aren’t 100% assurances.
- Certifications: Fair Trade, GoodWeave, Care & Fair (C&F), SA8000, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 18001
Green business practices:
We’re willing to shell out for a large sustainable area rug associated with renewable energy-powered facilities, water-saving manufacturing, carbon offset programs, or sustainable materials for packaging.
Designing durable rugs also ensures it’ll have a long and healthy life.
Community & charitable giving:
We’re extra quick to jump out of bed and onto a new ethical rug when we know profits go toward making the world a better place.
Final Thoughts On The Best Sustainable Rugs
Wendell Berry said, “What I stand for is what I stand on.”
Now you can take these words literally by investing in ethically-sourced rugs.
Whether you’re trying to keep your toes happy or looking to brighten up that hardwood floor, environmentally-friendly rugs make for a responsible foundation.
First, consider a local or online thrift store for budget eco-friendly rugs you can save from the landfill.
Know anyone who’s remodeling their home?
We’d be floored if you shared this eco rug collection and help us lay the groundwork for non-toxic homes everywhere.
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