Wool, Hemp and Recyclable Materials – Green Carpet Options for Interior Design

Green Carpet Options.  Living a green life can mean different things to different people. When it comes to your carpet, “going green” may mean choosing natural materials that do not release toxins into the air, opting for carpets made of recycled or recyclable materials, or going for products that are the results of an energy-efficient manufacturing process.

Photo above: Natures Craft from Philadelphia Commercial

If you are in the market for carpets made of natural fibers, you have good reasons. New carpet installations are a worrisome piece in the puzzle of indoor air pollution, with VOC emissions that can create or exacerbate health issues such as asthma or even cancer. Instead of these chemical-laden carpets, natural fibers such as wool are a much better choice. Wool is non-allergenic, dirt-resistant and fire-retardant, and does not stimulate the growth of bacteria.

Earth Weave, for instance, is a company that uses pure wool to manufacture their green carpet options, and does not treat them with stain repellents, toxic dyes or pesticides. Their fibers are naturally pigmented or organically dyed. In addition, Earth Weave carpets are 100-percent biodegradable. 

Pyrenees carpet from Earth Weave

Other environmentally friendly choices include biodegradable and recyclable hemp carpets, made of sustainable natural fibers. The hemp fibers used in the manufacturing process come from fast-growing plants that do not need insecticides or fertilizers to grow and that detoxify the air and the soil.

Naturals Ambary Rug by Jaipur for Burke Decor – 50 percent wool, 50 percent hemp

If your main concern is conservation of resources or reducing environmental pollution, choosing a carpet manufactured responsibly (using renewable energy sources such as solar panels, for instance) is an easy way to do your part. Some companies – among them Philadelphia Commercial – also pledge to take back your carpet at the end of its life and reuse it in the manufacturing of other carpets or that of different products, or as an alternate source of energy.

Rendered Bark Tile from Philadelphia Commercial

Whether you go for an eco-friendly or conventionally manufactured carpet, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that humans feel the most comfortable and relaxed when surrounded by nature. While long days in the office are not exactly the best way to cultivate such a connection, there are ways to bring nature (or the resemblance of it) into this type of environments. Aside from greenery and large windows that bathe your interior with light, carpets that mimic the colors, shapes or patterns of nature contribute to creating a space where productivity and creativity blossom.

Here is an example. Starting with this idea, Interface launched a collection aptly entitled Human Nature™. The collection includes square and rectangular carpet tiles that can be combined into a variety of nature-inspired floor designs. 

From Interface Human Nature™ Collection – Photo via dezeen.com

As a bonus, these nature-mimicking carpets that evoke the look of grass, pebbles, moss or sand have the added benefit of being manufactured with recycled materials including recycled nylon yarn, and using renewable energy sources and less water. It seems this is a case in which both humans and nature are on the winning side of the game.

Please take a look at our Before and After images of selected projects from 2016 HERE.

If you are thinking to open up a new business or in a process of rebranding and remodeling your existing business, contact us to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting. Click HERE to price your project design.

Also, take a look at “Branding By Interior” e-book, the only book written on this subject at this time. It brings insight on how you can turn your business into a market-dominating competitor by using human cognitive responses.