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Lorena Canals Clouds Area Rug

Shopping for Non-Toxic Area Rugs

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Maia James | Gimme the Good Stuff

Written by Maia, President & Founder

If you’re looking for non-toxic rugs you may already know that most rugs can bring a lot of unwanted toxins into your home. (The international rug industry is also famous for using child labor.) This is a bummer, especially if you have babies and young kids who spend a lot of time rolling, crawling and playing on the floor.

RELATED: Non-toxic playmat for babies.

Don’t despair (and/or hate me for being the messenger of bad news, are usual!). There are some safe and beautiful non-toxic rugs out there. We’ve done the research to help you find a safe area rugs (and if you’re looking for non-toxic wall-to- wall carpeting, we wrote about that here.)

What’s Toxic About Most Rugs?

The variety of sketchy materials and chemicals that go into most rugs and related products is actually kind of crazy, and include:

  • Synthetic primary materials, including plastics like polypropylene and nylon. And “natural” materials —like cotton and wool—that are not carefully sourced can be laden with pesticides and other agricultural chemicals, as well as chemicals used to process the fibers.
  • In addition to the primary materials, rugs usually also include materials that are hidden from the eye but integral to the product, such as synthetic rubber that may contain endocrine-disrupting phthalates.Bad Stuff Badge
  • Toxic dyes and other chemicals used in the dying process give area rugs their good looks. This is particularly true for conventional wool products; wool naturally resists color and has to be treated to extra harsh chemicals to achieve different colors. (Note: Companies like Earth Weave have created innovative ways of coloring wool without the worrisome chemicals.)
  • Glues and other adhesives often can contain formaldehyde and other chemicals that off-gas into the home environment.
  • Toxic pesticides and fungicides are common.
  • Flame retardant chemicals are also common (and toxic, and not particularly effective!). For instance, nylon, polypropylene and viscose aren’t toxic in and of themselves, but they are almost always treated with fire retardants that ARE toxic.
  • Rugs that boast about being stain-resistant and water-repellent often get those properties from yet another class of worrisome chemical (PFCs).

7 Companies That Make Non-toxic Rugs

Like I said, there are a lot of good non-toxic rug options out there. Rugs and carpets can be made exclusively or primarily from natural and safe materials, while still being gorgeous and durable. Also, thanks to greater awareness about child labor, you can buy from several brands that don’t support bad practices.

Here are my favorite brands for non-toxic rugs:

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Earth Weave Wool Non-toxic Rugs

 

Earth Weave makes area rugs out of their ultra-natural wool carpet material, bound in a variety of sizes.

We sell these in our online store, and have them in our own homes, too.

(We also cover shipping for these rugs, making them more affordable than anywhere else online.)

 

Shop Earth Weave Rugs

ecoFiber Custom Rugs is based in Colorado and sources its rugs from Nepal. The company emphasizes natural, safe materials, sustainable practices, and no child labor. To purchase from ecoFiber, you must go through a design professional.

 

 

 

 

 

Hook & Loom rugs are both safe and affordable. Rugs are made from un-dyed natural wool or from recycled cotton fabric, in a variety of colors, patterns, sizes, and thicknesses.

Hook & Loom does not use any chemicals, dyes or latex in the production of their rugs, and they ship for free in minimal packaging.

Hook & Loom is based in Massachusetts and the rugs are made in carefully selected workshops in India that do not employ child labor.

 

Shop Hook & Loom

Lorena Canals Non-toxic Rugs for Kids

Lorena Canals offers my favorite rugs for kids, though many of their designs are sophisticated enough to use elsewhere in your home.

These rugs are made entirely from naturally dyed cotton. They’re machine washable (score for parents!) and are hand-sewn in India in facilities that do not employ child labor.

The variety of colors, shapes and designs is really fun. It seems like the company is always debuting new styles, which you can now find in online store.

 

Shop Lorena Canals Rugs

Merida has revived a corner of the American textile industry by producing its made-to- order rugs in a traditional mill town in Massachusetts. They make very high-quality, customizable rugs using a variety of natural materials (like wool, mohair, jute, and sisal). To purchase from Merida, you must go through a design professional.

Peace Train Organic Weave Rug Gimme the Good StuffOrganic Weave rugs are the only area rugs on the market to earn GOTs certification. All rugs are handmade in India by skilled women artisans. Organic Weave sells everything from shag rugs to rugs for kids to yoga mats to organic wall-to-wall carpets. Use code GIMMEGOOD at checkout for 5% off your order. 

Shop Organic Weave Rugs

Under the Nile Big Rug from Gimme the Good StuffUnder the Nile rugs are hand-loomed with leftover scraps from their clothing production. The durability and softness of these rugs is great for play or for decoration in baby’s room, bathrooms or any room in the house. Each rug is handmade and finished with decorative tassels on two ends.

Shop Under the Nile Rugs

 

Non-toxic Rug Pads & Grippers

Rug and carpet people recommend that you use rug pads and/or grippers to prevent slipping, increase cushioning, prolong the life of the floor covering, and protect the floor underneath. Most of these products are at least as toxic as conventional rugs and carpets themselves.

Thankfully, Earth Weave sells natural rug grippers made from 100% natural latex. They also offer natural rug pads made from a combination of wool and plant fiber (and no glues, dyes, flame retardant chemicals, or mothproofing chemicals). They also sell

Please comment below with brands you’ve found that make natural, non-toxic rugs!

Stay sane,

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Comments

  3. I suspect that antique oriental rugs, made by nomads from wool dyed with vegetable dyes, are probably toxin free; although they’ll be full of 100+ years of dust and will need to be aired out and beaten.

    These rugs are expensive; but, because they’re wool, they aren’t flammable like synthetics (and aren’t covered with flame retardants) and they’ll last another 100 years if you take care of them.

    Does anyone know of any reason why they wouldn’t be safe?

    Reply

    • Just a thought- Doesn’t wool..even though it is natural- still need to be processed and is mostly processed with chemicals? Or are you saying that because a rug is made out of wool – it is safe and no chemicals have been added?
      Thank you.

      Reply

  6. I read somewhere that any rugs sourced from overseas must be sprayed with pesticides upon arrival in the US, so even if the company doesn’t apply any chemicals at the factory, the chemicals may be applied during the import process. (I also read the same about wooden toys sourced from overseas.) Is there any truth to this?

    Reply

  7. Thank you for the above information and everything you do in this space. Do you know that sisal or jute rugs (like from Merida) do not have pesticides applied? I do not know if they can stay in their natural state or if chemicals are applied.
    Also, I do believe that antique rugs can have moth-proofing chemicals applied…but not always
    Kindly,
    Laura

    Reply

  8. Hello,

    Do you know if Lorena Canals rugs are fully free of ANY flame retardant and formaldehyde? I emailed the company 3 days ago, but have not heard back yet.

    Thanks
    Anaka

    Reply

      • Hi Holly – I did receive a response from Lorena Canals company a couple days ago. I have copied their response below. If you contact them directly, they will also send you copies of their certifications. Although, it might have been nice to hear back from Gimmethegoodstuff, given that they have endorsed the product here :
        )

        EMAIL –

        our products do not have fire retardant treatment because they are incompatible with the concept of our brand, a great percentage of our products can be washed in conventional washing machines, and the treatment applied to make a product fire resistant is not water resistant.

        Reply

  9. Thanks for writing this. Antique rugs are a wise choice! I would love to be included in any future articles…my company makes GOTS certified organic area rugs.

    Reply

  10. Just a heads up that the Hook and Loom rug pad has fire retardant chemicals. I found out the hard way. But they are looking for another option. Their rugs are lovely.

    Reply

  12. Thank you for this information. I was excited to find several options for an area rug for our living at an affordable price point from Hook and Loom. However, their rug pads, though natural rubber, contain a flame retardant. It is not clear whether the rug pads from Earth Weave, the other company you recommend for pads, also contain a flame retardant. My children would not be touching the pad regularly but my understanding is that we wouldn’t want them regularly inhaling the flame retardant chemical either. Do you have any further information or insight to add on this topic?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Does Hook & Loom tell people that their pads have flame retardants in them? If not, they should! After all, why would people go to the trouble of buying a non toxic rug and then pair it w/a toxic pad? That would not be good business practice in my opinion.

      Reply

  13. Yes they do…

    “Consisting chiefly of sustainable natural rubber, this is a very high quality low-profile non-skid rug pad. Not 100% green, as the thin mesh fabric inside is made from virgin polyester, and not chemical free, as an FDA approved chemical to retard flame is added, but we feel it is currently the best on the market. As our sales and buying power increase, we plan to develop a 100% green offering.”

    No, it’s not perfect, however, I do appreciate their transparency and honesty. I would consider this as the best option over any other at the moment until they can come up with something better. I hate guessing what may or may not be in something, and I feel better knowing exactly what it is even if it’s not perfect.

    Reply

  14. Does anyone have experience with how Hook & Loom Green Eco-Cotton rugs hold up to toddlers/children? I’d like to put a healthy, toxin-free rug in my son’s playroom, but know that it will take a beating! I’d love advice on which of these healthier options clean well and hold up to kids.

    Unfortunately I can’t do FLOR tiles because I will be placing the rug on top of foam tiles (for a basement).

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • I have a giant H&L rug in our playroom and another 5×8 one in a bedroom, and they’ve both done pretty well. I’m about to order a third to put on our covered/roofed patio. We also have a retriever mix who hangs out on both rugs and/so I vacuum frequently…they’ve done just fine.

      Reply

  15. I have the black and white Hook & Loom Oslo rug in my kids’ playroom and it’s held up wonderfully. I had initially wanted a brighter rug but I’m glad I got that one. I have 4 kids and we’ve had it for a year with no issues. I highly recommend it!

    Reply

  17. Thank you for this information. I was excited to find several options for an area rug for our living at an affordable price point from Hook and Loom. If you had more insight i will greatly appreciate it.

    Reply

  19. Hey, Great post. Recently I’ve got the interior of my entire house. Reds, strong blues and vibrant greens in particular. Please suggest me the best octagon Area Rug, as I have a wooden Dining table in my dining room with vintage cutlery set and blue color painted walls, Suggest me something which goes absolute fabulous with this combination. . I’ve been purchasing the rugs from https://therugmall.com/product/kaleen-transitional-helena-3211-17-area-rug-collection/they have the great collection of rugs.

    Reply

  20. I strongly recommend against supporting Hook and Loom. I have one of their rugs and I *HAD* their non-skid rug pad. The rug is fine, but then I went on their website regarding the non-skid rug pad and it states “Not 100% green, as the thin mesh fabric inside is made from virgin polyester, and not chemical free, as an FDA approved chemical to retard flame is added, but we feel it is currently the best on the market.” As soon as I found out that the non-skid rug pad had flame retardants (which I feel is completely unnecessary), I had to throw out the rug pad.

    According to RugPadUSA, this rubber pad for putting under rugs to prevent slipping does not have flame retardants added: https://www.rugpadusa.com/products/natures-grip?gclid=CjwKCAjw5ZPcBRBkEiwA-avvk0LeNOhI9nzKPMUK7Cvyb0uF6Z8D8FQVpfPFDcmwhpoXIFt5uhnLBRoC0lsQAvD_BwE.
    Although their customer service was a little offputting because I called twice with different times, and during the second call, the man acted like it was weird that I was calling again with more questions.

    I called Hook and Loom regarding why they add flame retardant to the non-skid rug pad. They said they purchase the product elsewhere, and could not give me a better answer than, “We use the same flame retardant that the put in Maalox.” I replied, “I can’t believe Maalox puts flame retardant in something that humans consume orally. Hook and Loom customer service seemed very put off by the fact that I was suggesting that they not sell something with flame retardants. Will likely not patronize this company again. I’m sure there are other rug companies that are not put off by customer suggestions, and that care about the health of consumers.

    Reply

    • My name is Whit Selke. I founded and run Hook & Loom and handle all the emailed customer service. Our rug pads are made in the USA by a company who buys rubber from a formulator that includes a fire retardent called Alumina Trihydrate in their rubber. It is FSA approved, so it’s possible it could be in Maalox, but after seeing your comment, I searched the ingredients and it isn’t among them. There is nothing I want more than to be able to offer rug pads without a flame retardent and I am very sorry that I did not communicate this feeling to you well enough. Heathy rugs are our mission, which is why we make sure everyone knows that the pads we currently sell have a flame retardent. Again, I am sorry. Please email me if I can be any help in the future.

      Reply

  22. I would not recommend Hook and Loom. I bought several rugs and they are shedding like crazy. My home is covered with rug colored dust bunnies. My kids are covered with rug floof. I have to clean constantly and that’s hard considering that I have an actual job I’m supposed to go to. It is ridiculous. I contacted the company about it and they sent me a fancy vacuum that was supposed to make it stop. It didn’t. I want to drive these rugs to the company headquarters and throw them at someone. I will be cleaning up the mess for years to come.

    Reply

    • Hi there – I have the same problem. I purchased the wool ones, is that what you have? Was hoping it would stop shedding after a period of time….

      Reply

      • Do you mean did we personally buy any of these rugs? I have personally bought the cotton Lorena Canal rugs because you can throw them in the laundry which I love. I also have an Earth Weave wool rug.

        Reply

    • Hi. I have not heard back from you since we bought you the vacuum you requested. I believe it does have a beater bar (revolving cylinder with rows of stiff brushes) which can be raised so it doesn’t contact the rugs and dislodge fibers. Please contact me if you would like more help. Thank you

      Reply

  23. I was very interested in Hook& Loom and sent some questions to them. The first response was thorough but when I asked for more detail, was basically told that perhaps I would be happier purchasing elsewhere. I can promise my questions were fair and clear, based on health and safety, and I was a bit surprised to basically be told to go somewhere else … which I will!

    Reply

    • Wow! That’s amazing and can tell us a lot about their health and safety standards. Good for you for asking the questions. As consumers the more we ask the more businesses will respond and the safer our products become. Thanks!

      Reply

  26. Organic Weave rugs from Linda, has horrible customer service..

    When I asked questions she said she will not sale rug to me!!!

    Reply

    • My understanding is that only some of the rugs from both of those companies are oaky….. I’m still confused by it though!

      Reply

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