Organic Weave Nontoxic Rugs & Carpeting
Written by Irina Webb
There are a few reasons you might want to consider choosing truly nontoxic rugs or carpeting. If you have an autoimmune disease or cancer, if you are planning to have a baby, or especially if you already have one crawling around, this post is for you. Don’t get discouraged after learning the bad news first – you will see a solution, too.
Conventional rugs and carpeting
What is so bad about conventional rugs or carpeting?
Absence of certification
Typically, conventional rugs and carpets have undisclosed synthetic petroleum-based fabrics. A long story short, manufacturers will usually not inform consumers about the components of their synthetic fabrics. They may claim to produce nontoxic rugs, but they won’t present any certification or provide any other information to back up their claims.
Concerning chemicals
In addition, carpeting or rugs may have quite concerning stain-resistant and water-repellent finishes (source). These finishes normally contain perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs). They may contribute to an array of health problems such as cancer, birth defects, hypothyroidism, and even increased cholesterol (source).
Furthermore, unlike nontoxic rugs conventional rugs or carpets contain dyes, glues, and petroleum-based rubber in the backing. That can be not only very stinky but also full of undisclosed potentially harmful chemicals that we can ingest as dust or inhale.
Polyurethane foam in conventional rugs
Finally, carpeting can have a backing made of polyurethane foam, and, because polyurethane foam is very flammable, flame-retardant chemicals must be used. Flame retardants can leach into our environment, and we can inhale and ingest them as we breathe the dust in our homes. They also may contribute to a number of health issues, including cancer, hormone disruption and even developmental problems in kids (source).
Organic and “natural” nontoxic rugs
To begin, the difference between organic and “natural” carpeting is not only in the absence of pesticides and herbicides but also in peace of mind. Here is what I mean by that.
Organic certification
It is crucial that manufacturers back up their claim to have organic products with a certificate from the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). Not only does GOTS make sure that wool or cotton are grown organically, but also it verifies that the manufacturer chose the safest dyes, glues, and backing materials. In addition, the Global Organic Textile Standard makes sure that the nontoxic rugs are made in a GOTS-certified facility.
The matter of trust
I don’t mean to sound paranoid, but the following thought has crossed my mind a few times. When a manufacturer does not provide GOTS certification for their product, all we can do is just rely on their word. We must trust them that the wool or cotton they use is truly natural with no synthetic additives. On top of that, we won’t know much about is the safety of the dyes, glues, finishes, and backing in the rug.
GOTS database
The good news about truly organic nontoxic rugs is that you do not even have to ask the manufacturer for a certification. To check if the rug or carpeting in question has GOTS certificate, simply type the name of the company into the GOTS public database. If it comes up, you have peace of mind that the manufacturer is telling the truth. (Beware of manufacturers who are not truthful about their certification status!)
Organic Weave nontoxic rugs and carpeting
I have recently learned about a small business owner who is trying to do the right thing for our health and the environment.
Certifications
Linda makes and sells truly nontoxic rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting. They are free of all the nasties that we have discussed above. All her products have GOTS certificates that you can view here. Additionally, all Organic Weave rugs have a GoodWeave certification to state that they are free of child labor.
The weaving technique of the Organic Weave nontoxic rugs
Organic Weave makes organic wool and organic cotton rugs to choose from. These nontoxic rugs are made in India by hand. The master weavers use three techniques: flat weaving, hand tufting, and hand-knotting.
Flat-weave rugs are woven like a basket, which means the front and the back look alike. Hand-knotted rugs are numerous knots separately tied to a foundation. And hand-tufted rugs are made with the help of a hand-tufting gun. It takes less time to make them.
My experience with Organic Weave nontoxic rugs
The Organic Weave rugs are beautiful in design and luxurious to the touch. Linda sent me some samples and now my new aspiration is to own her rug. My 7-year old son fell in love with the sample and even asked me if he could sleep with it.
Shipping and discount
Organic Weave ships their healthy nontoxic rugs and carpets worldwide. Can you believe it? And here is more good news. Linda has generously provided 5% off to you, my readers.
Where to buy these organic nontoxic rugs
The Organic Weave website
Please, type the discount code READLABELS5 at the checkout to get the discount.
I hope you’ll get to experience these safe and luxurious nontoxic rugs. Let us know in the comments what you think about them.
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