The big players in the carpet industry are releasing recycled content, recyclable, environmentally friendly carpet in droves. Interface and the Mohawk Group, among many others, make carpets with some level of green initiative, but in their base composition they still use petroleum based products. 3rings has covered more naturally sustainable carpets before, the Ritva Puotila line of paper carpets is a truly beautiful example of this. I appreciate the effort of large carpet manufacturers to make their carpets more sustainable, but it seems the smaller companies are taking a more intuitive approach.

Bio Floor. Designed by Earth Weave Carpet Mills.

Earth Weave Carpet Mills

, based out of Dalton, Georgia, is making a truly non-toxic, no VOC carpet from hemp, wool and cotton. Hemp is a well known material for its connection to Cannibus, as well as its durability, strength for weaving. Hemp is naturally mold and mildew resistant, making it a perfect candidate for floor covering. Bio Floor Carpets are held together with a natural adhesive that comes from the rubber tree, which is completely biodegradable and non-toxic. The backing is made from jute, which was the traditional material for many carpet backings before it was replaced with a synthetic alternative.

Bio Floor comes in four varieties. Dolomite is the lowest pile available made from all natural wools. It comes in four color ways which are all elegant and understated. Pyrenees is a medium pile that comes in wheat, which looks a lot like a typical sisal rug but is much softer. Mckinley and Rainier are thicker pile carpets which come in four variations of browns and would be suitable for a wide range of design aesthetics.