People-Friendly Area Rugs
Like many goods these days, rugs can be found for crazy low prices. Unfortunately, crazy low prices come at a high cost to the environment, to the people who work and live where the rugs are made, and to the people who will live with the rug. Here are 3 easy steps to ensuring that you’re purchasing a people-friendly and planet-friendly area rug:
- See if you can find a top-quality, previously owned rug made from natural fibers or top-grade synthetics. You’ll be keeping it out of the land-fill and it will be one less purchase that creates toxins and wastes resources.
- A search online for local, fair-trade or hand-made area rugs will lead you to many possibilities.
- Invest in quality. A $1000 wool rug made with sustainable practices that will last 20 years, whereas a $200 rug will off-gas toxic chemicals and start to fade in 2 years.
