The Best Natural Rugs (Guide To Natural Fibre Rugs)

There are lots of benefits to using all-natural rugs at home. The obvious one is that they’re all-natural! Natural rugs are great for bringing in organic texture and warmth and go with any decor style.

Most have a neutral colour tone if you want more of a simple style at home. They’re great for a warm minimalist look. You can dress them up and use them as a base to layer a contrasting rug for interest.

Whichever way you want to use natural rugs in your home, they’re a practical option. Reducing noise, helping to keep the space warm and define and zone areas in your home.

There are different qualities that each material has. The benefits will differ depending on where and how the rugs are used. Here’s all you need to know about natural fibre rugs…

The Best Natural Rugs

Pros Of Natural Rugs

Natural fibre rugs are low maintenance and sustainable decor pieces. Because of their organic texture, natural rugs tend to be hardwearing and durable. A great option for high-traffic areas. Certain materials are more durable than others.

Natural rugs are generally free from toxins, chemicals, and dyes, which can sometimes be found in modern rugs. These are the best kinds of rugs for those with allergies. They can be dyed, but they’re best in their natural colour. Usually earthy browns, tans, and greens.

Natural rugs are eco-friendly, being made from natural and renewable materials.

You can get a pretty large-sized natural rug for a lower cost compared to the same size a wool rug would cost. So, if you need to cozy up your space on a budget, a natural rug is a good option.

It’s easy to style natural rugs! They work with anything from Japandi to Boho style. Either use them simple and solo or layer another rug on top.

Cons Of Natural Fibre Rugs

Natural rugs can be prone to staining, especially the lighter-colour rugs. Though they tend to be tough and durable with foot traffic and dirt, be careful with liquids. For liquid spills, blot straight away to prevent staining.

Seagrass rugs are the best if you’re concerned about staining. Or choose darker coloured rugs to hide stains and marks.

If exposed to the sun for extended periods, they can fade or discolour. Just rotate the rug regularly to avoid any noticeable fading in the rug. Or you can use sheer curtains to help block out strong sunlight during the day.

Cleaning and Maintenance

The great thing about natural rugs is that they’re quite low maintenance. Just regular vacuuming to keep dirt from building up in the rug and shedding of fibres.

If spills do occur, don’t oversaturate the rug with water. This will make it worse. Wipe up any spills straight away.

Make sure you have a rug pad to go under your rug. Even though these rugs are natural, they are textured. And some rug fibres are coarser than others. Putting a rug pad underneath will keep the rug in place and prevent scratching your wood floors.

What To Consider When Buying A Natural Fibre Rug?

RUG PLACEMENT

The first thing to consider is where your rug is going.

Depending on the room your rug is in and where it is placed, different materials will work better for you. The amount of footfall is a big factor. If you’re choosing a rug for a bedroom, then there’s a good chance it will be different from a natural rug in the hallway.

Consider if it’s going to be out in the open, like a kitchen or a hallway runner. Or there may be some furniture going on top of it. Also, if doors open over it, remember to keep in mind the thickness and type of weave to avoid snagging the rug. And difficulty opening the door!

Some natural fibre rugs are more durable and hard wearing than others. Seagrass, sisal and coir are good options. Meaning they’ll hold up to constant footfall and furniture placed on top of them.

Rug Texture & WEAVE

Natural rugs tend to be slightly rough, so the material chosen and the weave are important. Some natural rugs have more weave options available than others. And the thickness will vary depending on the material and weave.

You can also consider getting a rug that is blended with another material. Natural rugs that are woven with wool or cotton are softer underfoot.

Rug Weaves & Finishing

Common weaves for natural rugs include flat weave, which is a low-pile rug. Other weaves are boucle, braided, herringbone, basket weave, and chunky weaves.

Some rugs may have a cotton border around them to help bind the fibres and keep them from unraveling. Seagrass rugs often come with a boarded edge. Which can be customized with colour and the binding finish.

Jute vs. Sisal Rugs

The main differences between jute and sisal are the fibres. Sisal is made from plant fibres from pineapple and agave. The fibres from sisal are straighter and coarser than jute. Sisal tends to have a tighter weave. Whereas jute is known for its flexible fibres.

The pricing for sisal rugs tends to be a bit cheaper compared with jute. Sisal rugs are not as soft to walk on.

RELATED POST: How To Choose An Area Rug (The Right One!)

Jute Rugs

The Corchorus plant, which is where jute comes from, grows particularly fast. It’s soft underfoot, making jute a popular option for rugs at home. If you don’t want to layer your rugs, jute is the best material to go for.

Is A Jute Rug Good?

Jute rug pros

Jute is probably the softest of the natural rug options to go for. The best place for jute rugs are low-traffic areas like the bedroom and the living room. You can keep it simple with just one rug or layer up with another rug. It depends on the look you’re going for.

Jute rug cons

However, because of its soft fibres, jute rugs can be more difficult to clean. With jute rugs, there may be some shedding. Avoid using jute rugs in damp places like bathrooms, where mold and mildew can grow.

Sisal Rugs

Sisal rugs are made from the leaves of the Agave Sisalana plant. Which is typically native to places like Africa and Mexico.

Is A Sisal Rug Good?

Sisal rug pros

Sisal rugs are good for medium to high-traffic areas like hallways, living rooms, and similar areas. And incredibly durable and hardwearing.

Seagrass Rugs

Seagrass is a flowering plant found near the sea and marshes. It’s another fast-growing plant, so it’s a good eco-friendly option. The leaves are harvested to make rugs, baskets, and other decor items.

Seagrass comes in a limited colour range as its waxy sheen makes it non-porous. Which is a good thing for those who are sensitive to allergies and chemicals.

Is A Seagrass Rug Good?

SEAGRASS rug pros

As mentioned before, seagrass rugs are the best for stain prevention. It has a natural wax coating, which makes it one of the best for natural fibre rugs. The good thing about seagrass rugs is that if they get wet, they will dry back to their natural colour.

Seagrass rugs are soft enough to walk on but tough enough to withstand some heavy use.

Overall, seagrass is one of the best natural rug options to go for.

SEAGRASS rug cons

Because of the waxy coating, seagrass only comes in its natural colour. As seagrass rugs can’t be dyed. However, this can be seen as a benefit to some. Especially for those who have allergies.

Coir Rugs

Coir rugs are made from the natural fibres of coconut husks. Doormats are often made using the coir material. But you can get decorative woven options for coir rugs suitable for indoors. The colour of the coir rugs are usually a dark golden brown tone from the colour of the husks.

Coir rugs still tend to be made by hand which is a great if you’re looking for more of eco-friendly natural rug option. Coconuts can be harvested every year so it’s a fast renewable resource.

Is A Coir Rug Good?

Coir rug pros

For high traffic areas, use a coir rug as it’s one of toughest fibres of the natural rugs. The colour tends to hide dirt, and it’s mould and mildew resistant. If you have a lot of people in and out of your home this is a good option for a hallway or an entrance.

These rugs are very durable due to the strong and long coconut fibres. Don’t worry, coir rugs are available in different weaves! You’re not going to get the standard doormats you’d usually think of with coir.

Coir Rugs Cons

The main factor with coir rugs is staining. Also, it’s not ideal for bedrooms, where you’ll likely be barefoot a lot of the time. This would be a good rug for layering.

RELATED POST: The Ultimate Guide To Layering Rugs In The Bedroom

Abaca Rugs

The leaves from the abaca plant are used to make the rugs. Abaca fibres are thick, so you’ll usually see abaca rugs with a chunky weave to them.

ABACA rug pros

Like jute, abaca is one of the softer materials for rugs. But unlike jute, abaca fibres has a slight sheen to it. Abaca rugs are best suited for areas such as the bedroom or living room (low-traffic areas). But is great as a stand-alone rug due to its softness.

ABACA rug COns

Abaca rugs can prove difficult to clean because of the soft fibres.

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