A dozen Grade A eggs peaked at roughly $6.22 in March 2025. In June 2026, the same dozen averaged $2.14.
That swing explains most of what happened in American backyards over the past two years. Bird flu emptied commercial henhouses, prices spiked, hatcheries sold out by February, and roughly 11 million U.S. households ended up keeping chickens. Prices have since collapsed, and the arithmetic has flipped back. The risk side of the ledger, meanwhile, has gotten heavier: H5N1 “Bird Flu” has killed two U.S. backyard flock owners since 2024, and a cluster of Salmonella outbreaks traced to backyard poultry has sickened more than 800 people so far this year.
Here is what the chicken economics and the cautions look like in 2026.
The Price Signal That Built the Boom, Then Reversed It
Retail egg prices rose 32.2% in 2022, 1.4% in 2023, 8.5% in 2024, and 21.9% in 2025, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) drove nearly all of it. Since the outbreak began in February 2022, the virus has affected more than 166 million birds across commercial and backyard flocks, including chickens, turkeys, ducks, pheasants, and geese.
As birds stopped dying, supply caught up with demand. USDA logged fewer new HPAI detections in the first quarter of 2026 than in the same period of 2025, and replacement pullets were plentiful enough to cover both routine flock turnover and unpredictable losses. Retail egg prices in May 2026 were 35.2% lower than a year earlier. ERS now forecasts a 30.4% decline for the full calendar year, with the prices paid to farmers down 82.9%.
The American Pet Products Association counted about 11 million U.S. households keeping backyard chickens in early January 2025, nearly double the 5.8 million reported in 2018. Feed stores across the country sold out of chicks weeks before their traditional spring “chick days,” and hatcheries reported order volumes up 80% or more. Everyone wanted birds.
As prices normalized through 2026, first-time buyers thinned out and most chick sales shifted back to existing keepers replenishing their flocks. The takeaway for anyone considering a flock now: the case for backyard chickens is a bet on egg-price volatility, and that bet just went the other way.
How Many Birds Do You Actually Need?
USDA projects 21.5 dozen table eggs will be available per person in 2025, rising to 22.9 dozen in 2026m, or roughly 260 to 275 eggs a year for the average American. That is how much supply is available, not a measure of what any given household eats, but it is a reasonable planning figure.
Commercial layers averaged 300 eggs each in 2025. Backyard flocks do not match that. University of Minnesota Extension notes that hens begin laying around six months and can keep laying for five to 10 years, with peak production in the first two. Plan on 180 to 250 eggs per hen in those peak years, tapering afterward, with a winter slowdown unless you add supplemental light to your coop.
So one productive hen roughly covers one person’s egg consumption during her best two years, and rather less after that. You’ll want to budget for more birds than the arithmetic suggests, or decide in advance what happens when a hen stops laying. They don’t make good eating, but can serve as the makings for delicious soup stock.
Meat is a different order of magnitude. The U.S. produced 102.7 pounds of broiler meat per person in 2025 and is forecast at 102.8 pounds in 2026, making chicken the most-consumed animal product in the country.
Dressed weight runs about 70% to 75% of live weight, so at four to five pounds of live bird, replacing a year of one person’s chicken consumption takes roughly 30 birds. Extension guidance on raising broilers is worth reading before you try. Meat breeds are not laying breeds, most broilers are processed before they are a year old, and the meat from a retired layer is considerably tougher than what you buy at the store.
What Your Local Code Says
Check your municipal ordinance before you buy anything. Rules vary enormously and change often.
City flock caps commonly land between four and eight hens, frequently scaled to lot size. Roosters are prohibited in most residential zones. Coop setbacks, which are typically 10 to 25 feet from property lines and sometimes 40 to 50 feet from a neighbor’s dwelling, are standard, as are permits, annual fees, rear-yard-only placement, and prohibitions on on-site slaughter or egg sales.
Homeowners association covenants can be stricter than city code and are enforced separately. Several states have recently passed laws preempting outright municipal bans on small hen flocks, so a rule you looked up three years ago may no longer be current.
Running the Numbers in 2026
The right comparison is against the eggs you buy, not the cheapest carton in the cooler. USDA’s weekly Egg Markets Overview for mid-July 2026 put the average advertised retail price at $1.02 per dozen for conventional caged eggs and $2.65 for UEP-certified cage-free, with organic priced higher still. If you are a pasture-raised or organic buyer, the math looks very different than it does for a commodity-egg household.
| Measure | Estimate |
|---|---|
| What six hens produce | |
| Eggs per hen per year, first two laying years | 180–250 |
| Annual flock output | 90–125 dozen |
| What that output is worth | |
| At June 2026 average retail ($2.14/dozen) | $190–270 |
| At cage-free feature price ($2.65/dozen) | $240–330 |
| At the March 2025 peak (~$6.22/dozen) | $560–780 |
| What it costs you | |
| Annual feed, bedding, grit, and supplies | $250–600 |
| Startup: coop, run, fencing, feeders, birds | $500–2,000 |
Production ranges from university Extension guidance; egg prices from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. Startup and annual cost ranges are widely reported figures that vary substantially by region, coop choice, and feed quality.
The first five rows are calculated from BLS and USDA price data and Extension production ranges. The last two are ranges widely reported by hobbyist cost guides and vary substantially by region, coop choice, and feed quality; treat them as a starting point, not a budget. Oklahoma State Extension publishes an enterprise-budget method for backyard hens that tracks fixed and variable costs per coop across a three-year horizon.
At 2026 prices, a small flock’s output roughly covers its own feed in a good year and does not repay the coop. When compared with cage-free and organic prices, the gap narrows considerably. For example, when eggs cost $6 a dozen in March 2025, the flock pays for itself inside two seasons. But these numbers hold only over the course of a year, because feed and other costs may change, so here’s the real finding: backyard flocks are a poor hedge against grocery inflation and a solid hedge against grocery disruption.
Also, keep track of the costs the spreadsheets usually miss: predator-proofing after the first raccoon kills a layer; veterinary care, which most keepers never budget for; boarding or a neighbor when you travel; and the years a hen lives past her productive peak.
The Bird Flu Calculus
Wild birds are the primary vector for HPAI, carrying the virus in their droppings and contaminating shared water sources, particularly during spring and fall migration. People spread it too, on boots, clothing, equipment, and vehicles that have not been cleaned.
Since March 2024, 71 human cases of influenza A(H5) have been reported in the United States. Three of those occurred in backyard flock owners, and two of the three were fatal — one in Louisiana in early 2025 and the other in Washington in November 2025. The CDC’s assessment of risk to the general public remains low, but it does not apply to someone handling sick or dead birds without protection.
What Flock Owners Know, and Don’t
CDC surveyed 638 backyard flock owners across 48 states between July and December 2025 and published the results in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report in May 2026. Nearly all respondents — 94% — had heard of avian influenza. The knowledge gaps showed up in the specifics:
- Only 32% correctly identified all the signs of infection in birds. Another 13% did not know the signs at all.
- 27% did not know the signs and symptoms in humans. Just 16% identified all of them, including the non-respiratory ones, such as pink or watery eyes, diarrhea, and vomiting that are easy to mistake for the ordinary flu.
- 54% reported that wild birds could, or sometimes could, reach their flock’s food or water, the single most direct exposure pathway.
- 71% had no veterinarian to consult about their flock.
- 77% considered themselves at low risk of infection, and only 28% were somewhat or very concerned about avian influenza for their own health.
Respondents who knew more about the disease were significantly more likely to say they would use protective equipment around sick birds. Knowledge and protective behavior track together, which is the practical argument for reading the guidance before you need it.
The Four Steps USDA Recommends
USDA’s Defend the Flock program condenses backyard biosecurity into four habits. None of them are expensive.
- Clean up. Disinfect equipment, footwear, and clothing used in poultry areas daily or after each use. Store feed where wild birds and rodents cannot reach it. Keep water and bedding clean.
- Suit up. Keep dedicated boots for the coop and a footbath to disinfect them. Wear gloves or sanitize hands entering and leaving. Give visitors disposable shoe covers, and keep visitors to a minimum.
- Divide up. Separate species. Use covered enclosures and netting so domestic poultry and wild birds never share air, ground, feed, or water. Waterfowl can carry avian influenza without appearing sick, so mixed flocks raise the stakes.
- Brush up. Learn the signs, monitor your birds daily, keep health records, isolate anything that looks wrong, and know who to call before you need to call them.
Warning: Know the Signs and the Phone Number
Signs of avian influenza in birds: sudden or unexplained death, lack of energy or appetite, difficulty breathing, nasal discharge, a drop in egg production, and diarrhea.
Do not handle sick or dead birds, their litter, or contaminated water without personal protective equipment. Report sick or dead birds to your state veterinarian or to USDA at 1-866-536-7593.
If a backyard flock tests positive for HPAI, it is depopulated. Owners should keep wearing protective equipment in contaminated areas until infected birds, eggs, feces, and litter are gone from the property. Decide now whether you are prepared for that outcome.
CDC maintains specific guidance for backyard flock owners on which protective equipment to use and how to put it on and take it off without contaminating yourself or your house. Gear worn in the coop does not come indoors.
The Salmonella Problem Nobody Budgets For
Bird flu gets the headlines. Salmonella does the damage. As of July 27, 2026, CDC is investigating eight multistate outbreaks tied to contact with backyard poultry: 814 people sick across 44 states and one U.S. territory, 201 hospitalizations among those with information available, and one death in Washington. A quarter of the patients are children under five.
Among patients who owned poultry, 84% had gotten their birds since January 1, 2026, most often from agricultural retail stores. Investigators matched outbreak strains to seven hatcheries, and in five states found the same Salmonella inside the boxes used to ship chicks from hatcheries to stores. Several of the strains carry predicted resistance to antibiotics commonly used to treat severe infections, including ampicillin, ceftriaxone, and ciprofloxacin.
Outbreaks track the spring chick-buying season every year. In 2025, backyard-poultry-linked Salmonella sickened more than 500 people in 48 states, hospitalized 125, and killed two. Healthy-looking birds shed the bacteria; visible cleanliness tells you nothing.
Household Rules That Work
- Wash hands with soap for 20 seconds after touching birds, their supplies, or their eggs. Do it every time, no exceptions.
- Keep a dedicated pair of coop shoes that never come inside the house.
- Keep birds and their equipment out of the house entirely. No brooders in the kitchen.
- Children under five should not handle chicks, ducklings, or anything in the birds’ environment. The same caution applies to adults over 65 and anyone immunocompromised.
- No kissing or snuggling birds, and no eating or drinking around them.
- Collect eggs often, discard cracked ones, refrigerate promptly, and cook until both yolk and white are firm.
CDC’s backyard poultry health guidance covers the full list of precautions. Post it in the coop.
The Environmental Ledger
Earlier versions of this article estimated that backyard eggs carry roughly one-third the carbon footprint of commercial eggs. That figure does not survive scrutiny, and we are retiring it.
Feed dominates an egg’s footprint. The production of feed grains accounts for the large majority of total emissions in most life-cycle assessments. Backyard flocks almost always eat the same commercially formulated feed as commercial hens, without the scale efficiencies farmers enjoy, and they lay fewer eggs per pound of feed consumed. Fewer eggs from the same input means higher emissions per egg, not lower. No peer-reviewed U.S. life-cycle assessment of backyard flocks exists.
The largest global meta-analysis of food-system impacts puts eggs at roughly 4.7 kilograms of CO2-equivalent per kilogram and poultry meat at about 9.9, against roughly 60 to 99 for beef and about 1 for peas. Eggs are already among the lower-impact animal proteins, which means the headroom for improvement by switching production systems is narrower than it looks.
Where a backyard flock genuinely earns its environmental keep:
- Feed displacement. Every pound of kitchen scraps and pasture forage a hen eats is a pound of purchased feed she doesn’t, and feed is where the emissions live. This is the best environmental impacdt lever available to a small keeper.
- Manure on site. Composted chicken litter is a genuine soil amendment that displaces purchased fertilizer instead of entering a waste stream.
- No packaging, cold chain, or transport. While small in absolute terms because transport is a minor share of food emissions, the benefit of avoiding packaging, refigeration in the supply chain, and fuel impacts are real, and entirely yours to claim.
- Pest control. Hens working a garden bed are an excellent substitute for insecticide application.
- Low-input housing. Salvaged coop materials, the deep litter method, and skipping supplemental heat all cut embodied and operating emissions.
Ultimately, the enjoyment you get from caring for a flock will be the greatest reward. The environmental benefits are the bow on top of the personal satisfaction of reaching into a nest and pulling out a fresh egg.
What You Can Do
Before you buy birds
- Read your city or county ordinance and your HOA covenants. Verify both directly with the issuing authority because information sites can go stale fast.
- Compare the cost against the eggs you actually buy, at today’s prices, not last year’s headline numbers.
- Confirm you can meet the biosecurity bar: a covered run, feed and water inaccessible to wild birds, dedicated footwear, and a place to put gear on and take it off.
- Find a veterinarian who sees poultry before you have a sick bird. Most keepers don’t, and it shows up in how late problems get caught.
- Ask the hatchery or retailer about their Salmonella controls and NPIP participation, and plan for the birds’ full lifespan, not just their laying years.
Every day
- Clean up, suit up, divide up, brush up: USDA’s four habits, done consistently, are most of the protection available to a small flock.
- Wash hands for 20 seconds after any bird contact and keep coop shoes outside.
- Watch for sudden death, lethargy, labored breathing, nasal discharge, a drop in laying, or diarrhea. Isolate the bird and report it to your state agricultural agency.
- If you develop flu-like symptoms, red or watery eyes, or gastrointestinal symptoms after handling birds, tell your clinician about the bird exposure. That detail is what triggers the right test.
To shrink your egg footprint
- Feed safe kitchen scraps and let hens forage to displace purchased feed.
- Compost litter or run a deep litter system rather than bagging waste.
- Build with salvaged materials and skip supplemental heat in all but extreme climates.
- If the economics don’t work for you, buying cage-free, pasture-raised, or local eggs still moves the same levers without the biosecurity burden.
Related Reading
- Your Own Nest Egg: Keeping Backyard Chickens
- Repurpose Chicken Litter
- Go Green: Keeping Chickens Can Help
- Humane Shopping
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by Gemma Alexander on July 7, 2020, and was substantially updated in July 2026.
The post Chickenomics: The Economics of Backyard Chickens appeared first on Earth911.
https://earth911.com/home-garden/chickenomics-the-economics-of-backyard-chickens/
The right sustainable rug can completely transform a space. A plant-based fiber rug like jute or sisal can create a grounding warmth, while a thick responsibly-sourced wool rug adds a sense of luxury. An artisan handcrafted rug infuses character and authentic culture where a vintage one can add layers of history and soul.
Furniture is functional and can be beautiful, but adding an exceptional rug is what brings it all together. A rug is at the center — at the heart — of your living room or bedroom or dining room. In other words: a rug is how you start to turn those four walls into a home.
That said, unfortunately most rugs today are mass-produced from synthetic fibers like polyester (read: plastic), finished with toxic chemicals, and made in unethical labor conditions.
Thankfully, there is a better way. Let’s talk sustainable rugs.
What is a “Sustainable Rug”, Exactly?
I like to include an in-depth explanation on “sustainable” in our guides because there’s no standard definition of the term when it comes to fashion or home goods. So here’s how we define “sustainable rugs” at Conscious Life & Style.
Natural Materials:
We’re looking for natural fibers like jute, seagrass, sisal, hemp, cotton (less common) or ethically-sourced wool. Recycled natural fibers are a great bonus, as is organic. The most reputable organic certification for fibers currently on the market is Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
We’re steering clear of synthetic rugs, including recycled polyester in this guide, because they risk releasing microplastics into our homes and environment.
Also natural fibers that aren’t treated with or blended with synthetics are generally biodegradable at the end of their life.
“Recyclability” when it comes to textiles is largely a misnomer. We have far more textile waste than we do textile recycling infrastructure capacity. Plus many types of fabrics still can’t be recycled properly — if at all — today.
Dyes & Chemical Usage
Another source of impact is the dyes and other finishes used on the rugs. Many of these dyes and finishes are synthetic.
One better option is a “low impact dye” — this generally refers to a synthetic dye that doesn’t contain common toxic chemicals (like heavy metals) and has a higher absorption rate, which requires less water. Natural dyes on the other hand are non-synthetic colorants derived from plants, minerals, or sometimes even insects.
There are also additional chemicals these companies may add to rugs like PFAS (forever chemicals) for stain or water resistance or flame retardants. So if you see claims like “stain resistant” or “easy care” you probably want to do some additional digging to ensure those textiles weren’t treated with toxic chemicals.
One certification to look for is OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, which is a label for textiles that have been tested against common harmful substances.
Ethical Production Practices:
Unfortunately forced and child labor is still happening in the carpet and rug industries. So transparency is key. Two certifications to look for are GoodWeave (assurance against child, forced, and bonded labor) and Fair Trade Certified
. Certifications are certainly not an end all be all, so I’m also looking for transparency from the brand — who makes their products? How are they made? What is their relationship to those makers, artisan cooperatives, or facilities? Are they working in safe conditions? Are they paid fairly? A living wage?
Another element here is craftsmanship. Many of these rug-making techniques have been around centuries, but are at risk of dying out with the rise of mass-produced rug makers. Is the brand showing a commitment to sustaining heritage techniques and generations-old craftsmanship?
You might also like to look for local production, though local doesn’t automatically mean ethical. I still like to look for transparency here, as exposés have found there are still sweatshops in the US, too.
Durability & Longevity:
This one is the most challenging. Not only is it difficult to assess the durability of a rug before you’ve purchased it (even most reviewers only comment on their initial experience), but durability is also significantly impacted by how we care for that rug. Do you wash it often? Do you have pets? Kids? Are you putting the rug in a high-traffic area? Is it getting wet often (like in a kitchen or bathroom)?
That said, I’m looking for attention to craftsmanship from a brand, and attention to detail. There are also certain elements to look out for. For example:
- Thicker and denser rugs generally hold up better than looser or low-density tufted rugs.
- Reinforced edges prevent fraying and strong backings prevent the rug curling at the edges.
- Hand-knotted rugs are labor intensive (and may be pricier) but can last decades or even centuries.
Top Picks for Sustainable Rugs
Ok so that was a lot! But no stress — I’ve done the hours of heavy lifting and digging for you to curate this guide to brands with sustainable rugs. So let’s dive in.
Note that Conscious Life & Style is reader supported and this guide includes affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase via some of these links, I may earn a commission. As always all brands meet are rigorous sustainability criteria.
Secondhand First!
Part of our philosophy at Conscious Life & Style is to look secondhand first. So before we dive into the brands, here are some places to find vintage and pre-loved rugs first:
1. Urban Natural
Best for: Living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms
Urban Natural is your online destination for finding responsibly-made, exceptionally crafted home goods from sustainably-minded makers. Brands on Urban Natural include Loloi, a well-respected GoodWeave certified rug brand with rugs ethically hand-woven in Varanasi, India; and Jaipur Living, a company dedicated to preserving time-honored handcrafted art and rug weaving traditions, partnering with 40,000 artisans across hundreds of rural communities throughout India.
Other sustainable rug options on Urban Natural include 100% linen rugs from Libeco, which holds the Masters of Linen® quality label; and 100% wool rugs made in the USA from Earth Weave, the first US carpet manufacturer with a completely natural product line.
Materials: Wool, Jute, Sisal, Cotton, Silk, and Linen (Note: there are a couple of “performance” rugs made with polyester)
Price Range: Starts at $179
Shipping: Ships within the US
2. Lorena Canals
Best for: Living rooms, entryways and bedrooms
Lorena Canals revolutionized the rug industry with machine-washable cotton and wool rugs that don’t compromise on beauty or sustainability. Handcrafted in the brand’s own factory in India since 1998, each piece uses natural or recycled fibers, non-toxic azo-free dyes certified by GOTS and OEKO-TEX standards, and a water-efficient cone-dyeing method that conserves 75% of water compared to traditional processes. The aesthetic ranges from playful geometric patterns and kitchen tile motifs to minimalist neutral textures in their Woolable collection. With customizable options and designs that celebrate the natural colors of undyed wool, these rugs pair practical washability with artisan craftsmanship, all while supporting the brand’s Sakûla Project school for children in northern India.
Materials: Cotton, Wool
Price Range: From $145
Shipping: Global | Outside of US and Canada? Use this website to order instead.
3. CICIL
Best for: Living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and dining rooms
Founded by two former Patagonia textile experts in North Carolina, Cicil brings radical transparency to rug-making with a supply chain that travels less than 1,000 miles from wool to floor. Their braided and shuttle weave rugs use 70% undyed wool sourced directly from small family farms across upstate New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, combined with 30% jute for durability. With shapes ranging from linear and oval to curvy and arch designs, each piece celebrates natural wool tones—from deep grays to warm beiges—without any synthetic dyes or finishes. Made in the Carolinas using traditional techniques on vintage looms, Cicil’s approach is intentionally “anti-innovation,” focusing instead on time-tested methods that create rugs built to biodegrade gracefully after a lifetime of use.
Materials: Wool, Jute
Price Point: From $459
Shipping: Ships within the US (all orders ship free)
4. West Elm Fair Trade Certified
Best for: Living rooms, dining rooms, offices, or bedrooms
I tend to put large retailers, like West Elm, through much stricter scrutiny in my vetting process because they have larger supply chains which makes transparency much more difficult. It’s easy to know your factory without a certification if you work with one or two facilities. It’s much harder when you work with 20 — or 200. That’s why I appreciate that West Elm has such an extensive selection of rugs made in verified Fair Trade Certified factories.
Most of West Elm’s rugs are also made from 100% natural materials like sisal, jute, wool, and cotton. Though like most companies, their “Performance Rugs” are made with polyester. West Elm does use 90-100% recycled polyester for these rugs which makes it a lower impact choice from a carbon emissions point of view. It may still shed microplastics, but if you have pets that could be worth the trade-off for you to have a durable rug.
Note that West Elm does not have non-toxic related certifications for most of their rugs, so this can be a great choice if you value aesthetic variety, ethical production, and natural materials, but if your top priority or concern is that the rug was tested for potentially harmful chemicals, West Elm might not be the right fit for you.
Materials: Wool, Jute, Sisal, Cotton (Performance rugs use recycled polyester)
Price Point: From $459
Shipping: Ships within the US and select other countries
5. Schoolhouse
Best for: Bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms
Schoolhouse brings American design sensibility to handcrafted rugs woven in India using natural materials. Their collection spans hand-knotted wool pieces with vivid, whimsical patterns like the Sundrop design to reversible flatweave plaid styles perfect for layering. Natural-dyed wool yarn creates rich, enduring colors—from burnt orange and chartreuse to soft neutrals—while jute-chenille blends offer versatility underfoot without the typical scratchiness. With 80% of their assortment domestic and FSC-certified materials across their product lines, Schoolhouse prioritizes reducing carbon emissions through consolidated shipping and minimal plastic packaging.
Materials: Wool, Jute, Cotton, Recycled PET (note: PET is plastic, so this isn’t our top recommendation)
Price Range: From $79
Shipping: Ships to all US States and Canada
6. Nestig
Best for: Nurseries and playrooms
Nestig transforms nursery floors with whimsical, machine-washable rugs that parents actually want to clean. Hand-loomed in Brazil by local artisans with over 20 years of experience, each piece uses 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton grown locally and dyed with non-toxic pigments. The designs range from playful vehicles (dump trucks, airplanes, sailboats) and animals (dinosaurs, bears) to sophisticated geometric patterns and world maps. Nestig operates on a “just enough” business model that minimizes warehouse inventory and carbon footprint, partnering exclusively with sustainable, family-owned businesses. Every rug arrives as a truly one-of-a-kind piece with natural variations that come from artisan craftsmanship.
Materials: Organic Cotton
Price Range: From $399
Shipping: Ships to US, Canada, and the UK
7. Salem Hello
Best for: Living rooms, bedrooms, hallways and statement spaces
Salam Hello bridges the gap between Moroccan artisan tradition and contemporary homes with transparency at its core. Each handwoven rug is crafted by Amazigh women in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, preserving techniques passed through generations while ensuring fair wages and artisan recognition. The collection includes ready-to-ship vintage and new pieces alongside made-to-order designs where you choose size, color, and pattern. From neutral flatweaves and textured hand-knots to bold geometric designs rich in traditional symbolism, every rug carries protective meaning woven into its fibers. With collaborations like their Izra collection with General Assembly and the Atlas Form line, Salam Hello offers refined modern interpretations alongside authentic traditional styles.
Materials: Wool
Price: From $625
Shipping: Ships Worldwide
8. Organic Weave
Best for: Living rooms, bedrooms, and kids’ rooms
Organic Weave was born after founder Linda witnessed child labor at the rug manufacturers in India her family’s rug business was sourcing from. When Linda became the buyer at her family’s company, she started sourcing exclusively from the only supplier that was committed to not employing children.
Today, Organic Weave is GoodWeave certified — a certification providing additional assurance there isn’t child labor in the supply chain. And as the name suggests, the sustainable rug company also uses organic materials: 100% organic wool for high-traffic areas like living rooms and 100% organic cotton for lower traffic areas like bedrooms. Their handmade, artisan crafted rugs are Global Organic Textile Standard Certified too.
Materials: Organic Cotton, Organic Wool
Price Range: From $1,789
Shipping: Ships Worldwide
9. LOOMY
Best for: Living rooms, bedrooms, and dining rooms
LOOMY proves that sustainable doesn’t mean sacrificing style with a curated collection of contemporary rugs made entirely by hand from indigenous artisan weaving communities worldwide. Their natural fiber collection includes wool, jute, cotton, hemp, and sisal rugs alongside performance options crafted from recycled P.E.T. plastic diverted from oceans and landfills. From shaggy textures and bold geometric patterns to minimalist flatweaves, every design is exclusively created in-house and made without mechanical assistance, using traditional spinning, natural dye baths under the sun, and generations-old loom techniques. The brand’s transparency extends to sharing exactly who made each rug, how many hours it took, and the sustainable materials used.
Materials: Wool, Jute, Cotton, Hemp, Sisal, Recycled P.E.T.
Price Range: From $278
Shipping: Ships to all US States and Canada
10. Revival
Best for: Living rooms, bedrooms, and dining rooms
Originally founded as a vintage rug curator, Revival now makes a wide range of affordable, beautiful rugs for all needs, whether you have kids, pets, or just want an easy-care washable rug.
Not all options from Revival are sustainable, and some are made from virgin polyester, so for natural fibers I’d direct you to their Wool Rugs collection and Jute Rugs collection, including their naturally dyed jute rugs. Revival also carries one-of-a-kind rugs, which include vintage options.
Materials: Wool, Jute, Recycled Polyester (also has some rugs made with new polyester, which I’d avoid)
Price Range: From $169
Shipping: Ships to contiguous US and selected other international destinations
Honorable Mentions: More Sustainable Rug Options
Here are some additional companies with sustainable rugs to check out! These didn’t make the “top 10” list based on our criteria, but you might have different priorities. So if you’re not finding what you’re looking for above, I recommend taking a look at this list too.
Hook and Loom: if you’re looking for a non-toxic organic rug, Hook and Loom has undyed organic cotton and natural wool rugs made without added chemicals. Their website doesn’t have the most modern user experience, which can make shopping a bit more cumbersome, but the brand has thousands of positive reviews.
Sabai: Sabai’s all-natural textured rugs are crafted from jute and wool in North Carolina by skilled rug makers. They are one of the few companies to manufacture their rugs in the US. That said, the rug does appear to be on the thinner side considering the price point.
The Citizenry: Hand-knotted and hand-loomed by artisan partners across the globe from Morocco to Peru each piece blends modern minimalist design with time-tested techniques passed down through generations. The Citizenry’s collection features everything from plush, textured wool designs to natural jute pieces, and the retailer guarantees 100% fair trade standards on every product, partnering directly with artisan communities. However, many customers complain online about slow shipping and poor customer service, so that’s something to keep in mind before purchasing.
Yaya & Co: this brand has some high sustainability standards like 100% organic certified materials and production in a Fair Trade Certified family-owned factory! Their designs are quite colorful and fun too, which isn’t always easy to find with organic materials. Their selection is more limited compared to the other brands and retailers, which is the only reason they didn’t make it onto the top 10 list.
The post 10 Best Sustainable Rugs For a Healthier Home and Planet appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
Just like fashion has been overrun by fast fashion, home goods and furniture have similarly seen a rapid decline in quality. Rugs are no exception.
And similar to fashion, these cheap goods come at a high cost — namely, to the planet and to people. In fact carpet and rug production is rampant with exploitation.
On the other hand, fair trade rugs present the best of what a rug can bring to your home: artistry, craftsmanship, and heritage.
The brands featured in this guide are partnering with (and fairly paying!) skilled artisans who are using generations-old — and sometimes even centuries-old — techniques. These artisans are sustaining long lines of crafts, preserving their cultural diversity, and celebrating the richness of their time-honored crafts.
There’s simply no replacement for a timeless, quality artisan-made rug — they’re like pieces of art you can lay out on your floor or hang on your walls.
So, enjoy browsing through this guide to sustainable rug brands listed out below and best of luck on your search for the right fair trade rug!
Where to Find Ethical and Fair Trade Rugs
Note that this guide includes affiliates and partners. As always, brands must meet high standards for ethics and sustainability to be featured and all opinions are my own.
1. The Citizenry
If you’re browsing for fair trade rugs, but looking for a more minimalist or neutral aesthetic, look no further than The Citizenry.
The brand’s natural, handmade rugs — made by artisans working in fair trade conditions — feature striking prints but more subtle colors. Next to each product page you’ll be able to learn more about the workshop and the artisans behind that piece.
Price Range: $$$
Conscious Qualities: Fair Trade, Natural Fibers, Craft Preservation
Categories: Area Rugs
2. Kiliim
If you’re well-versed in rug terminology, you may recognize that this brand’s name looks similar to the word kilim. Kiliim’s rug are made using authentic, well, kilim rug craftsmanship by artisans in Egypt coming from generations of kilim artisans. To ensure ethical production and to support the preservation of this heritage craft, Kiliim pays living wages to all artisans.
Price Range: $ – $$$
Conscious Qualities: Ethical Production, Heritage Craft Preservation, Natural Fibers
Categories: Area Rugs, Accent Rugs
3. Urban Natural
This natural home and lifestyle retailer has a beautifully curated selection of sustainably-made rugs crafted with materials like jute, sisal, wool, and cotton.
Several brands on Urban Natural are also ethically hand-loomed or hand-knotted, such as Loloi — a GoodWeave partner — and Jaipur Living — a brand that partners with thousands of local artisans to sustain heritage crafts.
Price Range: $$+
Conscious Qualities: Eco-Conscious Materials
Categories: Outdoor, Area Rugs, and Accent Rugs
4. Zuahaza
Each of Zuahaza’s artisan-made rugs is creatively designed with unique patterns and expertly handwoven by weavers in Colombia. Zuahaza’s captivating rugs are made from sustainably-sourced fique, a natural fiber from Colombia that is similar to hemp. And, just like hemp, fique requires little water to grow and is rarely attacked by pests (meaning fique is always grown organically without chemical pesticides).
Price Range: $$ – $$$
Conscious Qualities: Organic Fibers & Natural Dyes, Cultural Preservation, BIPOC-Owned
Categories: Area Rugs, Runner Rugs, Accent Rugs
5. LOOMY
Founded by a weaver, LOOMY is dedicated to making beautiful, non-toxic rugs that will last for decades to come.
LOOMY partners with highly-skilled artisan weavers who craft quality rugs made from eco-minded materials like banana silk, jute, and recycled cotton built to withstand whatever life brings you.
Price Range: $$ – $$$
Conscious Qualities: Eco & Non-Toxic Materials, Craft Preservation
Categories: Area Rugs, Accent Rugs, Runners, Outdoor Rugs
6. Leah Singh
Leah Singh’s designs are a reflection of the designer’s background, growing up surrounded by the rich artistry of India and studying at Parsons amidst the structural, minimal lines of New York.
All of the brand’s rugs are made by artisans in India who use embroidery, weaving, and printing techniques native to their respective regions.
Price Range: $$ – $$$
Conscious Qualities: BIPOC-Owned, Ethical Production, Cultural Preservation
Categories: Area Rugs, Accent Rugs, Runners
7. West Elm
West Elm is bringing ethical rugs to a broader market with their collection of Fair Trade Certified
wool and cotton rugs. While I recommend browsing the smaller shops listed above first, West Elm is supporting the movement to responsibly-made, fair trade rugs.
Price Range: $$$
Conscious Qualities: Fair Trade production, Majority Natural Materials
Categories: Area Rugs, Accent Rugs
Liked this guide to sustainable rugs? You might also enjoy:
Ethical Home Decor Brands to Curate a Beautiful, Conscious Space
Eco-Friendly Furniture to Furnish Your Home Sustainably
Fair Trade and Eco-Friendly Blankets to Cozy Up With
The post 7 Best Ethical Fair Trade Rugs to Elevate Your Space appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
A durable set of eco-friendly dinnerware is a solid ingredient for a sustainably set table! But…
What is Sustainable Dinnerware?
Well looking for secondhand and vintage dinnerware is always a good start, whether that’s your grandmother’s porcelain dining sets or a pre-loved set of colorful plates and bowls at your local thrift store.
Another great place to look is estate sales. You can likely find full sets of dinnerware! If none of those options are available to you (or your just not finding something you love) you can check out a site like Etsy Used or Chairish.
*Important note on secondhand dinnerware: the FDA started regulating the use of lead in dinnerware in 1971. So you might want to avoid any dinnerware produced before 1971, unless it’s just for display!
Here are some qualities to look for when shopping for new sustainable dinnerware:
Sustainably sourced materials: such as responsibly-harvested bamboo and recycled glass.
Quality: when it comes to products you’re going to potentially use and wash daily, durability is an important factor to keep in mind. Also consider your lifestyle! Perhaps glass and porcelain aren’t the best choices if you have little ones, or you tend to drop things often. (Guilty!!)
Usefulness: You might also want to consider if you will be hand-washing or dishwashing your dinnerware. Some materials are too fragile for the dishwasher, so consider if you’ll have the time (and willingness) to hand wash them all the time. Because part of sustainability is that you’ll actually use the products and they won’t just sit and collect dust! 
Ethical production: this could look like transparent local manufacturing or artisan-made and fair trade. In any case, an ethical dinnerware brand would prioritize fair living wages for the workers, ensure safe healthy conditions (this includes no toxic chemicals used in production!) and go above and beyond to consider the wellbeing of the people who work for them and/or produce their products.
Ownership and Equity: this means looking at who owns and profits from the brands we’re supporting; if a brand is owned by a person of color, it will be indicated in their description below (BIPOC-owned stands for Black, Indigenous, Person of Color-owned and WOC-owned stands for Woman of Color-owned).
Your Values: you may have other elements you look for in a brand, such as traditional craft preservation. Or perhaps it’s really important to you that a brand is giving back to their local community.
Where to Find Eco-Friendly Dinnerware
The eco-friendly tableware and sustainable dinnerware brands featured below meet at least one (though most of them meet several) of the above criteria.
In this roundup, you’ll find sustainable pottery (including ceramic plates, sustainable mugs, and more), recycled glassware, artisan-made ethical dinnerware, and everything in between to suit your needs. I hope that this variety of brands will help you set the table, whether that’s for fancy dinner parties, Friday night pizza, or something in between.
This article features affiliates and partners. As always, we only feature brands that meet strict standards for sustainability that we love — and that we think you’ll love too!
1. East Fork
East Fork’s ethically-made dinnerware and tableware is next level — their gorgeous sustainable ceramics, glassware, mugs, and other goods are exquisitely designed and built for durability.
Committed to creating local manufacturing jobs, all of East Fork’s eco-friendly pottery is made in Asheville, North Carolina and is working to center equity and inclusion throughout their business.
Categories: Plates, Bowls, Cups, Drinking Glasses, Flatware/Silverware,
Conscious Qualities: Locally-Made, Transparent Production
Price Range: $$$
2. Our Place
From the same brand that brought us their cult-favorite Always Pan, comes a gorgeous collection of non-toxic dinnerware and sustainable pottery.
Our Place has hand-painted main plates and side bowls made with recycled and virgin porcelain ceramic and dinner glasses handmade from recycled glass and colored with natural dyes.
Categories: Glassware, Bowls, Plates
Conscious Qualities: Eco Materials, Gives Back, WOC-Owned
Price Range: $$
3. Fable
Prioritizing timelessness and sustainability, Fable sources quality materials and simple designs that last the test of time.
The eco-minded dinnerware company partners with makers in Portugal, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the US that use conscious practices, like ethical employment, craftsmanship, and low-waste practices (like sourcing recycled clay).
Categories: Dinnerware, Drinkware, Cutlery, Serveware, and Decor
Conscious Qualities: Quality Craftsmanship, Low Waste Practices, Responsibly Sourced
Price Range: $$$
4. Zungleboo
Lightweight, shatterproof, and made from corn starch + bamboo fiber, Zungleboo creates family-friendly and eco-friendly dinnerware!
Their versatile plant-based bowls and plates are also dishwasher and microwave safe, making them easy to care for no matter how busy mealtime is. As Zungleboo writes on their website, their sustainable dinnerware is “from real plants, for real life”.
Categories: Bowls, Plates
Conscious Qualities: Eco Materials, WOC-Owned
Price Range: $$
Use code CONSCIOUS15 for 15% off!
5. Urban Natural
Green home retailer Urban Natural has stunning eco-friendly tabletop goods from leading contemporary brands like Farmhouse Pottery and Ethnicraft.
The brands Urban Natural curates source natural materials, use time-honored processes, and take quality craftsmanship seriously.
Categories: Plates, Bowls, Cups & Mugs, Flatware
Conscious Qualities: Artisan Goods, Natural Materials, Locally and Ethically Made
Price Range: $$ – $$$
6. GOODEE
For artisanal plates that can elevate your tablescape, GOODEE is the answer.
From 100% porcelain stone ceramic plates hand-crafted in the ancient Japanese town of Arita and hand-painted plates made from Egyptian clay to marble patterned ecothylene® (upcycled BPA-free plastic) plates ideal for family-friendly daily wares, GOODEE has options for everyone.
Categories: Plates, Glassware, Cups & Mugs, Serving, Flatware
Conscious Qualities: Ethical Production, Craft Preservation
Price Range: $$$
7. Ekobo
Ekobo’s colorful eco-friendly dinnerware is available in a variety of colors and sizes, perfect for mixing and matching to create a unique sustainable table setting for any space.
The eco-friendly dinnerware from Ekobo is made from upcycled bamboo and the result is durable, dishwasher-safe, and non-toxic diningware.
Categories: Plates, Bowls, Cups, Trays, Baby Diningware
Conscious Qualities: Eco Materials
Price Range: $$
More Guides For An Eco-Friendly Kitchen:
Best Fair Trade and Eco-Friendly Tablecloths
Your Sustainable and Zero Waste Kitchen Guide
The Best Zero Waste Food Storage Options
The post 7 Eco-Friendly Dinnerware Brands To Set Your Sustainable Table appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
7 Eco-Friendly Dinnerware Brands To Set Your Sustainable Table
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