Quick Key Facts
- The United Nations has encouraged governments worldwide to rewild 2.47 billion acres of degraded land in the next several years.
- Rewilding isn’t just about adding back one or two species of plants and animals to an area; it’s about restoring and conserving whole ecosystems, from keystone species to soil, to allow them a chance to thrive.
- One of the greatest rewilding success stories of modern times is the reintroduction of gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park, which restored the balance of the entire ecosystem, from elk and deer to trees, riverbanks and songbirds.
- Of 730 ecoregions studied by scientists globally, less than 6% continue to have the extensive and intact communities of large mammals seen 500 years ago.
- According to researchers, 64% of the planet’s large carnivores that remain are facing extinction, with 80% declining.
- One study found that reintroducing 20 large mammals — 7 predator and 13 herbivore species, such as bison, brown bears, jaguars, wild horses, Eurasian beavers, reindeer, moose, elk, tigers, wolverines and hippos — can help biodiversity regenerate worldwide while also tackling the climate crisis.
- Of the 74 large herbivore species surviving globally that weigh 220 pounds or more, 59% are threatened with extinction.
- Soil that is covered in trees absorbs rainwater 67 times faster than grass-covered soil.
- Encouragingly, according to a 2020 study, 46% of lands that are not permanently covered in snow or ice have been found to have “low human influence.”
- Less than 1% of regions that were once dominated by tropical coniferous forests, temperate grasslands and tropical dry forests are classified as having a “very low” level of human influence.
What Is ‘Rewilding’?
It’s no secret that modern humans have ravaged the planet. We have decimated ecosystems to make way for monocrop agriculture, the raising of beef cattle and development. Ecosystems that had maintained a delicate balance for millions of years have been turned into ecological wastelands with cascading negative effects on biodiversity, humanity and essential biogeochemical processes like Earth’s water cycle.
Rewilding is the reversing of negative impacts on natural environments through the restoration and conservation of ecosystems, wilderness areas and their natural processes, and it is essential for the survival of most life on our planet.
Rewilding involves reintroducing native species and allowing nature to heal and nurture itself. Doing so can not only restore biodiversity, but it can protect endangered species, prevent flooding and help mitigate climate change.
Why Is Rewilding Important? Why Does It Matter?
Rewilding on both small and large scales provides and preserves natural habitats for plant and animal species. It can also mean added lands for wildlife corridors, improve species diversity, lower carbon dioxide emissions, improve air quality and carbon sequestration, help balance the water cycle, protect against excessive runoff and flooding and make environments more climate-change resilient.
Benefits of Rewilding
Restores Native Species and Ecosystems
Rewilding restores ecosystems by reestablishing the habitats of native plants and animals, thereby reinstating their food chains and rebuilding biodiversity.
Rewilding makes ecosystems stronger because those that have been rewilded have a tendency to become more resilient to climate change and environmental changes in general. Their complexity and diversity means they are better protected against invasive species, natural disasters and extreme weather, and tend to bounce back more quickly.
Improves Species Diversity and Protects Threatened and Endangered Species
When an environment is rewilded, keystone species — like wolves, bears, beavers and wildcats — are reintroduced. These animals are essential to the balance of an ecosystem; other animals, as well as plants, rely on them, and if they are removed, drastic ecosystem changes, or even collapse, can occur.
Many keystone species — such as mountain gorillas, jaguars, gray wolves, black rhinos, California condors, humpback whales and ivory tree coral — are threatened or endangered. Reintroducing them through rewilding efforts can boost their numbers and give them a chance to bounce back. And since other plants and animals rely on keystone species, their reintroduction contributes to enhanced species diversity.
A herd of bison at Custer State Park, Black Hills, South Dakota on July 16, 2013. Charles (Chuck) Peterson / Flickr
Rewilding can also involve the reintroduction of species that have been driven out by development or have died off in particular ecosystems due to lack of resources or loss of habitat, thereby effectively “plugging crucial gaps” in particular ecosystems.
Supports Biodiversity
When biodiversity is restored to a region through rewilding, natural ecosystem functions are also reinstated, such as seed dispersal, species predation and nutrient cycling. All of these activities bring back the natural balance to the affected area and beyond.
Improves Trophic Cascades
Trophic cascades occur when top predators in the food chain are lost, leading to indirect interactions between species that can result in powerful effects on whole ecosystems.
Human activities like agriculture, deforestation and poaching, as well as human-caused climate change, have resulted in the decline and sometimes extinction of important predators.
When rewilding efforts reintroduce crucial species like these to a region, they can have positive influences on their habitats, with reverberations throughout the food chain and ecosystem that can help reestablish a natural balance.
Adds to the Patchwork of Lands for Wildlife Corridors
Wildlife corridors are essential for giving species — particularly large mammals like wolves, bears and big cats — the extensive ranges they need to find adequate resources and mates. Rehabilitating and preserving wild spaces through rewilding can add to the network of wildlands these animals need to survive.
Helps Balance the Water Cycle & Improves Water Quality
Earth’s water cycle — which began approximately 3.8 billion years ago — is the process of water evaporating from the planet’s surface, rising into the atmosphere, condensing into precipitation in clouds and falling back onto land or into waterways and the ocean. The water collects in lakes, rivers, porous rock layers and soils, with much of it flowing back into the ocean to evaporate again.
The water cycle is impacted by many forms of human manipulation of the planet, including deforestation, irrigation and global heating, which contributes to marine heat waves, the melting of Arctic sea ice, sea level rise and ocean acidification.
All of these destructive activities can be healed by rewilding. Rewilding can rehabilitate underwater habitats, in addition to deforested landscapes and those that have been scarred or destroyed by human development, while mitigating global heating and climate change.
By rewilding rivers and removing dams, species like salmon can be allowed to recover, which benefits their predators — including bears, a keystone species — as well as the overall balance of the ecosystem. River rewilding can also help prevent the hydrological extremes that can lead to flooding or stresses from low water flow — like abnormal temperature fluctuations — and cause lower oxygen levels and algal blooms, which have the potential to affect species and water quality.
Restores Healthy Ecosystems That Act as Buffers During Natural Disasters
Over time, ecosystems develop a natural balance between their plant and mammal inhabitants and the air, water and soil. When these ecosystems are degraded or destroyed, they lose their ability to protect against natural disasters. Rewilded ecosystems provide a built-in defense against flooding, drought and wildfires.
When it rains, a forest’s tree and plant roots absorb excess rainwater, while the tree canopy keeps the ground from becoming saturated all at once. These actions mitigate runoff and flooding by preventing rainwater from rushing over the land and into streams or rivers. This also prevents soil from washing into waterways and creating sediment buildup. And if the soil contains pesticides or other toxic chemicals, they are less likely to end up in the water supply.
According to Mossy Earth, soil that is covered in trees absorbs rainwater 67 times faster than grass-covered soil. Tree roots also anchor soil in place, preventing severe erosion and landslides during heavy rain.
By contrast, water stored in forest soil can be released during dry periods, providing moisture and clean water in times of drought.
Healthy ecosystems containing bodies of water, snow, ice, broadleaf forest, grassland corridors or sparse plant growth can also provide natural fire breaks or buffers that can slow down or block the spread of wildfires.
Reintroducing large grazing herbivores can also create sparse patches of vegetation in the landscape, providing natural firebreaks.
Helps Mitigate Climate Change
Human activities are directly responsible for climate change because they produce the greenhouse gas emissions — released when humans burn fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal for energy — that are responsible for global warming. Rewilding can rebalance ecosystems, whose plants, trees and soils absorb and sequester carbon emissions, helping to improve air quality and regulate the climate.
Opens Up Opportunities for Rewilding Tourism
Restoring natural ecosystems provides an opportunity for communities that have traditionally relied on the land for agriculture and cattle farming to share their unique environments with others through rewilding and ecotourism.
This allows travelers who are mindful of their impact on the planet to visit places that have been restored, which brings in revenue for the local community while supporting an economy based on living in harmony with nature rather than overusing or destroying it.
Provides Mental and Physical Benefits for Humans
The physical and mental benefits to humans of spending time surrounded by nature have been well documented. By rewilding and preserving natural habitats, we open up more places for us to enjoy their healing rewards.
Challenges to Rewilding
Land Availability
In a 2020 study, three of four spatial assessments found that, of Earth’s land that is not permanently covered in snow or ice, 46% has had “low human influence.” This means that roughly half of Earth’s non-snow- or ice-covered surface remains relatively untouched.
Nations meeting at the COP15 United Nations Biodiversity Conference in 2022 agreed upon the Kunming-Montreal Global biodiversity framework, which included a goal of conserving 30% of the planet’s lands and oceans by 2030.
However, current land use and availability of lands are two of the biggest obstacles to rewilding. Much of developed land is being used for agriculture, housing and commercial and leisure activities. For social, cultural and economic reasons, rewilding these lands faces resistance.
This makes it all the more important to use regenerative agricultural practices — as well as to create urban spaces that are more pollinator and wildlife friendly — in regions that were once dominated by tropical coniferous forests, temperate grasslands and tropical dry forests, as less than 1% of these lands are classified as having a “very low” level of human influence.
Policy Barriers
There are many existing policies that can frustrate rewilding efforts, such as regulations of “dangerous and wild animals”; policies regarding access to the countryside; agricultural policy; and energy policies that find renewable energy developments like wind turbines to be inconsistent with wildlands. In some cases, land that was available for potential rewilding is instead awarded to lucrative wind energy projects.
Public Acceptance
While most people agree that a thriving environment provides benefits for everyone, rewilding is not always readily accepted by farmers, who sometimes have concerns about loss of their traditional practices as well as economic effects. Some farmers are also fearful of how the reintroduction of keystone species like wolves may affect the animals they keep.
However, while some changes and uncertainty may have to be accepted in the short term, rewilding is the best option to mitigate the much broader and longer lasting effects of climate breakdown caused by the removal of keystone species and the degradation of our wildlands.
Funding
The funding of rewilding initiatives involves a host of sometimes creative revenue sources. These can include the use of carbon offset funds; government grants; farmers being paid to rewild their land; businesses providing financing for “biodiversity net gain” — land management or development that has a goal of leaving the environment in a state that is measurably better than before; corporate sponsorships; public donations, including apps that allow people to donate funds to rewilding projects while also informing them as to their progress; ecotourism; and public-private partnerships.
Successful Rewilding Efforts Around the World
There have been many successful rewilding efforts around the world — here are two examples.
Reintroduction of Gray Wolves to Yellowstone National Park
One of the greatest rewilding success stories in history was the reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park after a nearly 70-year absence. As a keystone species, wolves played such a crucial role in the ecosystem that their disappearance was felt in the air, skies, water and trees of the park.
The last of Yellowstone’s wolf packs was eradicated by employees of the massive 3,472-square-mile park in 1926, with the idea of eliminating all its resident predators. Bears and cougars were also removed, and the result was an illustration of just how important every member of an ecosystem — from soil microbes to large mammals — is to its balance.
First, populations of elk exploded, which led to aspens and willows becoming overgrazed. The loss of these trees resulted in beavers being unable to build their dams because of riverbank erosion, a decrease in songbirds and a rise in water temperatures, which affected coldwater fish.
Then, in 1995, Yellowstone welcomed back 14 individual wolves from Canada, who right away began to restore the damaged ecosystem. Elk and deer populations were brought down, which allowed trees to bounce back. This stabilized riverbanks, and songbirds were heard once again. Other animals like eagles, foxes and badgers also returned, further adding to the robust biodiversity of the country’s first national park.
Reintroduction of the Eurasian Beaver to the United Kingdom
Once a familiar sight in Asia and Europe, the Eurasian beaver was hunted to extinction by the 16th century in many countries, including the UK.
Starting in 2021, beavers were reintroduced in the UK’s Isle of Wight, Derbyshire, Dorset, Montgomeryshire, South Down and Nottinghamshire. The results have been tremendous in restoring populations to their native habitats.
Their presence has served to reduce water flow, leading to a decrease in the effects of flooding by as much as 60%. Beaver dams also remove and sequester carbon, as their fashioned wetlands promote new plant growth, creating valuable carbon sinks.
What Can We Do to Support Rewilding?
As a Society?
Rewilding is a set of actions that humans need to embrace in order to restore ecosystems and biodiversity to their once healthy states. The concept of rewilding is unfamiliar to many people, so talking about it more often and in-depth, as well as discussing what we can do as a society to facilitate it, is important for making rewilding a more familiar and frequent reality.
Encourage leaders and policymakers to include rewilding in their agendas and support those who do.
In Our Own Lives?
Each patch of Earth is a microcosm of an ecosystem made up of soil, minerals and nutrients that supports plants and insects and is most likely inhabited by larger species like rodents, birds and mammals. Everyone who has access to any amount of land to the extent that they are able to rewild it can take steps to improve soil quality and plant native flowers — including those that attract pollinators — trees, shrubs and ferns that will be beneficial for a myriad of species.
This relatively small but important act of rewilding will improve and expand the functioning and biodiversity of your local ecosystem, as well as provide habitat, food and shelter for traveling species like birds who may be passing through.
It will also provide you with abundant opportunities to observe native wildlife from your window, porch or garden.
Another way to help with local rewilding efforts is to contact policymakers and encourage them to establish pollinator gardens or rewild unused lands — even land next to or on medians of a highway or road can be rewilded or, at the very least, left alone to grow and replenish itself.
You can also volunteer with a local conservation organization or wildlife trust, help plant native species with a community group or nonprofit or even start a community garden with your neighbors.
Whatever you do to support rewilding efforts in your local area will help rehabilitate habitat and encourage wildlife to return to land that was once theirs too.
Takeaway
Ecosystems are like a beautiful piece of music being played by an orchestra with many instruments, each vital to its harmony. Humans have learned through destructive actions that removing keystone species we have deemed predatory and dangerous leads to trophic cascades with devastating effects to ecosystems and biodiversity. Destroying rainforests to make way for crops like palm oil and soybeans and continuing to burn fossil fuels are just some of the other actions humans continue to take that are tipping the balance against healthy ecosystems and climate stabilization.
Instead, we have a responsibility to restore once-wild lands to their healthy and balanced states through rewilding and conservation. Rewilding is an integral part of the set of actions — including using vastly less land for industrial agriculture and cattle ranching, while changing our diets from meat-based to more plant-based foods and slashing plastics production and waste — that we must take to combat global heating and curb the climate crisis.
The post Rewilding 101: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on EcoWatch.
https://www.ecowatch.com/rewilding-facts-ecowatch.html
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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