With environmental concerns taking the whole world by storm, the movement for using products made from eco-friendly or green materials has gathered a lot of momentum. Even the carpet weaving industry has started adopting and applying innovative eco-friendly methods. Hence today carpets are not only being made from unconventional fibres but also from recycled materials. Some advantages of the same include:
• Lesser carbon footprint,
• Environment friendly,
• Healthy as the presence of toxic elements is less,
• More affordable than most people perceive etc.
Some of the more versatile and innovative materials which are today being used as raw materials for carpet weaving are:
Wool: This is an all-time favourite and provides for the best carpet weaving in the whole world. In fact the look and feel imparted to a room sporting a woollen carpet is stunningly beautiful, warm, comfortable and inviting. It is also extremely durable and an excellent stain repellent. They are, however, a bit more expensive than the other options but the range of natural tones available and the life-span of a woollen carpet far outweigh its cost.
Recycled carpets and carpet tiles: Today a seller will generally offer to take back the old carpet from his buyer after the deal for a new carpet has been sealed. This carpet garbage is then recycled into new carpets, carpet tiles etc. The beauty of these recycled products is that they are multicoloured, easier to lay and are best suited for areas experiencing heavy footfall.
Sisal: This is another natural fibre from which stunningly beautiful and hard-wearing carpets can be made. Since they offer a wide variety of natural tones, they are ideally suited for places which experience more footfall than the rest like hallways, staircases etc.
Jute: Carpets made from this natural fibre has a softer feel than that made from Sisal but is also extremely durable and hard-wearing. The fact that these fibres can be woven into many different patterns like the herringbone, squares etc., accounts for the uniqueness of jute carpets.
Corn: This is an innovative concept which is fast catching up. Corn is first harvested and then ground and cooked to convert it into starch. This starch is then converted into sugar from which plastic strands are made. These are then used to make carpets. Since petroleum is not used in the whole process, the release of carbon di oxide is reduced. Also corn carpets can be recycled in natural landfills since they are biodegradable.
Recycled PET bottles: This is one of the most innovative modern methods of carpet weaving. Herein, the PET bottles are first collected and then drudged, pulverised and ground to form small chips. These chips are melted, squeezed, pressed and gyrated to form carpet threads which are then used for carpet weaving. The caps and labels are generally used to make the base of the carpet. This is not only a good way to recycle plastic but also makes for sturdy and durable carpets which can be used in places experiencing heavy traffic.
Today there are many more ways by which eco-friendly carpets are being made. Choosing a carpet made from these innovative eco-friendly methods not only look nice but also enable a person to do his bit for the environment.
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