Carpets

From Sustainable Building Resource

[edit] Wool carpets

Wool is a natural material, so woollen carpets are 100% natural, right? Sisal is natural, too, so surely the same applies? Generally not.

Most woollen carpets are dyed with synthetic dyes, made from a wide range of chemicals. But the trouble really starts with the wool itself. To carry the heavily-promoted Woolmark® label, wool has to be treated with pyrethroids, for example the Beyer chemical company’s Eulan®, to a minimum concentration of 130 milligrams per kilogram. Pyrethroids act as nerve poisons, and their use in carpets has been banned in the USA for 15 years.

So “pure wool” carpets are not usually very pure. The problem gets even worse if they have a “latex” backing. In most cases this actually means synthetic latex. First of all, this is not bio-degradable, unlike natural latex, which means that most latex-backed carpets should only be disposed of as expensive chemical waste.

Secondly, synthetic latex contains an unhealthy cocktail of antiageing chemicals. Thirdly, it contains vulcanisation agents which include styrene, a cancer-producing chemical. It is the styrene which gives new carpets their special smell. Sisal, too, is a wonderfully durable and attractive carpeting material whose natural qualities are most often spoiled by synthetic latex backing, if not synthetic dyes as well.

If you really want a healthy home, make sure that your carpets are not polluting your environment. There are some carpets around that are truly 100% natural and without chemicals – and they are not more expensive than conventional carpets of similar quality. Make sure that you ask your carpet supplier about the exact, full content of the wool or sisal and the backing. You’ll be surprised by some of the answers.

[edit] Sisal carpets

Toxin-free, anti-static, heavy duty carpets. Natural sisal is produced from the leaves of the Agave cactus, grown in Latin America or China. No pesticides or fertilizers are used in the cultivation of sisal for these carpets. The yarns used to weave plant fibre floor-coverings are thicker than those used to weave cotton or wool carpets; this gives a unique texture and pattern.

Sisal and coir carpets Sisal and coconut coir carpeting comes in a variety of attractive colours and textured weaves. All sisal comes from the same sources – mostly Latin America and Africa, in differing qualities – and most of it is dyed and woven at source. The difference, as with wool carpets, comes in the backing. Our sisal and coir carpeting is unique in having 100% natural backings. Natural latex backing, coupled with the exceptionally high density of the selected sisal, makes it suitable for demanding use in offices and public buildings, where it can stand up to the heavy demands of offi ce chair casters. Latex-backed sisal is 5mm thick and needs to be fully glued down. With the jute backing alternative, and double-sided tape, up to 25 square metres of 6 mm-thick sisal can be loose laid, making it suitable for rented buildings or fl oors on which glue is undesirable. Woollen felt backing brings the thickness up to 10 mm, but provides a uniquely comfortable surface to walk on, as well as being warm underfoot and adding sound insulation.

http://constructionresources.com/products The range is the first available in the UK to positively address the issue of air quality. 100% natural wool carpets, sisal and coir, and top quality solid timber flooring.