There are various parts of your existing home décor that could be emitting volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are emitted in the form of gases which could cause negative health effects. Such harmful symptoms could include discomfort in nose and throat, headache, nausea, skin allergies, difficulty in breathing, fatigue and dizziness. This is often experienced as strong odors or in some may not be noticeable until the symptoms arise.
Many indoor outdoor rugs are responsible for emitting a VOC called 4-phenylcyclohexene (4-PCH). This is a byproduct which comes from carpets which use a latex binder to bond fibers to the backing. Many homeowners are unaware of such hazardous materials circulating in their home. But now with the growth of awareness there is an increase in popularity in selecting eco-friendly rug options.
Most rugs, including indoor rugs, which are made of petroleum-based synthetic fibers are responsible for a phenomenon called off-gassing. Natural fiber rugs in comparison are less likely to emit harmful VOCs as they are mode of biodegradable, renewable resources. Natural fibers are also suitable for indoor and outdoor use making them better for health and versatile in terms of functionality and use.
Other criteria to ensure your rug used for home décor is eco-friendly are as follows.
- Make sure the rug has passed proper air quality testing
- Air out the rug prior to use
- Be careful of the adhesives used in the carpet and those required for installation
- Use proper, recommended cleaning techniques to remove any VOCs, allergens, and dust mites which could get trapped with use.
Although eco-friendly options are normally confused with natural materials, there are many synthetic materials which are also suitable to be classified as eco-friendly. Polypropylene or olefin is one such synthetic material. The reason is that is it made of recycled plastic materials such as soda bottles, plastic packaging and any other recyclables plastics. It looks and feels like natural fibers but offers an added advantage of being waterproof. They also have better stain resistance and more durable and UV stabilized polypropylene are less prone to fading in sunlight. Recycled Plastic PET is very much similar to polypropylene in every aspect but differs from the use of only plastic soda bottles for manufacturing. As soda bottles need to be made of higher quality raw materials they are in turn less likely to contain harsh chemicals which could go into your outdoor and indoor rugs.
Source : https://fantasticrugs.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/how-to-select-eco-friendly-indoor-outdoor-rugs-for-your-home/