EcoFiber Custom Rugs at Austin Green Living Expo

In an age of heightened environmental interest, more and more people are becoming increasingly aware of their personal environmental impact and how to make more eco-friendly choices at home.

These choices range from cleaning products to home décor, and the Austin Green Living Expo, which took place at the Austin Convention Center last weekend (April 23-25) aimed to help teach how “easy it is to incorporate Green Living into your life.”

Among the eco-friendly products on display was ecoFiober Custom rugs, showing off our imported rugs made from fibers indigenous to Nepal and use exclusively vegetable dyes. The rugs were displayed at the Expo with Austin company Element Supply.

“EcoFiber Custom Rugs makes ethical elegance and sustainable style within reach for families and businesses who want to make choices which offer beauty, value, and the knowledge that you are purchasing an artisan crafted rug that did not involve child labor,” says ecoFiber founder Phyllis Ripple.

15-Second Pitch in the Boulder Daily Camera

Happy Earth Day, everyone!

We were featured in the Boulder Daily Camera today as part of their series "15 Second Pitch," which spotlights local businesses in Boulder and Broomfield counties.

Natural Fiber Rugs

Weaving is a centuries-old tradition in Nepal and Tibet, where rugs served as important protection and warmth against the harsh cold in the Himalayas. Weavers from Tibet and Nepal have long used animals' wool and some plants for fibers to make their beautiful natural rugs.

At EcoFiber Custom Rugs, we offer beautiful custom made rugs that are woven using 100% natural fibers. Natural fiber rugs have superior quality and are eco-friendly. Natural rugs are made with anything from wool to hemp to cactus, and each fiber has it’s own benefits for certain purposes.

• Tibetan Wool Rugs— "Domar" is the local name for a common, light/medium color Tibetan wool. It resists bacteria and fire, while being springy and elastic. This is the most water repellant of all fibers.

• Mohair Rugs— Hollow fibers are very elastic and are valued for natural flame resistance and high sound absorbency. It will not crush or pill and is oil resistant.

• Cashmere Rugs— Cashmere goats have a "double fleece": The "guard hair" (coarser of the two hairs) is combed (de-haired) to obtain the more down-y cashmere hairs. which are gathered during molting season. Cashmere has hollow fibers that are very elastic. It’s valued for natural flame resistance and high sound absorbency. It will not crush or pill and is soil resistant.

Why Vegetable Dyed Rugs are Better

It’s always been interesting to me that progessive “new” efforts to go green often mean simply returning to the way humans did things for centuries—and natural fiber and vegetable dyed rugs are a prime example of this.

While they have been touted as a way to make sure you’re buying an eco-friendly rug, vegetable dyes are by no means some new, green alternative. In fact, until the middle of the 19^th century, natural dyed rugs were the only ones available. It wasn’t until synthetic dyes were invented in 1856 that centuries of tradition using vegetable dyes seemed to be tossed aside in favor of chemical dyes.