Natural Fibers

A natural fiber is derived from natural sources like grasses, plants, or wool. These fibers are harvested and transformed into materials that can be crafted or woven into a myriad of products, including rugs.

In our collection of natural fiber area rugs and carpet, we highlight weaves made from sisal, seagrass, jute, coir, abaca, and wool. These natural fiber rugs have an intrinsic beauty and design versatility that make them a favorite among our design clients.

You can learn more about each fiber’s characteristics, including durability, sustainability and ideal use, by exploring our individual collection pages:

• Sisal is one of the most durable and popular natural fibers. Made from the agave plant, sisal carpet and rugs have soothing colorways, inviting patterns and arresting textures. 

• Jute rugs are thick and chunky, with a softness that is irresistible. 

• The ultimate in durability is coir—a tough fiber from the coconut husk with a deep golden hue—that makes hard wearing rugs or tiles. 

• Seagrass rugs and carpet have sleek, non-porous fibers that resist staining, feel smooth underfoot and create captivating landscapes.

• A wool area rug or wool carpet installed wall-to-wall amps up the coziness and warmth in any room. Wool is renewable, natural, beautiful and durable.

Lifestyle is an important consideration when deciding on floor coverings. Natural materials like sisal, jute, seagrass, and wool are known for their sustainability, non-toxicity, and biodegradability. These fibers each have their own unique properties. For example, some are ideal for high traffic areas while others are hard to keep stain-free. Learn about each fiber by visiting the material pages listed above and ask yourself these questions:

Do you have a lively household, bustling with children or pets? Look for wool or seagrass. Wool carpet adds a layer of sound insulation and a seagrass rug is the more cleanable of the natural fibers.

Are dinner parties replete with wine a regular event in your home? A wool dining room rug is a great choice, or go for a synthetic custom rug for complete peace of mind.

Do you desire natural, non-toxic furnishings? A weave from our Pure Wool collection is a chemical-free option. Any of the natural fibers—sisal, seagrass, coir, or jute—add a natural, design element. Our EarthSISAL™ is 100% chemical-free, with a recycled, natural fleece backing and no adhesives, latex, or VOCs.

Explore our Featured Collections for even more natural, sustainable, and stunning luxury flooring designs from the US and Europe.

Even in a bustling household, office, or shop, you can still elevate your decor with the organic qualities you want. Here are a few ideas to bring the natural fiber look into your space with added peace of mind:

• Sisal Guard is a spray-on sealant for natural fiber rugs that will act as a barrier to reduce the rate at which the natural fibers absorb liquid. Applying Sisal Guard will not guarantee that your sisal will never stain, but it will reduce the chances should a spill occur.

• Sisal Tiles are a cost-effective and flexible way to cover floors with sisal. Since tiles are modular, you can create any shape rug or pattern, even to fit oddly shaped spaces. If a tile becomes stained or damaged, you can easily swap it out for a new tile.

• Stain-resistant sisal has all the texture and appeal of sisal but is coated with a stain-resistant and fire-retardant material before being woven into carpet. SISALplus is our line of stain-resistant sisal carpet that showcases all that you love about natural fiber rugs, including soothing colors and classic woven structures.

• SynSisal® is our exclusive collection of synthetic sisal made from regenerated nylon recovered from the ocean. With SynSisal®, you can have the sisal look with contract-grade durability, softness underfoot, stain resistance, and beautiful colorways and patterns.

Still need help deciding which rug material is right for you and your space? Our Rug Materials Comparison Chart is a great resource.

The feel of a rug or carpet underfoot is an important consideration. Sisal is a coarser fiber and some people find it too rough for bare feet. Look to our chunkier sisal weaves such as Munich or Berlin for a softer feel underfoot—these weaves have a smoother surface that will continue to soften over time.

Also, our sisal blends weave cozy wool and premium sisal into arresting patterns for a more gentle feel underneath. Seagrass and jute carpets are softer than sisal, but if you want a plush, cushiony feel for your feet, nothing beats our collection of wool carpet.

Natural fiber rugs grace the spaces of many different kinds of living situations and design styles. Discover the right weave for your dream interior with our curated collections and these inspired ideas:

• A bespoke sisal-wool rug like Sisalana or the gorgeous Abaca from Limited Edition makes a sensational statement in an urban industrial loft or an elegant penthouse apartment.

• Seagrass rugs are a standard in homes with coastal glamour, cottage or traditional interiors. Calypso Seagrass is a beautiful foundation for any room.

• A tiger-eye construction as seen in Dragon Grass or Monoblet creates a rug with a generous texture that melds well with modern farmhouse, contemporary, or scandi design.

• If organic modern or Asian zen is your vibe, a soothing seagrass runner or area rug from Biscayne or the texture-rich Fiji Jute are flawless choices. 

• Chevron and herringbone carpet bring a vintage charm to contemporary spaces, recalling the elegant parquet wood floors of grand hotels and mid-century houses.

Sisal and other natural fiber floor coverings require diligent upkeep. We recommend regular vacuuming to remove dirt and dust from the rug fibers, a no-shoes in the house policy, and a walk-off mat upon entry into your home or business. Spills and accidents must be attended to promptly, as staining can happen quickly.

For an added layer of protection, you may choose to apply Sisal-Guard, a spray-on sealant for natural fiber rugs and carpets that will act as a barrier to reduce the risk of staining. All of our weaves come with guidelines for care and maintenance that are accessible under the Care tab on each weave page.

If this level of care seems daunting, find the right fit for your lifestyle by exploring our SISALplus family, or any of our sisal-look options from our exclusive SynSisal® collection, the Rols collection, or any of our synthetic sisal rugs. These weaves offer additional stain protection, myriad patterns and textures, and the natural look you want.

Yes. Wool, sisal and coir are among the most durable and tough natural fibers. Seagrass ranks up there as well, while jute is slightly softer.

Sisal, coir, and seagrass stand up to heavy traffic in entryways, hallways, stairs, living rooms, and other gathering spaces. Contract Coir Tiles and Contract Coir blend coir and sisal for contract-grade use in boutiques, offices, and stylish shops.

Our stain-resistant SISALplus family carries contract-grade ratings and an array of tonal colorways in classic sisal construction.

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