Rugs that boast about being stain-resistant and water-repellent often get those properties from yet another class of … Enter the knock off. It isn’t easy finding companies that exclusively make non-toxic rugs! Viscose, also known as rayon, has many aliases to confuse and mislead consumers. If you spill water on a colorful viscose rug, you’ll see how the colors transfer to whatever is beneath it. Not great options, but better than a dirty rug. In the rug industry, this is presented as Viscose, Bamboo Silk, Banana Silk, Rayon or “Art” Silk. It is relatively cheaper and will brighten up any hallway or floor. Rugs … The main problem being, of course, that it generally takes copious amounts of water to clean stains, but in this case the cure is also the cause…. These rugs are blends of “regenerative cellulose” (wood pulp fibers and cotton by products) and chemicals. Therefore, homes with babies, children, or allergy-sufferers should keep no products made of polyester. And God forbid it get wet! And pet damage, unless you can get to it immediately (and you have had fiber protector applied to help), that is the most harmful thing that can happen to a … In fact, the process to create viscose fibers is so toxic, it’s been outlawed in the U.S. for years and outsourced to countries like India to do our dirty work. Viscose rugs can shed quite significantly. The harsh, toxic, chemical process which created viscose, degraded the fibers so much that it essentially yielded a disposable rug. In fact, the process to clean a viscose rug is so lengthy and involved, that it isn’t even cost effective in most cases. While we applaud efforts to reduce toxic chemicals in carpets, we question the benefit of these certifications because most carpets that are made with petroleum-based materials and emit harmful VOCs are able to qualify for these certifications. Lyocell fiber is stronger than viscose rayon and is mostly used in garments. $325.00 – $1,039.00 /Each. Many rugs use toxic, high-impact dyes to color the fibers. The rug will show the signs of breakage several ways. Non-Toxic Eco Rugs: The Top Natural and Organic Options. Whether you’re shopping at your local home decor store, or the popular online stores, like Wayfair and overstock.com, viscose rugs are all the rage. They are super soft and will last you a long time. It will shed to the point where you want to vacuum it obsessively, but when you do, it will start pulling out fibers and your rug will resemble a cat’s scratching post. So the short version – these rugs are 4x as difficult to clean as a quality rug, and come out looking worse despite the extra effort. Are viscose rugs toxic? Reputable professionals in the rug retail and cleaning industry will tell you, you’re viscose area rug will never look as good as it does the first day you get it. No, by in itself, viscose carpets and not toxic, but they’re with toxic fire retardants. 7 Companies That Make Non-toxic Rugs. When you clean it, you are removing some of the dye. They are soft to the touch, have a slight shimmer and feel absolutely luxurious. The process used to make viscose rayon is highly toxic! Easy to understand why so many people are buying them! The synthetic rubber backing of rugs and rug pads can contain endocrine-disrupting ingredients. Just to give you an idea of how bad for the environment this manufacturing process is, the main byproduct is Carbon Di-sulfate – TOXIC. Viscose is the same thing as rayon. The carpet and rugs we carry are made with 100% percent natural materials, so there are no toxic chemicals to off-gas! It will start looking dirty and/or discolored in spots as the fibers deteriorate. often touted as a sustainable alternative to cotton or polyester and is popular in the fashion industry as a cheaper and more durable alternative to silk After even minimal foot traffic, the luster on the rug will fade as the fibers degenerate further. The hue ranges from light yellow to deep amber depending on the spill, color of the rug, and level of moisture, but what doesn’t change is the near impossible task of cleaning it. Water is the mortal enemy of viscose. Area Rugs. Viscose breaks after just 70 times! These additives are often toxic to the human body, may contain heavy metals and can pollute our environment. Wool fiber can be bent 10,000 times before showing signs of breakage. If the viscose rug sits wet for days, mildew finds viscose as a fantastic food source. Polyester vs Viscose Rug. Many of our healthy, sustainable, non-toxic wall to wall carpet styles are available as Area Rugs too. I’ll explain what viscose is and why it doesn’t belong anywhere that’s going to get foot traffic or could potentially get dirty. Production has been banned in the United States and has moved to India, China and Indonesia. Viscose rugs require a LOT more care than other rug construction. Hand-tufted in India of 100% viscose, these rugs are tufted using a versatile color palette and a hi-low effect, bringing a modern vibe to your decor. These names are meant to imply that viscose is a silk or silk like fiber, when in fact the only similarity is the sheen. Viscose rayon fabric becomes very delicate when wet and often requires dry cleaning - even spilled water can be disastrous. If you are chemically sensitive or just want to surround yourself with healthy fabrics, listen to Doris Brunza – a fashion designer who worked in the Garment District in New York City for 20 years. I saw a rug that I really liked at homesense (Canada's version of home goods) I love the colors and the size 8 by 10 is good, but it is 100 percent viscose. While this area rug is only 90% wool and 10% viscose, it’s an ode to traditional Moroccan navy wool rugs. And why not? Fibre pulls are very common, even just vacuuming can cause damage. Viscose rugs have increased in popularity over recent years due to many factors; the main of which is the fact that viscose is extremely soft, almost silk-like and is available at a fraction of the price of real silk. Keep reading. Stay away from Viscose, (Art Silk, Banana Silk, Bamboo Silk, Rayon… fake silk.). Nourison Parallels PR-24 Black Area Rug …decors and settings the colors compliment today's home color palette. $475.00 – $1,849.00 /Each. Normal wear and tear (vacuuming and walking on it) will pull lose strands and eventually make the rug look shaggy. The thing is, most cheap and factory-processed shag area rugs may leave a toxic footprint on your surroundings, due to the fact they are produced using harsh and potentially toxic substances that are bad for human health and the environment. 6 Gross Reasons to Get Your Carpets Cleaned. Rent a machine that uses cold water, because hot water can damage viscose rugs. 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