at home, what's trending 28/01/2015

5 Reasons to Buy a Jute Rug

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When it comes to style underfoot, natural fibres are the new black. So we thought we’d pause to ponder the advantages of jute.

Here are five reasons why this delicious organic fibre makes an ideal area rug.

Add textured personality and organic hues to your interiors with woven jute rugs. Image sources from left: aesthetismedotwordpressdotcom, pixsharkdotcom, pinterestdotcomdotau, adarlingsnestdotcom.

1. RUGGED GOOD LOOKS

With all the great properties of jute, we think it would be remiss us not to start with its rustic elegance.

Jute is the Don Draper of floor rugs. It’s a little rough around the edges and yet it’s suave. It’s known as ‘the golden fibre’ for its lustrous looks – it’s silky golden brown in hue and it has a textured charm. It’s a malted whiskey. It’s a Friday night. 😉

Centre: Kerala Stripe Hand Woven Jute Rug by Cornermill with the Soundslike HOME Tropica Stool, available online at Zanui. Surrounding images from left: aninebingdottumblrdotcom and beneathmyheartdotnet.

2. HIGHLY DURABLE

Jute is second only to cotton in its usage, production and consumption. This is a direct result of its strength and resilience. Made of cellulose and lignin, it’s a textile/wood fibre, making it strong. Its coarse threads are extra hardy.

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From left: Natural Braided Designer Jute Rug by Dash & Albert, Knots Diamond Modern Jute Rug, Grey by Rug Republic, Aldar Jute Rug by Cornermill and Tiger Eye Runner Sisal Rug by Rug Republic, available online at Zanui.

3. ECO-CHIC

Jute is the most eco-friendly fibre, from its seed to its expiry. It is 100% biodegradable and it’s recyclable more than once. (You can use and re-use it.) Not only that (… this is the steak knife set), it’s carbon dioxide neutral* AND it enriches the soil it inhabits with micro-nutrients.

*Some materials like polypropylene (plastic bags) produce high levels of CO2. Jute takes in 3x as much as other trees, essentially cleaning the air it breathes.

Jute adapts to a wide range of aesthetics from rustic to luxe, Scandinavian-inspired, contemporary and Hamptons. Image sources from left: decorpaddotcom, lizmarieblogdotcom, and fortheloveofahousedotblogspotdotcom.

4. VERSATILE

Its textured appeal and warm hues adapt to a wide range of aesthetics. This organic fibre looks at home in Hamptons and coastal-chic, French provincial, urban-industrial and even luxe interiors.

Select from a range of decorative weaves such as boucle, panama and herringbone for added character.

Centre: Boucle Runner Sisal Rug by Rug Republic, available online at Zanui. Surrounding images sourced from (from left): pinktruckpoolsdotcom and cotedetexasdotblogspotdotcom.

5. KID & PET-FRIENDLY 

This hardy organic material is great for family homes. Vacuum one to two times per week (depending on traffic) to keep it looking neat and chic. Plus it’s anti-static with a low thermal conduction, making it less likely to ignite. (Always a good thing.)

Centre: Vanda Stripe Jute Rug by Cornermill, available online at Zanui. Surrounding images sourced from (from left): room-ideasdotcom and mbahraindotnet.

So there you have it. Our ode to jute. Just one last thing. Jute rugs are recommended for indoor use only and dry areas. They’re highly absorbent and so we wouldn’t advise in investing in a jute bathmat!

Need a bit of help choosing the right size rug for your room? Check out our quick and easy guide here.

Kay is a feature, blog and copywriter. She collects empty jam jars, academic degrees and tawdry dreams in the hopes of turning them into something useful someday. Her work has been published in ACP magazines, ABC fiction, Overland, Brittle Star, Seizure, trade publications and online forums. Her creative writing has won several awards.

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