The Green-Yarn Initiative
There was once an idea, to bring together a group of remarkable materials and see if we could create something more. To see if they could work together to fight the pollution battle which we have prepared for.
Eco-lution
The shift in focus towards a greener and sustainable rug industry has been at the forefront of Rug Artisan’s vision for the future. Predominantly using natural, sustainable materials such as wool, silk and cotton, these materials are biodegradable, recyclable, flame resistant and renewable. Now with our focus on a different approach, we have designed an entire collection of rugs for our Outdoor collection made entirely from recycled materials. Maintaining a sustainable approach makes us do our utmost to keep valuable materials in circulation, cut down on waste and harmful substances, sustain water usage, reduce emissions and ensure social fairness in the entire industry. You can read more about our sustainable approach here.
Climbing The Green Ladder
Creating a beautiful handmade rug from recycled plastic waste is a long and meticulous process which requires both time and effort.
1. All the plastic waste, primarily consisting of plastic bottles and caps, are collected in bales, thereafter cast into a large metal drum to separate the bottles.
2. The bottles are then set onto a belt where the non-polyester bottles are removed and the clear bottles are separated from the darker bottles. This is because the coloured bottles can only be used in the darker yarns whilst the clear plastic bottles can be used for all the shades.
3. All the plastic is then crushed down into smaller pieces and contaminants are removed to ensure a much safer material is created at the end result. After this they are washed down and ready to be added to the extruder.
4. The clear plastic flakes are now melted down and dried to form the bond fiber. This is the final step before the fibers are strengthened and then taken through the standard yarn testing process. After this, they are spun and are ready to be woven by our artisans.
The Benefits
The yarns created from the recycled fibers are a move towards a greener approach in the rug industry. From the initial sourcing to the end result, we try our best to ensure the entire process of creating our legacy pieces is as sustainable as possible. Which is we have dedicated an entire collection to our Green Yarn. Creating a rug from recycled materials has its advantages, and these Green-Yarn rugs bring about each and every one of them in the total package.
Heavy Duty - The strength and durability from the polyester fibers are second to none as each fiber is rigorously tested by a separate team, ensuring extreme longevity and heavy foot traffic for outdoor collection.
No Time To Dye - They can also be dyed into bright and lustrous colours where certain other materials lack this ability. The dye runs throughout the yarn as opposed to just sitting on the top of the fibers. This ensures that the colours remain on the rug and can handle heavy foot traffic without any fading.
Bulletproof Resistance - Our Eco-Yarns are resistant to stains, again showcasing why rugs made from this material are best for outdoor settings.
No Pain No Stain - With the fibers sitting atop an impervious layer, any liquid spills ensures it sits on the surface of the rug and does not get absorbed into the rug itself. This creates the ability for the yarns to be used for both our flatweave and hand tufted weave techniques.
Evolving into a greener sustainable industry whilst maintaining the same quality and design is what we had in mind when bringing the Outdoor collection into existence. You may find the rest of the Outdoor collection here.
