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12 best natural rugs for great eco friendly home decor

These jute and seagrass creations make the perfect floor-fillers for neutral and earthy-toned rooms

Ruth Doherty
Tuesday 08 September 2020 13:47 BST
The materials are durable, but become softer over time
The materials are durable, but become softer over time

The trend for organic textures, earthy tones and artisanal products in home decor is on the rise and, when it comes to your floor space, the best natural rugs will add warmth and character to any area.

Not only are natural rugs – like jute and seagrass – an easy way to add a modern rustic feel to your interiors, they’re also a really practical option.

Jute fibres exhibit naturally anti-static, insulating and moisture-regulating properties, and will work to protect a wooden floor.

It’s also a highly durable, resilient material, making it ideal for heavy-traffic areas like the living room, as well as a great investment.

What’s more, natural rugs are perfect for the eco-conscious consumer of today. Jute in particular is a highly sustainable, rapidly renewable resource that relies on rainfall rather than hugely consuming irrigation systems to mature.

The plant grows very quickly and doesn’t require the addition of harmful chemical pesticides. It also enhances the fertility of the soil it grows on for future crops, and is a recyclable material. A bit of a hero product, then.

Being a natural material, jute rugs can come in slightly different forms so there are a number of things to consider when making your purchase: the thickness of the weave you’re looking for; the softness under foot; the colours that are interwoven through it; and whether you want a more rustic or refined finish.

Taking all those factors into consideration, we’ve rounded up the best natural rugs to give your home that raw, boho charm – for every budget.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

Lohals nautral rug: £80, Ikea

Dimensions: 200 x 300cm

If you’re a fan of natural rugs, you’ll no doubt have heard of the Lohals rug from Ikea. If you’ve been umming and ahhing over whether to purchase this jute rug for a while, we can happily recommend that you snap it up. Fast. Why do we love it so much? It’s soft underfoot as well as hardwearing. After three weeks taking pride of place in a heavy-traffic living room, the rug showed no signs of wear and tear and, if anything, got softer. Over time, it offers a lived-in but not shabby look. And the large size for £80? It’s a bargain.

Buy now

Hole-patterned jute natural rug: £79.99, H&M

Dimensions: D180cm

Inject a slice of bohemian chic into your home with this cutout circular natural rug. Pair it with colourful floral-print cushions, wooden furniture and metallic accent pieces for a luxury boho vibe worthy of a cool Californian pad. We found this rug to be well made, albeit a little on the thin side compared to others, and a good size for the price tag.

Buy now

Riya extra large woven jute natural rug: £249, Made

Dimensions: 200 x 300cm

This large, woven jute rug is the perfect statement piece to place under your sofa, bed, or dining table. Comfortable yet practical, it’s durable and easy to hoover, as well as looking stylish – the holy grail of rugs. We particularly like how it’s interwoven with black, offering a slightly different look to all-natural-hued versions, and the rural basket weave design is on-trend yet timeless.

Buy now

Glendive handwoven brown area natural rug: £83.99, Wayfair

Dimensions: 91 x 152cm

The only rug in the list that’s interwoven with wool, this smart natural jute rug is supremely comfortable, as well as being resilient and cosy. We found it a little thicker than many of the other rugs and, while this added a sumptuous, luxurious feel, it does stand prouder from the ground, so is a style factor to consider if you prefer a rug that blends seamlessly into the floor. The rug offers a high-quality ribbed loop wool boucle pile and jute yarn, which has been handcrafted by skilled weavers on a loom using traditional techniques. Not only is it a lovely artisanal product, it’s also GoodWeave-certified, which means it’s helping to support fairer working conditions, too.

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Jute boucle natural rug: £134, West Elm

Dimensions: 152 x 244cm

This is one for the social and ecologically-focused consumer. Similar in style to the lohals rug from Ikea, but it’s a little more expensive. But for the higher price margin, you’re purchasing a product that’s certified to Nest standards, a non-profit organisation that works to improve women’s wellbeing beyond factories, and preserve important cultural traditions around the world. This particular rug is handcrafted with jute in southern India. It’s durable and soft, but easy to keep clean and doesn’t highlight dirt. We noticed a little bit of shedding of fibres at first, but this dissipated over a month with regular vacuuming.

Buy now

Enso seagrass natural rug: £142, Maisons du Monde

Dimensions: D180cm

Slightly raw and a little wild, this natural seagrass rug is perfect for adding a rustic-chic feel to your home. While seagrass is not quite as comfortable as jute – it has a more rigid feel – it’s also very resilient and practical. It’s ideal for a nautical or boho room, with its durable fibre protecting your floor while creating a stylish finish. Not as easy to hoover as a flat jute rug, but we loved its earthy, back-to-nature texture.

Buy now

Hempy pure jute rectangular natural rug: £240, La Redoute

Dimensions: 160 x 230cm

Jute rugs can often have a very raw look due to the fact they’re handcrafted with a natural fibre. However, we love how this rug is given a luxury spin by the way it’s been weaved into ever-decreasing rectangles. The overall effect is smart yet informal, and adds that relaxed look without being too rustic. What’s more, we found the quality to be high. It got softer over time, was easy to clean and very hardwearing.

Buy now

Croft Collection jute round natural rug: £100, John Lewis & Partners

Dimensions: D180cm

Well-known for its good-quality products, John Lewis & Partners doesn’t disappoint with this lovely round jute rug. It boasts an appealing honey-toned hue with some darker threads weaved through, and the classic style will perfectly match any neutral-themed home. A good size, a good price, and good craftsmanship.

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Natural chunky jute natural rug: £179, Dunelm

Dimensions: 200 x 290cm

This might be a chunky-weave rug but it has a lovely slim profile, and sits well on the floor (no upturned corners or unsightly bumps). It has some lovely tones running through it, with rust and black hues intricately woven into the body, for a slightly different look. The price is reasonable for its large size and, as with most of the other options on the list, it comes in different dimensions if you want to go smaller and don’t want to splash out too much.

Buy now

Natural handspun jute natural rug: £45, George at Asda

Dimensions: D133cm

Not necessarily the first place you might think of to buy a rug for your home, this round jute number has received rave reviews online, and with good reason. It’s well-made, really robust, super-soft and a fantastic price point. It’s a little smaller than some of the other rugs, and isn’t available in other sizes, so if you’re looking for a statement, large piece it might not be for you. However, it’s the perfect rug to put at the end of the bed or in a small kitchen.

Buy now

Jute natural rug: £44.99, Carpetright

Dimensions: 100 x 150cm

Another small but perfectly formed option is this jute rug from Carpetright. We found it to be a very raw version, with more loose and stray fibres than some of the other alternatives. However, this may be a plus if it’s a really rustic look you’re after. It’s ideal for a small dining space, living room or kitchen, and would be great to add an organic feel to an otherwise more modern room.

Buy now

Braided natural rug: £325, The White Company

Dimensions: 120 x 180cm

For a spot of real luxury (and if your wallet is feeling rather full), treat yourself to the beautiful braided jute rug from The White Company. With the smallest size starting at £325, it’s the most expensive option on the list. But it feels soft and looks smart, with the plaited finish offering a more polished, sophisticated feel. It would make the perfect finish for any elegant, neutral-themed space.

Buy now

The Verdict: Natural rugs

If you’ve already spent thousands decorating your home, and the rug budget is a little diminished, you really can’t go wrong with the reliable yet stylish lohals from Ikea. It fits nicely with any interior, adding a warm texture to a contemporary home and even more charm to a character property, while also being durable and comfortable. If you have a little more left in the pot, the La Redoute hempy rug is a brilliant option for a slightly more refined rustic aesthetic.

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