Where To Buy Recycled Outdoor Rugs

Welp, it’s the first 78 degree day of the year in Seattle and I’m clearing my balcony of all the debris (and spider webs) that gathered over the last 7 months of underuse. Balcony season is here! We’ve shared many a sustainable rug guide here on eco club, from where to buy ethically made rugs to these beautiful Etsy rugs, but this is our first time looking specifically at the outdoor variety. Recycled outdoor rugs are actually much easier to come by than their indoor-only counterparts, mostly because recycled plastic makes a great material for textiles that need to withstand the elements versus traditional cotton or wool. That said, during my research I found so many labeled recycled indoor/outdoor rugs, and honestly I figured that probably meant they’d look a little funky (and not comfy) inside. But to my surprise the rug I ended up going with for my balcony could totally work inside, it’s soft and beautiful! Can you guess which recycled plastic outdoor rug I went with in the end?

From top to bottom, left to right: Poolside Geo Blue Indoor/Outdoor Rug, Nassau Multicolor Hand Hooked Floral Area Rug, Zanzibar Ticking Handwoven Indoor/Outdoor Rug, Horseshoes Flatweave Outdoor Rug, Loomy Chromatic, Thera Green Rug, Folly Multi Handwoven Indoor/Outdoor Rug (on sale!), Seed Stitch Stripe Watermelon Handwoven Rug, Framed Arrows Indoor/Outdoor Rug

Where to buy recycled outdoor rugs…

Bole Road Textiles Stripe & Step Indoor/Outdoor Rug

West Elm

Most West Elm outdoor rugs are made from recycled polyester (be sure to scroll down and click the “details” tab to confirm), like the blue geo and framed arrows ones above. A lot of them are West Elm’s in-house brands, but you can find collabs with designers like Marimekko, and Bole Road Textiles featuring recycled indoor/outdoor rugs that are also Certified Fair Trade and sustainably sourced.

Recycled outdoor rugs from Dash & Albert

Dash & Albert

Annie Selkie brand Dash & Albert features a large collection of recycled plastic outdoor rugs (again, find the details tab to confirm) in playful vibrant hues just made for summer hangs. Like West Elm and most of the rugs featured in this guide, they are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use—they’re just deemed durable enough for decorating your outdoor space.

Fab Habitat colorful eco friendly rug, photo by @megmanion

Fab Habitat

Fab Habitat is a brand I found while searching for recycled outdoor rugs, and they’re behind the pretty floral one featured above. You can find Good Weave certified eco friendly rugs on their site, many of which are pet friendly and stain resistant because of the recycled PET. This brand was founded with the mission of providing a sustainable rug option to the US, so even the products that don’t featured recycled plastic bottles use natural fibers or other sustainable materials.

Loomy

Loomy offers high end, ethically produced artisan rugs made from various materials such as wool and banana silk (like in this gorgeous pastel rug) but they also feature a few indoor/outdoor options that are made from 100% recycled PET, like the chromatic rug. Their rugs are made to order so make sure you buy with enough time before summer kicks off!

Revival

Revival has a huge selection of rugs, from washable to vintage to those suitable for outdoor use. I’m not sure if they are all made from sustainable materials, so once again, be sure to look for those made with recycled plastic if you want it to be outdoor friendly, recycled, and durable. They have outdoor rugs made from 100% recycled P.E.T. (polyethylene terephthalate, i.e. polyester), so search for that if you’re on the hunt for recycled outdoor rugs!

My new rug! I fell in love with the Horseshoes Flatweave Outdoor Rug (above) during my search. The 5×8′ size (the one I ordered) is made from up to 500 plastic water bottles! Wild. It has color variations of rose quartz, powder blue, and goldenrod yellow. Hoping to get the rest of my patio cleaned up soon to share a better photo. As mentioned above, I wasn’t so sure about whether indoor/outdoor rugs would actually look good and feel cozy enough for indoor use, but this one totally does. It’s very soft and well made. When I first received it, I was tempted to keep it inside so I could enjoy it year round!

World Market floor mats are a nice option if you just need something super affordable (under $50) to cover a large area outside.

World Market

For perhaps the most affordable outdoor rug options, try World Market. I know they are far from leaders in sustainably produced products, but in this category they do offer a lot of recycled options, from area rugs to floor mats. I’ll say it one more time—make sure to read the full description of the rugs you’re looking at to ensure they are indeed recycled!

Don’t forget secondhand!

Lastly, whenever you are eyeing a product online it’s worth sitting on it for a bit and searching places like Marketplace, OfferUp, Craigslist etc., to see if someone is selling that same product locally. I’ve seen tons of West Elm and World Market rugs pop up in my city’s listings, sometimes in new condition. In the end I opted for something different, but you never know when a neighbor actually owns the one you want, and is giving it away for cheap or free!

Isn’t it wild that water bottles can become yarn? Find more of our favorite places to shop for ethically made rugs in this guide.