Getting a Sustainable Rug for Your Home

“We can’t save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed. Everything needs to change and it has to start today.” – These words, by Greta Thunberg, the environment activist recognised globally for her remarkable contribution towards environment stewardship, points out aptly. It’s the year 2023, and we are moving rapidly towards making the world a truly developed place for all human beings alike. However, one thing that we have long overlooked is the necessity to also apply this notion to development to our environment. It is the basis of everything we have, and everything that we root for in the future. It is about time that we understand that sustainability is the need of the hour.

Sustainability needs to be applied to every domain of life, ranging from business to lifestyle and everything else. It is important that we analyse the usage of all our resources and ensure that we don’t exhaust all the resources that are required in order for us to sustain. To sum it up, sustainability is about being mindful about all the natural resources we use.

Obeetee’s expertise particularly lies in the field of home and lifestyle. To ensure that we as a global venture, enable our consumers lead a more conscious and sustainable lifestyle, we make consistent efforts to implement sustainability to our trade. Our hand-crafted rugs, created with minimal water usage, dyed with natural and plant based dyes, and using materials of the finest quality, are an evidence of just this effort.

Now that we have discussed the importance of sustainability, let us take a look at some of the marvellous Obeetee rugs that are perfect for you to lead an environmentally conscious lifestyle.

1) Wool is a natural fibre derived from sheep all around the world. Compared to synthetic materials, it tends to decompose quicker. It is known to naturally decompose into the soil, releasing resourceful nutrients back into the soil. To ensure that our carpets last for generations, just like our legacy, we use only the highest quality wool to craft our rugs. These rugs, hand knotted and hand tufted to perfection by our skilled craftspeople are sure to last in a home a long time without getting frayed or faded. Talking design of these rugs, we colour the rugs only using natural dyes, so when it comes to the degradability and eco-friendliness of these rugs, you can incorporate them into your interior décor without having any consternations about it.

2) Cotton is a soft fibre, derived from around the seeds of the cotton plant. Cotton fibre is almost wholly cellulose. Mostly spun into yarn, cotton fibre is used for making breathable and comfortable textiles. Most commonly, carpets are weaved using woollen fibres but cotton is another material which is associated with carpet making. Just like other textiles made employing cotton, carpets at Obeetee have a smooth and soft lasting touch to it. Cotton fibre is also extremely absorbent which makes it easier to dye. Extremely plush and warm cotton makes Obeetee carpets remarkable in quality and is very friendly for the environment, adding to our sustainable approach towards the environment. Our extremely famed collection, The Persian Saga, incorporates cotton yarn significantly and gives an excellent finish to our carpets, with a superior quality.

3) Silk is a natural protein fibre and is used to weave textiles in certain forms. Silk is derived from the larvae insect and mainly comprises of Fibroin. Silk is a fibre that is so multifaceted and resourceful, mainly because cultivated silk varies from the domesticated one, with respect to colour and texture, therefore being varied and suitable for making textiles and crafts like carpets. The lustrous texture of silk is extremely ideal for carpet weaving thereof making it a popular commodity in the carpet world. Silk has been long associated with the production of extravagant and luxury goods. It is our endeavour at Obeetee to make rich and intricate pieces with natural silk fibre for the finest quality rugs. We have incorporated silk in our A&T Block Print, Bandhani and Ikat collections extensively, which make up a chunk of our elegant and beautiful accents.

4) Jute is a strong, and long fibre with a sheen, spun into threads to make handcrafted textiles. It is derived from the flowering plants and is extensively used in weaving chair coverings, curtains and in carpets. Jute is dubbed as the ‘Golden Fibre’ and at Obeetee we extensively use it because of its shiny brown colour, giving carpets and rugs a tensile strength and a sheen, making themour carpets more exquisite.

5) Most often carpets are made with polyester and nylon, but natural fibres like wool and silk are employed in carpet weaving to create the most superior quality carpets. We at Obeetee use recyclable polyester and have continually made it a ritual to test for colour-fastness. We use safe dyes and chemicals, and are committed to recycling old carpets than simply tossing them away making the carpet weaving industry a more sustainable one.

It is our primary aims and objectives to conserve water and our initiatives have been fruitful, resulting in 90% reduction in our water consumption. All the residual water from washing the carpets is treated using onsite effluent treatment. This clean water is then utilized for irrigating the land around the factory and the water used for washing and dyeing is directed through the well-planned drainage systems in place. The wool we use is naturally hand-spun, organic and recyclable. Other than that we use, BCI cotton, organic cotton, recycled cotton, hemp, and jute. The dyes we use are derived from natural sources, for instance indigo for blue, and saffron for yellow, and walnut shells for brown.

Solar power panels at the epicentre of our factory ensures that 30% energy requirement is met. For dyeing, we employ rice husks instead of coal to generate steam, which has resulted in a major reduction of our carbon footprint. Our carpets therefore are more durable, and in turn ensure that we leave behind us a sustainable environment, fit for the forthcoming generations.