Recycled Plastic Rugs

This rug is making an appearance on CWMS as it is made from recycled plastic. According to the retailer, Fab Habitat, all rugs are made using “shopping bags and other discarded plastic articles containing polypropylene.” This makes the recycled plastic rugs extremely durable for use in high traffic areas inside as well as perfect for outdoor entertaining and picnics.

These ‘Fab Habitat’ recycled plastic rugs were discovered by my Sister-in-law almost two years ago. The Lhasa Orange and Violet Rug have been a feature in our front room ever since having the enlightening conversation about them. It instantly transformed this from relatively unused space, into one of our most favourite places in the house to just hang out.

The cushions you see placed on the recycled plastic rug are from Great Outdoor Cushions. This is an Australian owned small business and everything they have for sale on their website is made in Australia – HUGE tick from me!! The fabric is mildew, fade, water and stain-resistant and ours still look as ‘great’ today as they did two years ago when we bought them. The fabric designs change regularly so you’ll have to jump onto their website and see what they have available at the moment.

Moving the recycled plastic rug from inside to outside most weekends soon became a pain so, an online order was put through to Ruchin at Fab Habitat, for rug number two. This became our outdoor rug as it was much more convenient not to disturb the set up of the front room each time we wanted to use it outside.

The recycled plastic rug we use for outside is a foldable one, same print because it was the favourite. There is a row of stitching straight down the centre enabling it to be folded in half before rolling up. This makes it a much better fit to leave in the car boot for picnics when we are out and about. (Once you use this as a picnic rug you will never want to go back to the flimsy, way too small, material ones.)

When the recycled plastic rug needs a clean it gets hung over the clothesline and washed down with the hose – my sort of cleaning!

The amount of plastic clogging up our planet is a major problem. As we speak, many organisations are rallying support in their quest to see single-use plastic bags banned from production. There are just as many individuals throughout the world with great initiatives, who have taken this serious environmental issue and by using the creative talents of people in the community, become part of the solution. Fab Habitat is one of them.

Supporting Fair Trade Industries and making conscious shopping choices is another way we can have a positive impact and help to reverse the effects of our throw-a-way society.

Regardless of whether you go Plastic Bag-free Shopping, Take3 when leaving the beaches and waterways or are beginning to adopt a more sustainable every day, there are many ways you can make conscious choices and take steps, however big or small, which are positive.

I would love you to share any pictures you have of your recycled plastic rugs or, any other great Fair Trade/Sustainable items which readers would find interesting.