The process of choosing a rug can vary greatly from project to project: Sometimes it’s the first item that is selected, and other times it comes last. It could be the most expensive piece in a room, or where you look for savings. No matter your process—or your client’s budget or style—the concerns surrounding the sustainability of carpets are universal.

Longevity is an essential when assessing the eco-friendliness of a product. This is especially true with rugs, which can last for decades when made of high-quality materials and properly cared for. Wool is the gold standard for fine rugs and is naturally stain resistant, says Linda Alexanian, a third-generation rug merchant and the founder of Organic Weave, a brand whose handwoven rugs are made from certified organic cotton and wool.

To make sure they know what they’re buying, second-generation rug retailer Ali Qari urges interior designers to see rugs in person at a showroom. “Don't be afraid to order lots of samples,” adds Qari, who founded sustainable furnishings retailer Urban Natural. “A good-quality manufacturer is going to have samples available. Then you can touch it, feel it, smell it, [and] see exactly what it’s going to be.”

There may not be one perfect solution that checks all of the sustainability and wellness boxes. That said, identifying your client’s most pressing concerns can help you narrow down the options, ask the right questions, and ultimately find the best fit.

They want the lowest waste option
“The most sustainable rugs on the market are antique or semi-antique rugs,” says Alexanian, who points out that many wool rugs have been handed down for generations. “Something that already exists and that is in circulation is always going to have a smaller carbon footprint than ordering brand-new,” adds Dijana Savic-Jambert of Maredi Design, a sustainably minded interior design firm based in Chicago. She recommends sites like Revival Rugs and Chairish for designers who want to source vintage rugs online. Bonus: An antique may be more affordable than its same-quality new counterpart.

They want a rug that is ethically made
Look for third-party certification. The best known is GoodWeave (formerly RugMark), which ensures that no child or forced labor has been used in the manufacturing, among other criteria. Alexanian says Label STEP and Care & Fair are two other good certifications to look for, and Fair Trade designation always ensures ethical labor practices.

They want longevity
Opt for wool. “It’s easy to clean and it will last,” says Emily Butler, a New York–based interior designer. Then look for the words hand-knotted, handloomed or handwoven, says Qari, who adds that you should be cautious with “hand-tufted” construction, which can vary greatly in quality.

They want a “natural” rug
Seek greater clarity on what exactly your client desires in a “natural” rug. “Our industry tends to use words like natural, organic, green, eco, sustainable, and nontoxic interchangeably, and this vague language leads to confusion,” cautions Alexanian. A wool rug bound with synthetic glues and coated with a stain treatment is still a “natural” fiber, but it’s far from nature. And not all so-called natural fibers are suitable for rugs—Butler and Savic-Jambert both point to viscose rugs, which are sometimes marketed as a natural fiber because they are made from wood pulp, even though the fiber is highly processed. (There are other downsides: “You can never clean [viscose], and it will pill and fuzz the entire life of the rug,” cautions Butler.) Likewise, Alexanian does not recommend bamboo rugs because it is such a highly processed fiber.

They want an organic rug
Look for Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification if an organic rug is important to your client. There’s no governing body regulating how rugs are labeled, so third-party certification is the only way to ensure that the fibers came from an organic farming operation. And don’t go having that organic rug stain-treated, pleads Alexanian, who is mystified when interior designers purchase her company’s products and then have them soaked in potentially harmful chemicals to “protect” them—negating their certified organic bona fides in the process.

They want healthy indoor air
An Oeko-Tex label will ensure that your client’s new rug isn’t bringing any VOCs, PFAS or formaldehyde into their homes, but offers no such guarantees to the farmers who produced the fibers or the workers who handled them. For clients concerned about chemical sensitivities, look for an undyed wool rug, advises Qari. And Savic-Jambert suggests avoiding synthetic rugs, whose materials “break down over time and work their way into the air and into the furniture, which can irritate allergies and cause respiratory discomfort.” For the same reasons, applied stain treatments should also be avoided.

They want to avoid microplastics
If microplastics are a concern, skip anything made from plastic, including polyester and recycled PET (one study found that synthetic rugs doubled the number of microplastic particles in homes). In addition to the fiber of the rug itself, you’ll also need to pay attention to its backing and rug pads. Qari recommends 100 percent natural latex versions, while Alexanian points to wool options on the market—neither will shed tiny pieces of plastic for years to come.

They want a green rug—on a budget
If wool is out of reach for budget reasons, look to sisal, jute, seagrass or cotton, which may all be cheaper. “Polypropylene, nylon or acrylic are just other words for petrochemicals,” explains Qari—and none will biodegrade—so try to skip those. If a synthetic rug is a must, look for Oeko-Tex certification to help identify the least harmful options.

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Laura Fenton is a writer with a special interest in the intersection between homes and sustainability, and is the author of the Living Small newsletter and two interior design books, The Little Book of Living Small and The Bunk Bed Book. She has written about home and design for nearly 20 years, and her work has appeared in many outlets, including Better Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, Real Simple, and The Washington Post, as well as online publications and regional design magazines.