Area rugs can do a lot for a room. They can add some color to a drab floor and walls, they can protect high traffic areas from stains and wear and tear, and they can provide some warmth to cold, hard tile or wood floors. Rugs can also bring a little bit of nature and the great outdoors into your home if that rug is one of the many types made from natural materials. Natural area rugs include old staples like wool rugs and bamboo rugs, as well as newly popular sisal and jute rugs.

Let's first take a look at wool rugs. Wool is one of the most versatile natural fibers known to man as it possesses stain resistant qualities and is very resilient and durable. Wool also has a remarkable ability to absorb water vapor without feeling wet, up to 30% its own weight, in fact. In addition, wool is naturally flame retardant and is biodegradable, so it won't clog landfills like many synthetic fibers can. If cared for properly and cleaned regularly, a wool rug can last for generations. And we all know that everything comes back into style eventually.

Jute is one of the oldest known fibers used in rug construction, and it is one of the most eco-friendly. Jute is a soft, shiny vegetable fiber that can be spun into strong, coarse threads, or very fine threads of jute can be separated out and made into a silk-like fabric. The great eco-benefit of jute is that it can be grown in 4-6 months, making it easily renewable and environmentally friendly. Jute is second only to cotton in amount produced and is used to make a variety of products, including fine area rugs.

Last, but definitely not least, we'll take a look at a natural fiber that is as durable as it is environmentally friendly. This wonderful stuff is called sisal. Sisal is an extremely rugged natural fiber obtained from the long, knife-shaped leaves of the agave plant, which is extracted by crushing and scraping away the green pulp of the leaves, leaving only the fibers behind. Sisal's great versatility allows rug makers to produce a range of woven floor coverings with bold yarn textures and a wide selection of colors.