Question from Jody
I saw Nature’s Carpets listed on your website as a natural option. But when I went to their site they list the backing as: Backing: Polypropylene / Woven Jute Latex: Synthetic Latex So the backing concerned me.
What do you know about the new backing EnviroCel — made from soy beans and PET recyclable bottles. Are PET plastic hormone disrupters? And would that occur with carpet backings or just from leaching into liquids that we drink?
Here’s the website for the EnviroCel backing: http://www.universal-textile.net/envirocelhome.html Would love your thoughts on PET recyclables — is this better than synthetic latex and polypropanol?
Debra’s Answer
PET plastics are known to be hormone disruptors but more likely so from water that has been sitting in a PET plastic bottle than from outgassing from carpet backing. And we don’t know how much PET is in the backing vs how much soy. I would say that the amount of outgassing from this carpet backing would be negligiable, if any, but I have not seen a sample. Just from the description.
Polyprolylene is of low toxicity, as is latex, however, even natural latex has an odor of it’s own that some people (including me) do not tolerate well, and exposure can develop allergies. So I usually stay away from anything latex.
The best answer I can give you is NO carpet. I have had no carpet in my home for more than thirty years. Hardwood floors and ceramic tile.
I got the natures carpet sample and couldn’ tolerate the backing. It’s supposed to be natural rubber, which is supposed to be better than symthetic. I didn’t see all the other stuff listed on their website that you mentioned though.
Have a house full of 20+ yr old stainmaster, looks as good as ever, but I also have beautiful cherry hwd just waiting to see light of day again, only problem is to remove it stirs up so much funk I would have to vacate for 2-3 weeks minimum! I was at lowes last week and I had a major eye/allergy attack hit me like I haven’t had in years, my eyes were teared up and burning so bad I had to get out of there and funny thing I was in the window/door dept., but as I was leaving I found the culprit one isle over, it was CARPET!! they had it out everywhere and the fumes were insane, formaldehyde, maybe?! Scary that something like that had me in tears for 3 days!! Nasty stuff man!