An eco-friendly doormat is made with with sustainable, natural materials or recycled/up-cycled materials.
Examples of sustainable natural materials in doormats:
- Coir: Coir is fiber from the outer husk of coconuts. We like coir doormats because they use an otherwise discarded portion of the coconut and the rough surface makes it effective at removing sand and dirt from shoes.
- Jute: Jute is a fiber made from the jute plant. Jute is a natural and sustainable material.
- Abaca: Abaca, also known as Manila Hemp, is a natural fiber made from banana leaf plants.
Some things to note: When buying a doormat made with these natural materials, you’ll need to read the fine print to make sure it’s truly eco-friendly. Many doormats made of natural fiber have non-slip backing that is not eco-friendly (like vinyl or PVC – yuck!). Look for a doormat made with 100% natural material for the most eco-friendly option. The plus side to this is that the entire doormat is then biodegradable and can be added to your compost once you’re done with it! If you’re shopping for a doormat with a non-slip backing, look for rubber as opposed to PVC or vinyl – rubber is considered to be more eco-friendly.
Examples of recycled and up-cycled materials in doormats:
- Plastic water bottles
- Plastic grocery bags
- Rope (like fishing rope, lobster rope, etc.)
- Blue Jeans
- Flip flops
- Wine Corks
- Tires – however, we don’t recommend this one. Even though it may be more eco-friendly than going to the landfil, tires are notorious for containing lead and other carcinogens…not something we want to be exposing our families to!
Disclaimer: We haven’t personally tested all of these to verify their effectiveness. Just because they are eco-friendly doesn’t mean they will work or hold up well. Some of these (like the blue jeans for instance) may not do well if exposed to the elements. It should also be noted that the term “eco-friendly” is not used in a black and white sense. Some of these doormats are more/less eco-friendly than others. Our list of eco-friendly doormats are simply more eco-friendly than most traditional doormats found on the market.