Where can I find carpeting without the strong odors and health concerns of conventional synthetic materials?
— Denise Purdy, via e-mail Wall-to-wall carpeting, while comfy on the feet, has long been the bane of those sensitive to pollutants. But the chemically sensitive can now rejoice, as carpets made from all-natural materials are now readily available. Companies such as Earth Weave and Natural Home manufacture attractive carpets that are entirely biodegradable and are made of wool, jute, hemp and rubber. Both companies pride themselves on making products free of toxic dyes and mothproofing or stain-repellant chemicals. These carpets are becoming more popular in part because there are, on average, 120 chemicals in each new piece of conventional synthetic carpeting, including the adhesive. Many of these chemicals are suspected or known carcinogens, such as formaldehyde. According to a spokesperson for Antibody Assay Laboratories, which provides services to health care providers, These chemicals off-gas into the environment, polluting indoor air with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that ca
