8 Favorites: Graphic Indoor/Outdoor Plastic Rugs from Sweden

This week, in honor of Midsummer, we’re sharing some of our favorite stories on Scandinavian garden design from years past. Remember this one?

The appeal of anything plastic is that you can keep it clean by hosing it down with water. The Swedes were onto this idea back in the 1970s when colorful plastic PVC ribbons were paired with traditional looms for an easy-to-clean and mold-resistant rug that works just as well in the kitchen as it does on the porch or in the garden.

There are a few Scandinavian rug companies still putting plastic to use, and others who now use ribbons recycled from plastic water bottles and straws. The rugs are all made without heavy metals or toxic softeners, and can be kept clean with the garden hose or a standard washing machine. Here are our eight favorites.

Above: Horredsmattan Swedish Rugs’ pinstriped Rand Rug is available in a host of colors, eight to be exact (pictured is mustard); from $188.70 at Fjorn Scandinavian.
Above: Scandi Living’s Rime Plastic Rug (shown in greige) starts at $74.50 at Nordic Nest.
Above: The Forest Rug, also by Horredsmattan, is available as a runner (from $101) and area rug (from $432) at Fjorn Scandinavian. Choose from six color variants.
Above: The Gittan Rug, available in black (pictured) and Water, from Brita Sweden is made of soft plastic foil PVC and comes in a range of sizes; from $68.95 at Nordic Nest.
Above: Horredsmattan’s Peak Rug starts at $188.70 at Fjorn Scandinavian and is available in six colorways.
Above: From Brita Sweden, the Confect Rug (shown here in clay) starts at $71.95 at Nordic Nest.
Above: Technically not the same as the other plastic rugs, which have a soft, almost cushion-y feel, but we would be remiss if we didn’t include Ikea. The iconic Swedish brand’s flatweave KORSNING Rug is made from polypropylene and starts at $30.
Above: One of our favorite sources for plastic Swedish rugs, Pappelina has a variety of appealing designs made from phthalate- and toxic-free PVC material. The Vera Plastic Rug, shown in ocean blue, starts from $235 at Lumens.