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  • Writer's pictureRubber UK

A brief history of rubber floor mats

mats to put on the floor. Who thought of those? And where did they come from? Numerous individuals frequently overlook the basic Rubber Floor Mats we now walk on. In point of fact, the mats that we use every day are the result of a significant advancement in human technology and creativity that has been going on for thousands of years. While mats originated with braided plant fibers on likely earthen floors, today's mats are highly engineered and constructed from contoured hybrid materials like fabric and rubber.


Modern mats absorb excess dirt and water from people entering buildings in addition to protecting workers from workplace hazards. Then, how did mat technology arrive at this point?


A Brief History of Early Floor Mats

Archaeologists claim that the Paleolithic period saw the development of the earliest portable floor coverings as early as 25,000 years ago. In clan homes, floor mats were made of a type of felt made from tree bark. After all, even primitive people don't like it when hunters eat mastodons everywhere and follow in the dirt. It shouldn't come as a surprise because humans have always worked hard to improve their internal habitats.


Humans quickly developed the skill of weaving to produce specific goods. Women used rushes, grasses that looked like plants, or straw to weave clothing, baskets, and other items together. Plaited rush floor mats were first used in Mesopotamia about 6,000 years ago. Archaeologists from all over the world have found mats near fire pits at hundreds of excavation sites.


During the time of the Bible, houses with earthen floors were used by people who didn't have much money. Mats were used for more than just shoe cleaning, as we do today; Instead, they were utilized as sleeping pads to provide some warmth in chilly conditions. These mats most likely contained woven woolen yarn. People liked to use these kinds of materials to cover floors even in the Middle Ages. Before we had modern conveniences like tiles and wood Rubber Flooring, there were many different ways for people all over the world to stay warm and comfortable.


In Japan, nobles first used tatami mats in the ninth century. These mats are made of rice and soft rush straw and were used as seating areas by aristocrats. Until the 17th century, commoners were unable to purchase tatami mats for their homes.


At the start of the 1800s, a new kind of floor covering was made from waste from traditional weaving looms. The yarn scraps, or thrums, were collected and pulled through the woven base made of straw or another sturdy material. With floor mats produced in England, rug hooking, whose origins may extend further back in time, gained popularity.


As the 20th century got underway, more and more different materials were used to make floor mats. Canvas, jute, burlap, straw, and other materials were used to make floor mats in the United States. Until the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, institutional floor coverings were not made of rubber or materials based on petroleum.

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