A Brief History of Shag Carpet: The Rise, Fall, and Recent Resurgence

Homes of the 1960s and ’70s conjure flashbacks of avocado-colored appliances, retro furnishings, and — arguably the most divisive — shag carpeting. This cozy, high-pile rug style dominated design in the latter half of the 20th century despite shag being notoriously difficult to clean.

But shag carpet was more than just a flooring option; it was a cultural statement. With its deep pile and funky aesthetic, shag defined an era of bold self-expression and cozy rebellion against the clean lines of mid-century modern minimalism. But where did it come from, why did it catch on, and what are the shag options today? Let’s dip our toes into the pile.

Shag carpeting gets its name from its signature deep pile, which features long, loose fibers that give the surface a “shaggy” appearance. Traditional carpets have tightly looped or cut fibers, but shags are made with longer strands of yarn, often more than an inch in length, which makes the surface feel ultra-soft and plush underfoot.

These carpets are made from various materials, including wool, polypropylene, acrylic, or nylon, each lending a different texture and sheen. Shag comes in different varieties, too. For example, “plush shag” features shorter and more uniform fibers.

Unlike flat weaves or Berber-style carpets, shag is known for its indulgent feel, dimensional texture, and distinctive flair. But it’s also a serious dust and dirt magnet; cleaning it easily has never been its strongest selling point. That didn’t stop millions of people from falling in love with it when it first exploded onto the scene.

During the 1960s, mid-century style started taking a backseat to softer designs, which largely reflected “a shift in the ethos of the period,” notes Sarah Lichtman, associate professor of design history at Parsons School of Design. “It’s a tumultuous time: You have the Vietnam War, there’s lots of social and political unrest,” she explains. “There’s also a lot of drug experimentation — not everybody, but that was part of what’s happening.”

Lichtman believes this social tumult created a heightened desire for comfortable, safe-feeling interiors, which helped lay the initial groundwork for shag carpeting’s prolonged popularity throughout the 20th century. “There’s a sort of turning inward in the home, almost these womb-like spaces that you can see in some of the furnishings and objects that are starting to happen,” she says of this design period. “I think shag carpeting is part of that softness that was coming into the interior.”

That tactility also fed into the sensuality of the era, fostering intimate spaces “where you can meditate, commune, [and] have sex,” Lichtman says, adding that, naturally, “rolling around in shag carpet is fun” because it is so soft to the touch. The synthetic construction handled artificial dyes and coloration particularly well, too. For that reason, Lichtman says shag became the ideal canvas for the signature ’70s vibrant earth tones.

And yes, people got seriously into shag carpeting and installed it on just about every surface. It lined the floors of split-level homes, padded basement rec rooms or grottos, and even covered walls and ceilings in more eccentric homes. While the thought might give us the willies now, shag carpeting also showed up in bathrooms and wrapped around hot tubs. It became a valid symbol of groovy living — right up there with lava lamps, bean bag chairs, and macramé.

By the 1980s, shag had officially passed its prime, marked by a universal ripping-up of the carpeting that took place in many homes and residential spaces throughout the country. The ’80s decor aesthetic prized excess and embraced polished brass, gold accents, pink marble, mirrored surfaces, floral patterns, and Berber carpets. Shag carpeting, once the darling of bohemian and suburban homes alike, began to look dated and impractical.

Lichtman — whose own childhood bedroom transitioned from lime green shag to hardwood floors — attributes this to the fact that home design “had gotten so over the top” that a pared-back aesthetic became the natural next trend.

“The reaction against this then starts to be the minimalist interiors in the 1980s,” she explains. “I think the demise of [shag carpeting] really had to do with the style changing.” Plus, given the material’s tendency to hold onto dust and odors, Lichtman speculates that at-home health and cleanliness ultimately had a hand in its demise, too. 

You likely won’t find many groovy, all-over shag carpeted spaces nowadays (unless it’s a time capsule home), but this material is arguably back, albeit on a smaller, more technologically advanced scale.

Emily Simmons, creative director at Ruggable — which launched its own editor-approved washable shag rug line in 2022 — links the 21st-century reemergence to a cross between two current trends: texture and nostalgia. “Shag rugs are undeniably the perfect balance of coziness and chic, adding a variety of hand-feel throughout the home,” she says. Meanwhile, as more homes embrace retro references for inspiration, shag rugs feel “reminiscent of decades gone by and, with a modern twist, are a fun statement piece to add into any room,” Simmons adds.

More modern home brands have recently gotten the memo, too: You’ll find high-end-looking shag area rugs from stores like AllModern, West Elm, and even Pottery Barn. Rather than the burnt orange and brown designs of yesteryear, though, today’s iterations tend to skew more neutral on the whole for longevity’s sake or pay homage to in-demand patterns like checkerboard.

Count on easier-to-maintain quality, too, thanks to an uptick in machine-washable and stain-resistant materials. And no need to outfit your entire living room or bedroom in this plush floor covering trend as wall-to-wall carpeting, either (unless you want to, of course!) — you can now choose from more scaled-down area rug dimensions to fit your space and budget.