There are many rug materials in the market and you need to choose one which fits best to your needs and requirements. Any rug you buy endows all of its features and characteristics from the fibre it is made up of.

Each fibre comes with unique attributes which is exactly what your carpet is going to reflect. Following is the list of major materials used in the industry with their pros and cons. Make your decisions wisely based on the informed approach…

Overview:

We are going to discuss 5 major fibres which are wool, acrylic, polyester, polypropylene and natural fibres. We will discuss all these fibres in detail and will know their positives and negatives to make your rug buying decision a perfectly informed one.

Wool fibre

Wool is the most important and oldest fibre used in the carpet industry and is also considered to be the benchmark material. They are naturally found soft fibre known for their warmth feature and an attractive appearance. A lot of people prefer wool fibre over any other fibre just because they offer warmth factor to their chilly and icy floor in winters. They are perfect insulation for floors. They are soft, strong and durable. The fibre is excellent for absorbing moisture which means a natural air filter for your space. Rugs made of wool showcase excellent elasticity and are naturally resistant to dirt, wear and tear. The best thing about wool is that they don’t catch flames during burning. On the contrary they smoulder which means no spreading of fire during accidents.

If we have to list the characteristics of wool, here is the list in bullet points…

1. First and foremost; they are soft and warm.

2. They resist crushing and flames (they smoulder instead of burning)

3. They resist wear and tear.

4. Strong, durable, light in weight.

5. They absorb moisture and retain shape.

6. They have good resistance to stains.

When we are talking about wool used in rugs and carpets, they are hundreds of varying qualities available in the market. New Zealand wool is considered to be the best in the business which is naturally whiter wool. The colour treatment on them is more vibrant when dyed-due to the superior quality of the yarn. They have longer staple length which deduces to less shedding and better softness and smoothness.

Apart from all the mentioned advantages and features of wool in the rug industry, they have their own downside. Woollen rugs are considered to be one of the most expensive of all the other materials available. Moreover, it is not yet practical to achieve the design and colour vibrancy which we can have on synthetic yarns like acrylic. They are susceptible to dampness. Direct exposure to UV rays can cause harm to wool rugs. And last but not the least, wool is the natural habitat for moth, so extra care is required especially if they are left in dark spaces.

In our next article, we would be discussing about our second fibre. So keep reading and wait for our next upload.