Rug Material Guide: Must Read Before Buying A Rug

February 8, 2019 Laura Vaughan

Out of many deciding factors which help in making an informed rug buying decision, the material plays a key and the most prominent role. It’s because the rug receives all of its characteristics and features courtesy of its manufacturing material. It is the material that makes the texture appeal to our senses when we walk over it.

Each material has its own pros and cons along with unique attributes. You need to decide and choose one amongst them which fits your needs, requirement and most importantly your budget.

Following are the major materials we are going to discuss in detail.

Wool

Acrylic

Polyester

Polypropylene

Viscose

Natural Fibres

Wool Rugs

Wool is the standard material of the rug industry. You can call it the backbone of the industry. Since its inception, wool has been and continues to be the first choice for rug lovers owing to the exceptional features it brings in. Wool is soft, durable and a strong fibre which makes our rug a perfect long-lasting companion. They are excellent for absorbing moisture, you can definitely call them a natural air filter for your room. One of my personal favourites is how they can insulate your floor. They offer unmatched warmth and cosiness to your icy-cold floors. This is a priceless feature for homes with crawlers and sprawlers. Naturally resistant to dirt, wear and tear which makes it a perfect fit for high traffic areas. One more place where you can lay your wool rug without much of a worry is near fire pits as it does not catch fire but rather its fibres smoulder when in contact with flames.

New Zealand wool is considered to be the finest in the world used in the rug manufacturing industry. Their fibres are naturally whiter as compared to others which mean colours come out more vibrant and appealing when dyed.

Primarily, it’s the shedding which puts a wool rug on the negative side of the mind, and this is where New Zealand wool makes their mark. No doubt, you can’t put this shedding phenomenon out of the horizon for the wool rugs, but this New Zealand wool can minimize it to an extreme negligible point (Please keep in mind that this depends upon the further classification of New Zealand wool and you may want to check manufacturer’s label). So, less shedding.

Key highlights of wool fibre and how they transform into amazing rug features

The primary and the most important is the warmth factor they bring in to your floors
It resists crushing, wears and tears which make the rugs ideal for high traffic areas
Another great feature that makes them your first choice for high traffic areas is their strong, durable and long-lasting fibres
Retains shape so it naturally takes care of footfalls
Bring in a natural air filter with its moisture-absorbent features
Resists flames. It smoulders instead of burning which is why wool rugs are ideal for a place near fire pits
Good stain resistance

Experts always prefer looking at both sides of the coin and in our case, it’s important that we look for its downside as well. The first amongst all is the cost, wool rugs tend to be more expensive than the majority of other materials. If vibrant colours make you feel awesome, then wool rugs shouldn’t be your preference. With woollen fibres, vibrant colours don’t come out as appealing as you can get with synthetic fibres like acrylic.

With strong exposure to UV resistance, wool rugs may fade but this shouldn’t be an issue with the lovely weather conditions we enjoy here in the UK. Still, it’s advised to be careful if your rug has direct sunlight exposure. One of the biggest problems with woollen carpets is a moth. Wool is the natural habitat for a moth. You need to be extra cautious with them. This problem arises when you leave your rug undisturbed for too long especially in dark or damp spots.

Key Highlights of Acrylic Rugs

Here we are with the acrylic yarn which is known for its impressive and striking vibrancy. The fabric is highly compatible with vibrant colours and dyes well to ooze out a beautiful and appealing visual appearance. Acrylic rugs are soft and luxurious with good stain-resistant features. Acrylic rugs are popular as they give a similar appearance and feel to wool while being on the lower side of the cost. The fabric breathes well allowing the air to pass to and fro easily.

The two major problems of woollen rugs _ moths and sunlight degradation, aren’t an issue for acrylic rugs. It resists moths and sun degradation. Moreover, it is resistant to oils and chemicals as well.

When it comes to acrylic rugs, Japanese Acrylic yarns are considered to be the best in class followed by Chinese yarns. Though it is hard for any layman to figure out the difference between Japanese and Chinese fabrics.

Key highlights of acrylic rugs and how they transform into amazing features

Soft to touch, warm and light in weight
The fibre showcase excellent colourfast features. It does well with bright and vibrant colours
The fabric breathes, so it allows the moisture to pass through it easily
Acrylic rugs are resilient and retain their shape
Resists shrinkage and wrinkles
Resistant to moths, oils, chemicals and sunlight degradation

The lower you spend, the cheaper quality you’ll receive and they may suffer from static, poor fire resistance and piling. Though most of the rugs are treated to prevent these issues yet you may find it in some very low grades of acrylic yarns. Ultimately, it’s the manufacturer’s label you may want to refer to.

It’s the quality and density of pile content which will determine the characteristic of acrylic rugs. The lower grades will be cheap while durability and hard-wearing features may be compromised while higher grades may come with impressive and appealing vibrant designs, good resilience and stain resistance features.

Polyester Rugs

Soft to the touch, anti-allergenic, and hard-wearing at a lower price point; this is how experts introduce polyester yarn. It has this feature of amazing adaptability to colours meaning it can take colours well, just like the acrylic yarn. It is easy to clean though is susceptible to oil-based stains, you might want to be extra cautious about it.

The fabric dries quickly, can be easily washed, resilient and requires minimum care for its maintenance. So, if you are a time constraint person with a tight budget, polyester rugs may be of good use to you.