The Benefits of Buying a Wool Rug

The Benefits of Buying a Wool Rug
22 March 2023 11 min read
The Benefits of Buying a Wool Rug

Wool has been used in rug making for centuries, from home spun tribal rugs woven by pastoral nomads to the finest workshop rugs and carpets made for Persian royalty and European Palaces. If your budget can accommodate, a wool rug is the way to go. However, there are a few pros and cons to bear in mind.

Types of Wool Rugs

The construction of a wool rug will vastly affect the price and sometimes determine the quality of the wool used in your new rug.

There are three main weaving techniques used to produce a rug.

 

Hand knotted rug loom

Hand knotting technique. Image Credit: Gooch Oriental

Hand Knotted Wool Rugs

At the high end of the wool market are hand knotted rugs. Due to the labour intensive process used, these types of rugs will usually be made using better-quality materials.

Hand knotted rugs are still produced in the traditional way and can be from any of the main rug producing countries. Each individual tuft is knotted at the base of the rug by hand, as in the picture above.

fine handknotted oriental rug

A hand knotted Fine Garous rug. Each tuft is knotted by hand and executed with fine intricate detail.

Our One-of-a-kind Oriental rugs are perfect examples of workshop, village and tribal rugs made by skilled weavers and finished and washed in Pakistan. These types of rugs are proven to last generations and are used in both contemporary and traditional interiors.

 

hand tufting a rug using tufting gun

Using a modern hand tufting gun to make a bespoke wool rug. Image Credit: Alar Wool

Hand Tufted Wool Rugs

The hand tufting process is primarily used in India and China to produce rugs in a wide variety of qualities, styles, textures, and sizes. Wool is inserted into a backing material using either a rudimentary hand tufting gun or high-tech robot tufting machines.

Aspect contemporary wool rug

Contemporary wool rug. Hand tufted in India with deep hand carved detailing.

The quality of the wool used in these rugs can vary greatly and wool fibres can be mixed with synthetic fibres such as bamboo silk or real silk to create high lights, texture variation, and additional lustre to the pile of the rug. After the tufting process is finished the rug is stretched and a backing material, usually cotton is glued onto the back of the rug to prevent tufts from coming out of the rug.

 

 modern wilton rug loom

 The latest high speed Wilton loom by Vandewiele

Machine Made Wool Rugs

Today's high speed Wilton looms can produce high quality wool rugs in a fraction of the time it takes to make a handmade rug. 

Abrio machine woven wool rug

Abrio machine woven wool rug from our Agnella Rug Collection.

 

Our machine-made rugs are produced using high quality New Zealand wool or undyed British wool to create a natural eco-friendly rug.

Perfect if you require more than one rug of the same design, Wilton rugs offer continuity in quality, colour and design, all available in a wide selection of sizes.

  

Why is Wool the Best Choice for High Traffic Areas

The natural crimp in the structure of wool ensures the fibres have superior appearance retention or bounces back better than any of the synthetic fibres used to manufacture rugs.

Given proper maintenance the pile of a wool rug will recover naturally in high traffic areas where pile compression can be an issue.

wool spinning

Image Credit: Agnella

The natural oils present in wool have a high lanolin content, this magic ingredient that is produced by sheep makes the wool more supple, adds lustre and helps repel spills. More importantly, used in heavy traffic areas, it also helps prevent soiling.

Health Benefits of Wool Rugs

The surface of the wool fleece traps dust and other impurities which keeps them from spreading in the air, this makes wool naturally hypoallergenic and a great solution for people with asthma or allergies. A wool rug will insulate cold floors in winter, increasing the feeling of warmth. In summer, it absorbs excess moisture from the air lowering the humidity in your home.

Natural Wool as an Air Purifier

Wool is also a natural air purifier. Positive air ions are created by electrical equipment inside our homes, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that these have a negative effect on our health and wellbeing.

As a natural material wool creates negative ions which help to neutralise the air in your home. Wool absorbs and locks away pollutants such as Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs from the air more rapidly than other materials.

Industry experts such as British Wool and the International Wool Textile Industry cite studies showing that common VOCs, which occur in the indoor environment can be absorbed and chemically bound by wool, improving ambient air quality.

Source:

https://shop.britishwool.org.uk/wool-interiors-clean-air/

https://iwto.org/wellness/wool-indoors/

 

Fire Resistant and Inflammable

Wool has natural flame-retardant properties, making a pure wool rug the ideal choice in front of a hearth or wood burning stove.

In case of a fire, unlike some synthetic fibres, wool does not transmit the flame, does not produce noxious fumes, and will not melt or stick to the skin when it burns.

Wool's inherent fire resistance comes from its naturally high nitrogen and water content, requiring higher levels of oxygen in the surrounding environment to burn. If ignited, it usually has a low burning rate and may self-extinguish.

 

sheepskin rug in front of wood burning stove

A wool sheepskin is the perfect choice to protect this solid wood floor. Image Credit: Pinterest

Biodegradable and Fully Renewable.

Wool is 100% biodegradable and fully renewable, making it the most environmentally friendly option when choosing a rug for your home or office.

Our Noble wool rugs by Agnella are manufactured using undyed wool from British sheep, using significantly less water and energy during production.

 

Dive natural wool rug by Agnella

Dive natural wool rug from our Noble Collection. Machine woven using un-dyed British wool

 

Why Do Wool Rugs Shed Fibres

There are three main reasons why a wool rug will shed fibres.

Shedding on a New Wool Rug

It is normal for a new rug to shed fibres in the first months of use. Depending on the construction of the rug, the majority of this can be loose fibres that are bedded into the pile surface created during the shearing process when the rug is made.

Although this can seem like a lot of material it is usually a small percentage of the pile. This is less of an issue with hand knotted rugs as this material is removed during the final washing process when made.

Location of your Rug

Where you position your new wool rug will have a direct impact on how much shedding will occur. Heavy use areas such as in front of chairs or settees will shed more due to friction on the pile surface caused by foot traffic. The more abrasion on the pile surface, the more the fibres will shed.

Quality of Wool

This is the most crucial factor when considering shedding on a wool rug. The better the quality of the rug material the less it will shed and the quicker it will subside.

High quality wool is derived from Sheep that have been well cared for and sheared at the correct time. A quick and straightforward way to get an indication of the quality of the wool in a hand tufted, machine-made or hand knotted wool rug is to use a simple rub test using your fingers across the pile in a small area. The less loose material that sheds the better the yarn quality.

Some breeds produce better quality wool than others for rug making, this can be seen in the natural lustre of the wool. In comparison, cheap or inferior quality wool will look dry, lifeless and the colours will appear drab.

 

kashqai traditional wool rugMachine woven worsted wool rug from our Kashqai Collection

How Can I Reduce Shedding on my Wool Rug

Regular vacuuming

Regularly vacuuming your rug can help clean out and remove any loose fibres that cause shedding. If your wool rug is new, it's important to vacuum it at least twice a week, for areas of heavy use daily vacuuming may be required.

Avoid vacuum cleaners with rotating brushes as these types of cleaners can not only accelerate shedding but cause irreversible damage to fringes and hand finished edges, especially on hand tufted rugs.

Use a Good Quality Anti Slip Underlay

Using an anti-slip underlay underneath your rug has several benefits when it comes to keeping your rugs in good condition, it will also help reduce the initial shedding stage of the rug's life.

A good anti slip rug underlay placed under your rug will keep your rug in place and stop movement in heavy traffic areas. This will reduce the amount of abrasion or friction on the pile, hence less shedding.

Using a teebaud anti slip underlay will ensure easier vacuuming as the rug will not ruck or crease during cleaning. See our blog on how to stop rugs moving on all types of floors.

Adopt a "no shoes" Policy in Your Home

Wearing outdoor shoes in the home creates untold damage to rugs and carpets. Training shoes have soles designed to grip, these types of shoes will cause excessive shedding and can even damage your rug by causing the pile to de-tuft.

If you are wearing shoes indoors, we would recommend using appropriate footwear such as slippers, preferably with neutral or light coloured soles. Black soles on footwear can cause oxidization on most types of floor coverings including carpets and rugs.

How does a Wool Rug Compare with Other Fibres

There are plenty of decent quality synthetic rugs available today, but no other fibre can outperform the natural built-in properties of a high-quality wool rug for long term appearance retention.

Polypropylene Rugs

As with wool there are different qualities of polypropylene, price is a general indicator of quality. All our polypropylene rugs are machine woven on high speed wilton looms. This has the advantage of reducing production costs. These rugs will be durable and water-based stains will be easy to clean if there are any spills or stubborn  stains. The drawback to polypropylene as a rug fibre is that it has a low melt point the issue of soiling and matting. 

Heavy traffic areas are prone to flattening and polypropylene will not recover in the same way as a wool rug. 

That said, a polypropylene rug offers excellent value for money and is available in a wide selection of designs, sizes, and price points.

Viscose Rugs

Viscose is used increasingly in today's rug offer, although the fibre adds a lustre to the pile or is used to accent a design and add a feel of elan to a rug. The fibre is known to be difficult to clean, and a professional rug cleaner who is familiar with cleaning these types of rugs is advised. The fibre will quickly mat in moderate traffic areas and individual tufts can easily be dislodged if the rug is vacuumed using a cleaner with rotating brushes, causing sprouting on the pile surface of the rug.

Viscose has many names such as Bamboo Silk, Banana Silk, Tencel, and Luxcelle. However, the yarns all have the same characteristics.

We would only advise using these types of rugs in areas that do not receive heavy traffic. Viscose can be mixed with wool during spinning to produce a blended yarn or used alongside wool to highlight areas of pattern in the rug.

Polyester Rugs

Polyester has comparable properties to polypropylene but is a much softer fibre. Ideally suited for producing thick shag pile rugs or mixed with other yarns such as acrylic to create contrast in texture across the surface of a rug. Soiling and flattening in heavy traffic areas can be an issue on lighter colours or plain backgrounds.

Are Wool Rugs Expensive

This all depends on your budget, the expectations of your new rug. How the rug will be used and maintained.

For a long-term purchase, a high-quality wool rug will outlast a synthetic rug and therefore in some instances may be the cheaper option.

A high-quality wool rug will be more expensive than an equivalent quality synthetic rug or a poor-quality wool rug.

We would expect a rug with high quality wool to be at least double the price of a decent quality heat set polypropylene rug. However, if your budget can accommodate, we feel it is well worth the extra investment.

A hand knotted Oriental rug made by artisan weavers using high quality wool will last for generations, given proper maintenance and care.

When you look at your rug as an investment, something you can enjoy for decades, the initial cost of the rug becomes less an issue as a cheaper rug will have been replaced many times in the same time scale.

Rugs made with 100% wool are durable, versatile, and natural, and they will feel better than a synthetic rug and keep their appearance longer, making them a perfect choice for those who like to invest in quality furnishings for their home.

Are Wool Rugs Safe for Allergy Sufferers

You can breathe easy thanks to wool's natural air filtering capabilities, trapping allergens like dust and pollen. Wool rugs are completely safe for asthma and allergy sufferers.

Are Wool Rugs Easy to Maintain

Wool rugs are quite easy to care for, wool is naturally designed to protect sheep from all weathers, in all conditions.

Regular vacuuming using the correct type of cleaner is essential to ensure your rug keeps its appearance. The frequency of vacuuming can be a couple of times a week to a couple of times a day depending on the level of traffic and how the area is being used.

If spillages do occur, always act immediately by carefully absorbing any liquids before they penetrate deep into the yarns.
Firstly, you should NEVER RUB OR OVERWET the surface of a rug.

We would always recommend using a damp, neutral coloured cotton cloth which should be carefully laid on top of the spillage and left to absorb.
Specialist cleaning companies will have the experience and knowledge to deal with any stubborn stains.

James Starter Kit
Visit James.eu for products and advice on cleaning stains and dealing with spillages.

 

Conclusion

The vast majority of rugs sold in the UK today are made from synthetic fibres, there are many reasons for this and there is certainly a place for synthetic fibres when choosing a rug for a busy home. Some synthetic fibres are better when water based stains are an issue and can give a better choice for colour and design options. However, nothing really feels, performs, or looks like a high-quality wool rug. Visit our wool rug collection in our online store for some inspiration.

 

 

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