Carpets made of wool have been renowned for their superior quality and durability for many years. Nearly synonymous with luxury, they‘re still a popular carpet choice for households and in the construction and hospitality sectors.
Wool is a sturdy fibre with a beautiful look and exceptional appearance retention properties. It’s also highly resilient when cared for properly, making it a worthwhile investment when it comes time to swap worn-out carpets or purchase new ones.
Examining the numerous varieties of wool carpets and the benefits and drawbacks of this versatile flooring option will help you decide whether it’s the right option for your home.
Types of Wool Carpets
There are two kinds of luxurious wool carpets: those made entirely of wool and those made with an 80/20 wool mixture. Both blends can be made into carpet tiles or broadlooms, allowing installation options based on the location and intended use of the carpets.
100% Wool Carpets
People have used soft, fluffy wool from sheep herds for floor coverings for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, ever since they first discovered how to shear it. The tag 100% wool carpet tells it’s manufactured entirely of this substance.
The best sort of wool for producing 100% wool carpets is "string" wool. Many employ British and New Zealand wool produced by British and New Zealand sheep breeds.
New Zealand wool is the best material for neutral or lighter shade ranges since it is considerably softer and whiter than British wool. British wool has a distinct texture, is firm, and is dense. While most people prefer the higher-quality Merino wool from New Zealand, wool from other sheep breeds worldwide can be just as excellent and frequently has unique features.
Together with sheep wool, other natural carpet substitutes include wool from llamas, alpacas, goats, camels, and other animals with comparable hairy coats.
80/20 Wool Carpets
As wool is naturally strong, adding fibres isn’t necessary to increase resilience. Nonetheless, some circumstances and particular uses call for combining it with other fibres, usually synthetic ones. These hybrids are known as 80/20 wool carpets, wool mix carpets, or wool blend carpets.
Manufacturers use synthetic components in the yarn for several factors, including improving fibre elasticity, stain resistance, durability and streamlining dyeing and printing.
Compared to wool blends, 100% wool carpets are often warmer and more insulating. Wool blends with a higher wool component (at least 60%), frequently blended with natural fabrics like cotton and silk or synthetic fabrics like nylon and polyester, offer better insulating properties. Synthetic materials may reduce prices and soften clothing, but they typically don't provide as much insulation as natural wool. Choose a 100% wool carpet to experience luxury, comfort, and the benefits of natural wool insulation.
What Are the Benefits of a Wool Carpet?
Whether considering a carpet made of 100% natural wool or an 80/20 wool blend, they have many advantages. These are a few examples.
Strength and Durability
Wool performs exceptionally well due to its durability, inherent crimp, strength, and elasticity, which creates a "bounce-back" and causes significantly less pile compaction, tracking marks, and shadowing. As a result, wool carpets can maintain their outstanding appearance for many years, if not decades.
Cosiness and Comfort
Nothing is cozier and more sumptuous than the warmth and comfort of a wool carpet. The wool is an insulator to keep your home warm throughout the chilly winter months, making it an energy-efficient purchase. Moreover, it will absorb sound, shielding the house from noise and echoes.
Fire Resistant and Inflammable
Wool is naturally fire-resistant and has a slow rate of ignition. Wool carpets are incredibly safe to use as flooring in homes and offices. If a fire starts, the carpet fibres will melt and not burn, which will cause the fire to burn more slowly or even extinguish.
Fall Compliant
Wool rugs are ideal for nurseries and nurseries because of their natural coil and softness, which act as a cushion to prevent severe injuries from falls (because small children and older people are more susceptible to falls). When there is a top-notch underlay, which can further prevent falls and provide other benefits, that is improved even more.
Hypoallergenic
The small scales of hypoallergenic wool hold fine dust until you vacuum it, lowering the amount of airborne particulate matter. A top-notch vacuum cleaner will eliminate the dust and particles before they can irritate the skin. Since it can absorb humidity from the air and release it when the atmosphere becomes dry, wool is a naturally "smart" fibre that can help maintain a balanced environment in any home.
Organic and Sustainable
The wool comes from sheep or other animals that need regular shearing, which is genuine care for these animals. Because the carpet industry has access to a fresh wool supply each year, the material is all-natural and sustainable.
Biodegradable
Wool biodegrades in soil, releasing nitrogen, sulphur, carbon dioxide, and water as it decomposes, all rich in plant nutrients. Since we should safeguard and preserve the natural environment, 100% wool carpets are an excellent choice for flooring.
What Are the Disadvantages of Wool Carpet?
Starting Cost
Even though wool is a cheap and abundant material, the high cost of wool carpets is due to the processing and production of a more "luxury" product and the expense of cleaning and maintaining it during its existence. However, as well-maintained wool carpets will last much longer than other materials, this cost will balance out when compared to routinely replacing other carpets.
Absorbency
Wool carpets are exceptionally absorbent, which can be useful for absorbing humidity from the air but is less helpful when it comes to spills or repeated contact with water, as might occur in or near a bathroom.
Chemical Resistance
Unless thoroughly cleaned or neutralised, even brief contact with alkaline substances with a pH of 9.5 and higher can harm wool carpets. Powerful chemicals stiffen your carpet's fibres, cause them to lose colour, and ultimately dissolve them. Because of this, it may be challenging to find a typical cleaning product that can remove stains caused by soiling, though experienced carpet cleaners should be able to recommend products with a neutral pH.
The Final Verdict
Wool is a traditional, high-end carpet fibre that stands out from other materials thanks to many distinctive qualities. It’s all-natural, cosy, fire-resistant, durable, and sustainable!
The advantages of buying wool carpet outweigh the small cost premium and increased upkeep required compared to 100% synthetic options.
When specified, installed, and maintained properly, wool carpets should always live up to or exceed expectations for a family home, a five-star hotel, or any high-end business requirements.
