What do you get when you combine sheep, grass, sunlight and water? You get wool, a natural fiber that is both sustainable and biodegradable. In contrast to carpets that are made from synthetic fibers, a wool rug has natural crimp, which means it quickly recovers its pile and shape when weight is put on it. This makes wool carpeting ideal for areas of heavy traffic in your home. Wool rugs come in a wide range of colors and styles and natural wool rugs are an investment in your home that you will enjoy for many years to come.
Wool Rugs – A People and Earth Friendly Choice
In addition to sheep you can substitute other animals like goats, alpaca and even rabbits for wool however wool rugs are always made from durable sheep wool. Human beings have been using wool to make wool carpet and wool area rugs for thousands of years. Sheep fibers contain a wax-like substance called lanolin, which is a natural waterproofing substance. Though most of the lanolin is washed out of the fibers before they’re spun into yarn, enough remains so that wool carpets have a natural resistance to staining. Wool is also naturally flame resistant, and because it is a natural fiber that “breathes,” it helps regulate moisture content in the air around it. Medical experts also consider wool to be generally hypoallergenic; it does not promote the growth of dust mites or bacteria and when they become airborne, individual wool fibers are too coarse to be inhaled.
Much of the world’s wool is produced in Australia and New Zealand. Australian and New Zealand wool rugs are generally regarded as being the finest in the world because manufacturers in those countries for the most part don’t use chemical processes to treat the wool they turn into wool carpeting.
Wool Carpet Construction
Wool carpets are made by sewing many strands of yarn into a canvas-like backing material. This process creates thousands of yarn loops. When these loops remain uncut, the resulting carpet is known as a loop pile carpet. Looped carpets are best for areas of heavy traffic.
When the loops are cut, the carpet is known as a cut pile or texture carpet. A wool shag rug is one with a very high pile. These two basic manufacturing techniques can be combined to create carpets with a wide range of patterned textures.
Contemporary wool rugs can either be made by machine or made by hand. Though hand-tufted rugs are modern wool rugs that are made by artisans, the rug maker does not actually knot the individual strands of wool yarn. Instead the yarn strands are embedded into the backing with the use of a tufting gun. Hand-tufted rugs don’t take very long to make and cost far less than hand-knotted rugs.
The artisans who make the hand-knotted rugs actually ties each individual strand of yarn. The more knots per square inch, the higher the quality of the rug. Depending upon how complex the rug pattern is, a wool area rug can have tens of thousands of knots and take years to complete.
With so many benefits for, your home and the environment a natural wool rug is a beautiful compliment to any environment.