Here at Arizona Oriental & Specialty Rug Care in Prescott AZ, we see a LOT of rugs made from all sorts of different materials. So what’s the best area rug fiber? I think it’s pretty common knowledge that wool rugs are better than most any other rug fiber. Why wool, though?
For the manufacturer, wool is very absorbent which allows the dyes to penetrate much better without having to use chemicals. Wool dyes very well and the deep color penetration into the medulla (the hollow core of wool fiber) allows for really excellent color uniformity throughout. Because of this, the manufacturer has ample opportunity to use a wide variety of colors.
As for the consumer, wool has natural moisture and very absorbent characteristics. It’s very hard to burn and is self-extinguishing. Wool chars and stops burning once the source of the fire is removed, unlike most other fibers that easily ignite. This is why wool is used for the carpet in airplanes. It also makes a great insulator and is a warmer fibers than other options.
Wool is also a naturally resilient fiber, which makes it extremely attractive to both buyers and manufacturers. Wool can be bent back on itself 20,000 times, whereas cotton can only do this 3,000 times and silk at a mere 2,000. The natural coil spring of wool can bounce back to its original shape after being stretched as much as 50%! So what does this mean for you as a buyer? A wool rug that is properly cared for, vacuumed regularly, and has routine professional cleanings with Arizona Oriental every 1-3 years will last much longer than other fibers. Other fibers flatten and “ugly out” with traffic patterns, whereas wool retains its nice look much longer.
It’s pretty easy to see why wool rugs are so well-liked, isn’t it? From my experience with them, Oriental and Persian wool rugs respond extremely well to cleaning. For the amount of time you will spend enjoying your wool area rug, they are well worth the investment!