Why A Wool Carpet
Wool has been the choice material used in carpets for hundreds of years and has a reputation for quality and durability. Wool has unique natural properties, which has seen it stand the test of time.
Wool is a natural fibre and the wool used in the manufacturing of carpets is primarily from British or New Zealand sheep. British wool is bulky and tough which offer unique textures, like the multi-coloured flecks found in heather carpet, whereas the wool from New Zealand sheep is softer and lighter in colour, which makes it perfect for plain carpet and carpets in lighter shades.
Wool carpets are either 100% wool or a mix of wool and manmade fibres and add a touch of luxury to your home. They are hardwearing and with the correct care, will last for many years. They have a natural robustness which allows crushed carpet fibres to recover.
They are naturally stain resistant as they contain natural oils, which is resistant to dirt and prevent other oil-based stains. The carpet fibres will hold down dust particles, this reduces the amount of particles circulating in the air, the fibres also have a unique way in which they hold down the dust particles but does not let the carpet look dirty. The dust particles are easily removed from the carpet with regular hoovering. Wool carpets have the ability to stabilize humidity in the air as it absorbs moisture during high humidity periods and releases it back into the air during low atmospheric humidity.
Wool carpets naturally keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter due to its natural properties. They are also flame retardant due to the high levels of protein in the fibres which means it has a slow ignition rate and the fibres burn weakly, limiting the spread of the fire.
Due to the wool being a natural fibre, 100% wool carpets are biodegradable.
However, wool carpet does have some disadvantages, although it has a natural resilience to oil-based stains, for non-oil based stains i.e coffee and red wine, it does not and every care should be taken to avoid such spillages as the colouring of such liquids will stick to the wool fibres making it hard to remove them, or it may not be possible to remove them at all.
Wool fibres also have an adverse effect to chemicals making it hard to find a cleaning solution suitable for wool carpets. Another disadvantage is that constant sunlight can cause fading. Also natural fibres attract insects such as moths and carpet beetles, although most carpet manufacturers pre-treat their carpets with a moth resistance substance, it does not make them moth-proof.
