Carpet Materials

The variety of materials now available when buying a new carpet is quite remarkable, either used alone or in conjunction with other materials in order to create a carpet blend which offers more benefits than the one material alone.

Here at the Carpet Gallery we have tried to identify the main carpet materials for you, and what benefits and drawbacks you may find with them. Armed with this information you should be better able to narrow down your choices for your own new carpet. Of course we are always on hand to share our knowledge and experience with you, all you need to do is ask.

Wool

Wool is the most luxurious carpet material on the market. It can be provided in all manner of colours and makes for a soft, durable carpet that can work well in any room. Wool is a natural resource, making wool carpets an ecologically-friendly choice, though it is not as stain-resistant as other materials. To counter this, some of the most popular carpets will often be a blend of wool and nylon. As well as offering stain-resistant qualities a wool/nylon carpet can also be more hardwearing, hold colour better and be less expensive to buy.

Nylon

It is fair to say that Nylon, or one of it's derivatives, can be found in the majority of today's carpets. Nylon is a very durable material, resistant to wear and dirt. In rooms where heavy furniture is placed, or items that are not going to move for a period of time, Nylon carpet material can help avoid the indentations such furniture can leave. Nylon takes colour dyes very well too, meaning a very broad palette of colours to choose from.

Olefin (Polypropylene)

A very popular carpet material most frequently found in Berber carpets. The material is easy to clean, able to resist stains and shows little sign of wear. Olefin can be dyed in a wide range of colours, like Nylon, but has the additional benefit of not building up static electricity.

Polyester

Polyester carpet material is soft and luxurious to the touch though it does not stand up to long term use as well as other carpet materials. The pile on polyester carpets tends to flatten down over time. They are resistant to colour fading though and do not stain easily.

Acrylic

Although there is no 100% Acrylic carpet, it is a material that is found in many other carpets. It is often blended with wool to provide a lower priced alternative to a wholly wool carpet. Acrylic works very well in this respect as it also brings with it moisture and fade resistance.

Natural Fibre Carpets

The use of natural fibres for carpets has soared over the last few years, though care should be exercised to ensure the carpet meets the needs of the room and the people using it.

Seagrass

As the name implies Seagrass is a type of grass found close to the sea. This habitat has given Seagrass the ability to resist stains quite well, even though it has a deep textured appearance. With use a Seagrass carpet will become smoother which makes it perhaps unwise to use the material on stairs.

Jute

Jute is one of the softest natural carpet fibres, which makes it very comfortable though not as hard wearing as some others. This may make it a perfect choice for a bedroom. As with most natural fibres a Jute carpet can be prone to staining.

Coir

Made from coconut husk coir carpet is a tough, resilient material. It can feel quite harsh on bare feet, so room choice would be an important factor when considering a coir carpet, but it is a hard-wearing material that can really set off a room.

Sisal

Derived from the Sisal bush this is another hard-wearing natural fibre which handles day to day use very well. Sisal sits on the softer end of the natural fibre carpet spectrum which can make it a more attractive option for some rooms.