Choosing the right fiber--New Zealand Wool

The word luxury gets thrown around a lot these days. I recently took a trip to New York to enjoy a Yankees game before the old stadium was a goner. I paid big bucks for "luxury seats" Suffice it to say they were none too luxurious. It is with this sort of experience (which repeats under different circumstances in my life, as I am sure it does yours) that I take great pause if I ever read the word "luxury" attached to something.

When considering a new area rug for your home, the very finest fiber bar none is New Zealand Wool. It is the benchmark of excellence that all other fibers are measured by. The first question I would have regarding rugs and New Zealand Wool versus regular old wool is "what is the difference". At first I considered all wool to be the same, but after a bit of training, I realized that there is a world of difference between wools.

To test the comments of many rug manufacturers that New Zealand Wool is a better grade of wool than non-branded wool, I ordered both and placed them in my home. The New Zealand Wool rug is now over 8 years old and genuinely still looks as new as it did when I first bought it. It was first in my living room, then I moved it to my bedroom since I just got sort of tired of looking at the design in my living room.

There are some important points to keep in mind when considering New Zealand Wool for your rugs.

The Pros of New Zealand Wool

1) Naturally renewable resource

2) Very durable and naturally resilient

3) Naturally fire resistant

4) It's naturally occurring color is white, so it can be dyed to almost any color without looking muddy.

The Cons of New Zealand Wool

1) It is a premium yarn, so it comes at a premium cost versus non branded wools

2) It cannot be used outdoors

3)It will fuzz for the first several months of use. This is normal and is not a defect. Since wool is a natural fiber pieces of it will shed off. You will wonder if you are losing your entire rug, but you are not. It is a normal part of owning rugs made of wool and will go away after several months.

If you have any questions, as always just let us know. Rugs made of New Zealand Wool can really enliven a home interior with style immediately and happiness years down the road as you realize you made a great investment.