What Is The Best Carpet Material For You?

It’s a question we will all come to ask when choosing the right carpet, and it’s not as cut and dry as it first seems. There are so many different carpet materials that it can get confusing. If you’re not too sure what’s what, read our other blog of Carpet Jargon to get to grips with what certain carpet materials are.

For example – Our Wilton Royal brand of wool carpets feels synonymous with the warmth we want from a soft flooring option. Our Stain Free brand is made up of Polypropylene which has grown in popularity, with over 70% off all carpets sold in the UK now being made of this modern material.

Then there’s polyester! Polyester provides a super soft yarn complete with easy clean properties.

The thing is, rather than trying to figure out which is better, the question should be about which carpet material is best for you? Another factor can be the carpet pile, which can be another conversation…

What room? Who will use the space?  How busy is the area? These are all key question when choosing the right material for your carpet. So, we’re here to discuss! Pros, cons and the nitty gritty!

What’s the difference between wool and polypropylene carpet materials?

Wool and polypropylene are among the most popular choices of fibres used in carpet construction when it comes to carpet materials.

Wool is a natural organic material that has been used for many years for its resilience and durability, making it a great choice if you’re seeking a carpet that will have longevity and lends itself to easier maintenance.

Royal Windsor is a 100% wool providing sound absorption, controlling moisture in the atmosphere and absorbing Volatile Organic Compounds from the atmosphere.

Polypropylene on the other hand is a man-made fibre that is highly stain-resistant and resilient to environmental factors. A perfect carpet material for busy households with those ‘oops moments’, and it’s also less prone to fading!

As part of our Stainfree brand Caress offers an additional option to add a sense of style and luxurious ambience to your home with all the features and benefits of a hard-wearing durable carpet.

Carpet materials can also be made of a blend of the two which tend to be 80% wool and 20% polypropylene.  These wool-mix carpets provide a combination of the two elements and their benefits.

Our Royal Charter range is perfect for both quality and longevity. Using a wool mix allows this range to achieve maximum comfort, style, and practicality.

Why choose a wool carpet?

Wool is a naturally occurring fibre making it an environmentally friendly choice for your carpet. It offers superb resilience to both wear and general dirt. An Abingdon wool carpet is moth-resistant, which historically has been a problem, and why many people still overlook this fantastic material and seek out an alternative. If you’re interested in more of the qualities of wool as a carpet material, check out our blog ‘10 Reasons To Choose a Wool Carpet’.

100% wool carpets are constructed in loop pile, this denser, more compact construction lends itself to wool carpet’s naturally hard-wearing nature even further, making them an ideal choice for busy areas in the home such as stairs and hallways.  However, if you are pet parents be careful, as pets claws can get caught in the loops.

The yarn used in our Royal Sovereign range makes it durable, to ensure that you keep that ‘new carpet’ bounce for as long as possible, no matter what kind of foot traffic your home has!

Why choose a polypropylene carpet?

Polypropylene is a synthetic fibre that has rapidly become a popular choice for carpets. This man-made material is not only affordable and versatile, but also cost-effective. When choosing the perfect carpet material, the fibre construction is also important.

Here’s the technical bit!

Polypropylene is available in a Saxony or twist.

Saxony carpet is a cut loop pile carpet. Its pile is designed to be incredibly dense, for a soft feeling underfoot. This makes it popular for bedrooms and living rooms.

A twist carpet is created from yarn, which has been tightly twisted together. In comparison to a Saxony carpet, the fibres of a twist may feel coarse, however this gives the carpet a rustic, textured appearance.

The most noticeable difference is in the way they feel: Saxony carpet is a soft, cut pile and has a gentle, plush touch, while the fibres in twist carpets give the carpet a more rustic, textured appearance.

Polypropylene is a naturally stain resistant carpet material, making it ideal for areas like children’s bedrooms and playrooms where spills and messes occur more often. That’s why we offer a Stainfree for life guarantee with all our Polypropylene carpets.

For luxury, quality and practicality Stainfree Indulgence is unmatched.  Providing the heaviest weight in our product portfolio this carpet is the ideal option for us to immerse ourselves in a luxurious space. 

Which carpet material is better?

Whether wool or polypropylene is the better choice for you depends on where in your home you plan on having the carpet. For busier areas like the hallway or stairs a wool carpet with its hard wearing and long-lasting nature would be a perfect fit.

For an area like a living room a polypropylene carpet is best with its highly stain resistant and easy to clean nature. A twist construction adds durability that will be welcomed in busy homes.

A Polypropylene saxony carpet is also a good choice in the bedroom, if you want to sink your toes into softness and luxury.

The best of both worlds exists, thanks to wool mix carpets, made of 80% wool and 10% polypropylene and a variable material for the remaining 10%.

This blend accentuates wool carpet’s already hard-wearing nature and can be constructed in twist pile as well as loop. The durable nature of wool lends itself to your carpet retaining its pile shape and height, as well as recovering quickly from furniture compression. This is an ideal choice for dining and living rooms, or if you want a softer carpet material for your hallway, stairs, or landing.

We offer a full range of wool, wool mix and manmade carpets to suit every type of lifestyle and budget! Why not order a few free samples to test them for yourself?