What Are Rugs Made Out Of?

Plant Material

• Cotton is one of the least expensive fibers and is commonly used fibers for rugs. Cotton fibers are strong, naturally light in color and take dye well. The fibers are washable, which makes cotton rugs easy to clean; however, cotton fibers absorb dirt and odors easily so they need to be cleaned often.

  Bamboo is another natural material commonly used to make rugs. Bamboo is an environmentally friendly material because it grows quickly and easily. Bamboo is durable and stands up well to heavy use.

Animal and Insect-Made Material

• Wool is a strong, durable natural fiber commonly used in rugs. Wool is made from sheep, goat, alpaca and llama fleece. Wool fiber is great for rugs because it is water-, fire- and stain-resistant, yet it dyes well. This fiber is also resistant to bug infestations such as dust mites, which can cause allergic reactions.

  Silk is another natural fiber. Silk is an expensive and high-quality fiber known for its natural shine. The fiber is often used in Persian and Oriental rugs. Silk must be dry-cleaned because it can be easily damaged by water and harsh cleaning agents.

Artificial Fibers

• Nylon is a very common synthetic fiber used in rugs. Nylon is inexpensive, strong and resistant to stains. Nylon rugs also come in a variety of colors and wash well.

  Acrylic fibers are often blended with other fibers or used on their own. Acrylic fibers resemble wool but is not as expensive. This fiber is also resistant to mold and mildew, which makes it well suited for bathroom rugs. Acrylic fibers are often blended with wool to reduce the cost of wool rugs.

Recycled Fibers

• Polypropylene is also known as olefin and is a petroleum-based fiber commonly made from recycled plastic. Polypropylene is a strong fiber that is also resistant to mildew, soil and stains. Polypropylene resembles wool but is less expensive than both wool and nylon.

  Polyester is soft to the touch yet stain and soil resistant and easy to clean. Polyester is also made from recycled plastic but has a lower resiliency and attracts oil easily.