Both, wool and acrylic types of carpet are widely used today, and knowing the distinction between the two is important. The main difference is that wool comes from fleece of sheep or lambs, making it a natural material. It is by far one of the oldest fibres used and continues to be one of the more premium carpet materials. On the other hand, acrylic carpets tend to be less expensive than wool, providing an alternative option for you while maintaining your desired carpet look. Read on to find out all the pros and cons of the two carpet styles.
Wool Carpets
Pros of wool carpet
- Wool is a natural fibre.
- Its fibres swell and release dirt easily with moisture, making it a breeze to clean.
- It does not show soil compared to other fibres because wool is an opaque fibre rather than transparent and does not reflect light.
- It tends to be more fire resistant as it smoulders not melts. It also yields less smoke when burnt.
- Wool face yarn is well-constructed and can stand up to heavy traffic while keeping its look.
- It has great stain resistance due to its hard external fibre.
- Wool can maintain air temperature by absorbing and releasing up to a third of its weight in airborne moisture. This helps to control humidity levels in a room and maintain a constant air temperature no matter what season it is.
- Though its natural crimp, wool also provides excellent insulation.
Cons of Wool Carpet
- Wool is expensive to purchase, this is mainly due to the costs of its processing, cleaning and preparation and not the raw material itself.
- Fibre distortion occurs with wool through excess agitations.
- It is sensitive to chemicals as it makes the wool brittle and slightly discoloured.
Similar to other materials, wool will fade over time, specifically from sun exposure
Synthetic Carpets
Pros of synthetic Carpet
- Provides a similar look and feel to wool while being a less expensive yarn.
- Unlike wool, synthetic carpets are more resistant to fading in sunlight.
- Synthetic carpets do not absorb moisture.
- It is easy to clean due to its resistance to staining, mildew and soiling.
Cons of synthetic Carpet
- It is not a natural material.
- It is not as durable and not as resilient as wool.
- Synthetic carpets tend to become fuzzy due to the fibres deteriorating over time.
- It can easily stain from grease marks and oil.
- Similar to wool, it is sensitive to alkaline chemicals, which can cause browning in synthetic carpets.
If you are looking to purchase a new carpet to suit your needs, come and see our experts at your nearest Tile Wizards – Total Flooring Solutions – store! Also, discover our ranges of carpet products in-store.
We have stores located across Australia, in and around:
- Sunshine Coast QLD (Tile Wizards in Bokarina)
- Coffs Harbour NSW (Tile Wizards in Coffs Harbour)
- Adelaide SA (Tile Wizards in Lonsdale, Para Hills West, and Richmond)
- Brisbane QLD (Tile Wizards in Springwood)
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