Today there are thousands of various types of carpets you can choose to fill your home with. Some carpets have superior qualities and benefits that the others may be lacking. Wool and nylon type carpets are popular choices that pose both multiple advantages and disadvantages.

Wool is a natural fiber that comes from the coats of sheep usually from New Zealand or the United Kingdom.

Advantages of using wool carpet include it can absorb 30% of its weight in moisture without feeling damp. In warmer, humid conditions it absorbs some of the moisture in the air, making it feel cooler. Another advantage is wool’s fiber protein- based chemical makeup readily accepts dyes and locks in color for color fastness and superior intensity.  Also, wool fibers resemble an overlapping outer structure which looks and acts similar to roof shingles. This quality helps repel liquids and dirt by shielding the innermost part of the fiber. In addition, it helps hold the dirt and spilled liquids near the top of the surface, which gives you the best opportunity for cleaning and maintaining dirt and spills. Wool has superior texture retention and resilience. Wool carpet typically has superior wear, and it is also naturally fire retardant and self-extinguishing. Wool’s natural soil and stain resistance allows for wool to entail less cleaning than synthetics. Wool is also a renewable resource and is biodegradable, and is the best choice for “going green” in your household. Wool’s soft and natural feel to hand and splendor underfoot simply cannot be achieved with any synthetic fiber.

The biggest disadvantage of using wool carpet is the cost is much more expensive compared to nylon carpet. Also, wool fiber is considered a staple fiber, and carpets made from staple fibers sometimes have the tendency to shed some of the filaments as they naturally loosen themselves. The shedding will usually lie on the top of the carpet, or get stuck onto your clothes if you’ve been on the floor. Also, highly alkaline substances like certain soaps, household cleaners, and detergents can damage the wool fibers and disfigure the carpet.

Now on the other hand, nylon is the most common carpet fiber on the market today accounting for about 65 percent of the United Sates carpet sales

[source Fast Floors].

Nylon is most noted for its durability, since it’s the hardest of all the synthetic carpet fibers, it resists wear and abrasion. A nylon carpet will usually last longer than one made from another type of fiber. It also has great resilience, meaning it bounces back after being crushed or bent. There are 2 different types of nylon that are used in carpet fibers type 6,6 and type 6. Type 6,6 has always been considered the premium form, with greater durability and strength. Then type 6 is slightly less strong than the other. Another advantage is nylon is easy to clean, and hides soil well. Also, nylon is not affected by moisture, it will resist mold and mildew well. Many nylon carpets today are treated to make them more stain resistant.

A disadvantage of nylon carpet is it can be vulnerable to stains from food, and can by discolored by bleach or strong acids. Another drawback of nylon is it tends to build up a static charge, which is transferred to a person by walking across the carpet.

Whether wool or nylon appeal to your liking more, both prove to be substantially solid choices when trying to pick a type of carpet fiber for your home. Both nylon and wool come in a variety of colors, textures, and designs, which make the possibilities endless!