Why is wool the ultimate natural fibre for floorcoverings?

At Roger Oates we appreciate Henry Moore for his delicate drawings of sheep, we are proud supporters of the Campaign for Wool, and we can talk for hours on the virtues of this wonderful material.

To answer the question, there are so many reasons, and here are some of them…

Wool is Natural & Renewable

Wool is a gift of nature – natural and fully sustainable.  Sheep live a free-range lifestyle and as long as there is grass to graze on they will produce a new fleece each year with absolutely no harm to the planet.

Wool is Soft and Tactile

The beautiful texture and tactile joy of wool makes it is particularly nice for sitting/lying on and walking on with bare feet, making it superior to other natural products such as Seagrass and Sisal.

Wool is Resilient

Just as lambs are springy (as in jump) so is their wool! It has a natural crimp that wants to bounce back to its original state. It doesn’t flatten easily which helps it to maintain its fresh looking appearance so a wool carpet wears better and stays looking new for longer.

Wool is Easy to Clean

Wool is naturally spill and dirt resistant. The protective waxy coating on the fibres means that dirt is repelled and fluids sit on the top of the carpet for just a little longer giving you time to mop up more effectively. (Wool safe can offer help if you weren’t quite quick enough!)  But to really care for your wool carpets you and your guests should remove outdoor shoes as they carry grit in their soles that will damage the fibres.

Wool is Safe

Wool has a high water and nitrogen content which makes it naturally fire retardant. It does not require additional chemical treatments, but if it ever does burn the smoke it gives off is not poisonous. It is not known to cause allergies and can even reduce the dust in the atmosphere, as the fibre’s microscopic scales are able to trap the dust until it is vacuumed away.

Wool is a Natural Insulator

Wool is complex in form – it has a natural cell structure – it will breathe absorbing humidity and releasing it later. Wool keeps the sheep warm in winter and it will create warmth and a cocooning effect particularly if you layer rugs and carpets. It is also a good sound insulator a runner, rug or carpet on a wooden floor will really reduce the resonating sounds of feet, particularly on wooden floors or stairs.

Wool is Biodegradable

At the end of its useful life wool can be returned to the soil where it decomposes, releasing valuable nutrients into the ground. With runners that have a separate underlay this is easy to achieve.

 

British Wool is Even Better…

British Cheviot Wool Allows Colour to Sing Through

Our flatweave collection is made using a blend of British Cheviot wool. Through experimentation and collaboration with English wool merchants and yarn spinners a thread has been spun that not only has good spring but also allows clear bright colours to sing through.

We use Natural Colours of Shetland Wool

There are over 60 different pure breeds of sheep and many halfs, cross and rare breeds. The UK is unique in having variety in texture and stunning variegation in fleece shades.   Our Shetland collection uses un-dyed Real Shetland wool, shades of ivory whites, dove greys mink and ebony; the resulting flatweaves are serenely smart embodying ‘naturalness’

The environmental footprint of textile products made in the UK is significantly lower than those made overseas. Spinners and weavers are part of our textile heritage so there is always a market for British Wool that doesn’t involve it being shipped to the furthest corners of the earth.

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