Shedding happens when loose rug fibers of wool or other materials work their way to the rug's surface and you’ll see on the surface or your rug or when you vacuum. Shedding in a new wool rug s is common and it’s normal and it will stop. If you have a rug that is consistently shedding and doesn’t stop you will see it in clumps or notice your vacuum bag filling up rather quickly every time you vacuum. If this is the case, one of the common causes is that the rug is made of low quality, short staple wool. Unfortunately, in this case the shedding will not cease.
What is short staple fiber? Staple length refers to the measured length of the wool coming off any fiber animal. For instance, some sheep breeds produce longer wool fibers, which reduces the amount of shedding, which is why not all wool rugs shed, indicating higher-quality wool. Some sheep produce short fibers, resulting in shorter staple fibers that can result in more shedding.
Why does length of fiber matter? Natural staple fibers, such as wool and cotton, may be divided into two categories, namely, short and long staples. Short staple refers to fibers of less than about 50 mm long, whereas long staple describes those longer than about 50 mm. A plied strand of yarn is formed by twisting together two or more single yarns. If yarn is made with low quality, short staple wool, the short fiber ends will protrude from the yarn strand and will more easily break away from the plied strand and cause shedding. The longer the staple means fewer ends will be exposed to abrasion and will be more secure it is in the twisted strand.
Other Causes of Shedding
Rug finishing and rug construction are also causes for shedding. Some hand-woven rugs are sheared down to desired pile length after it is finished being woven. In the best-case scenario, the rugs is then washed and groomed which gets rid of the loose fiber that might otherwise shed once in your possession. If the rug was not washed prior to sale, you will experience temporary shedding.
Tufted rugs can also be prone to shedding. A tufted rug is often (but not always) made with low quality, short staple wool and it is held together with a latex glue. These rugs have a material covering up the back side.
Price can be very misleading. It is important to know that the price of a rug does not always indicate quality. Professionals in the rug care industry know that some of the poorest quality rugs are very expensive. And leaves rug owners baffled as to why they do not look good for very long.
Some tips for purchasing a new wool area rug
1. Hand woven rugs and generally better quality than a tufted wool rug.
2. Longer staple wool rugs are generally better quality than those woven with short staple wool.
To test wool for staple length, feel the texture of the wool on the rug surface. If it is scratchy instead of soft to the touch it is probably short staple wool. Next, take your thumbnail and scratch the wool fibers or the front of the rug. If the fibers come apart, it is probably a short staple wool.
If you are in the market for a new area rug, remember it is buyer beware. So, arm yourself with information. A quality wool area rug will last a lifetime.
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