Why wool rugs are perfect for kid’s rooms

If you’re looking for a rug for your child’s room, have you considered one made of wool?

Some experts believe wool could be the perfect rug material to choose and today’s guest post, from The Rug Retailer, explores the many benefits of wool.

The Rug Retailer’s wool rugs are perfect for any child’s room but, you don’t just have to take our word for it. All you need to do is examine the vast number of benefits that wool, as a fibre brings to any room but, in the cases of children’s room, these benefits take on even more importance.

Here are some of the top reasons why wool rugs are perfect for kids’s rooms.

I.         Resilience – wool is incredibly durable, resilient and robust which is why some of the oldest rugs in the world are made from wool. It is a material that regains its texture and shape quickly. Even after a few months covering the floor under a bed, when the bed is moved, the wool rug will eventually bounce back into shape.

II.       Natural stain resistance and soiling ability – children are naturally less balanced and measured in the finer motor skills that an adult can be. In other words, where as an adult can walk along with a glass of liquid in hand, without looking at it, should a child do the same thing, the chances are it may slop out of the glass. With children playing in their rooms, you need a wool rug that you know will be able to withstand all kinds of punishment – and the ability to not let spills stain it is a perfect additional benefit too.

Fact – wool is able to resist stains due to the presence of lanolin in its fibres. It is a substance that can also be beneficial to skin and so children laying and sitting on wool rugs will also be protected.

III.        Flame resistant – not many people are aware of the flame resistant nature of wool but this in itself makes them perfect additions to a child’s room. The fibre does not catch alight but tends to smoulder instead. Due to the lack of additional chemicals, as can be found in some synthetic mix rugs, this smouldering will not give off toxic smoke.

Fact – in order to thrive, a flame needs fuel, oxygen and heat to ignite the fire. Wool is not only naturally dense, but each fibre also contains too much water to be able to support all three of the fire triangle, hence it smoulders rather than catches alight.

 IV.            Durable – wool is one of the most durable natural fibres known and this is why wool rugs for children’s rooms will cost more than synthetic ones. However, you will get years and years of use from a wool rug; they will age and grow with your children, lasting until your small children are grown adults (and beyond!)

V.            Elastic – wool has elastic qualities that lets it be mouldable and springy under foot. There are two different types of wool cells, known as the orthcortex and paracortex. These cells grow at different rates and are at opposite sides to each other on the fibre. As a result, wool has amazing elastic properties. In tests, wool fibres can be stretched by 35% but easily return to shape.

VI.            Moisture resistant – as well as resisting stain, wool is also naturally water repellent. Quite naturally within the fibre, there is a barrier that prevents too much water soaking in but, when water does finally makes it way in to the fibre, it can absorb a third of its own weight in water and not feel wet. In clothing, this is known as a wicking property and it why wool is used in underwear for astronauts.

VII.            Availability of patterns and designs – not everyone wants the same looking rug in their child’s room and so, if you think that wool rugs tend to be grey in colour and nature – or itchy to the skin – you will be wrong! Wool can be dyed and treated in all kinds of ways and constructed to create strong rugs. Wool rugs today come in an infinite number of shapes and sizes, as well as patterns and colours. Neither do they tend to fade too readily, unless placed in direct sunlight for long periods of time.

VIII.        Functional and beautiful – any room deserves to be swathed in beauty and wool rugs do just that. For too long, functional has been a by-word for boring and yet, wool rugs for children’s room are anything but boring. They will provide hours of warmth under foot, as well as years of enjoyment and delight.

To check out the options available, and choose your rug, head over to The Rug Retailer.

 

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