It wasn’t so long ago that wool was a common material for floor coverings. Warm, luxurious to the touch and long lasting, wool carpeting offers homeowners a wonderful feeling that synthetic materials have never been able to even come close to.

Hand knotted, looped or tufted, wool rugs are in a class by themselves. Whether it’s an Oriental carpet, a shag rug or wall-to-wall, the plush feel of wool is hard to beat and the selection is not only large these days, but environmentally friendly too.

Wool carpets come in two basic forms: natural and recycled. Either way, you’ll find them a joy to behold. They are easy to clean since its hard for dirt to work its way down to the backing, they will stay beautiful for years if properly cared for and they’ll age gracefully rather than showing a lot of wear and tear before their natural life is over.

Natural Wool

If you live in an area where the winters turn cold, you’ll love a natural wool carpet. It is a terrific insulator on hardwood floors. Be sure to get a wool rug that is colored with vegetable dyes or stick with a natural wool color. Also, ask the company if any toxic chemicals were used to moth proof the carpet before placing your order. Some of these chemicals are anything but environmentally friendly, which defeats one of the main reasons to go with wool.

If you’re going with a natural color for the wool carpet, it can range from a creamy white to a dark brown, depending on the color of the sheep it was sheared from. If you want to go “au natural” you want to make sure the backing of the carpet is natural too. Hemp, cotton, jute and/or natural rubber are all good choices. If you’re really eco-centric, ask about the adhesives used. They should be biodegradable.

Recycled Wool

If your wool rug is made of recycled materials, you don’t really have to worry about toxic substances. Because the wool was used for other purposes before it was made into a rug or carpet, you’ll find that a recycled wool rug is softer than a new, natural one.

Typically, these rugs are made of reclaimed sweaters or wool scraps. In contrast to natural wool rugs that need to be professionally cleaned, wool rugs can be washed, much like the sweaters they came from.

Whether you choose a natural wool or recycled wool rug, rest assured that it will bring you years of enjoyment. While wool rugs are more expensive than their counterparts, they last a lot longer, so the cost evens out over the long run, especially if your home has a lot of foot traffic. Wool rugs are more resistant to showing wear, so you can keep them looking like new longer.