Alpaca, Silk, Linen and Specialty Fiber Rugs
Collection
Alpaca rugs and specialty fiber rugs to the trade
Alpaca rugs to the trade, with mohair, silk, viscose, bamboo silk and linen: 876 specialty fiber styles from emma gardner design (104), Harcourt Collection (91), Emery Park Carpet (87) and Stanton (54). Wool blends with silk or viscose (553) and pure silk and viscose (214) make up most of the collection; hand-knotted (188), hand-loomed (148) and hand-tufted (116) are the main constructions and 147 are custom.
Each fiber has a job. Alpaca is a hollow, lanolin-free hair, warmer and softer than sheep's wool and nearly as resilient; an alpaca rug or alpaca carpet is a bedroom spec and takes dry cleaning only. Mohair is lustrous and springy, used in a loop for a mohair rug that holds a sheen without viscose. Silk and a silk and wool rug give the deepest luster; viscose and bamboo silk imitate it at a fraction of the cost. Linen reads dry and cool in a flatweave.
What is the best material for a rug if I have pets?
Wool, or a wool and nylon blend and nothing on this page except alpaca and linen in a flat construction. Viscose, bamboo silk and silk are not for high traffic or pets: they water-spot, yellow where a dog lies, crush in a walkway and cannot be wet-cleaned without risk. Specify them for a bedroom or a formal living room with no shoes.
Is alpaca warm like wool and are wool rugs worth it?
Alpaca is warmer than wool at the same weight and softer; it sheds for the first months. Wool costs more than polyester or polypropylene and earns it: it resists crushing, hides soil, holds dye for decades and cleans. Clean an alpaca rug by vacuuming without a beater bar and dry cleaning spills; never steam it. Custom blends are made through custom rugs; see silk and viscose and wool blend.
