Carpets, or rugs, are popular among households because not only do they add beauty and elegance to any home, but protects people from accidental slippage caused by wet feet, especially if they’re using tiles for floorings.
Rugs can be made from many soft materials, but recently, Sisal-made carpets are becoming trendy due to its numerous benefits, as well as its exotic nature-like appeal.
Origin
Sisal fibers are made from a classification of cactus plants called Agave sisalana, which are found abundantly in Africa and Brazil. Being a cactus plant, it grows well in hot, desert-like climates unlike other plants. When harvesting, the stalks of the plant are cut first, then dried and treated, which produces a tan-colored twine. Originally, the internal fibers of Agave sisalana are made into materials for ropes because of their tensile strength, but after seeing the advantages of it, it has since become another popular material for making rugs and carpets.
Benefits of Sisal Rugs
There are numerous benefits of Sisal rugs compared to other rugs who uses synthetic materials, as well as others who use natural fabrics. First of all, since the designs that are used for Sisal rugs effectively give your household an authentic nature feel, especially when you combine them with other ornaments that are made from wood. While this is inherent with other naturally made rugs, Sisal rugs offer even more advantages.
The Sisal fabric is known to be naturally stain-resistant, so you won’t have to use any chemical compounds to clean up any mess made. You just give it a few wipes, and you’re done. Sisal rugs are also known to not build up static electricity during dry, windy days, unlike other carpets, effectively adding the inherent safety of this material. And unlike other rugs made from natural fibers, Sisal is known to be very durable, and won’t even begin to show signs of wear and tear with continued use. This makes it a perfect rug to use in hallways, and other areas where foot traffic is very abundant.
Disadvantages of Sisal Rugs
A sisal rug is not without its disadvantages, though. Since Sisal is an organic material, it’s recommended to be used in areas with high humidity or other areas that are constantly wet, such as kitchens and bathrooms, as it can develop water stains quite easily. However, this can also turn into an advantage when placed in other areas of your home, as it can regulate the room temperature by absorbing excess humidity during its mild changes, and then releasing it when the climate is dry.
Sisal Rug Customization
While Sisal-made rugs are quite common in the market today, the durability of the fabric means it can also be interwoven with other fibers, like wool and sea grass, in order to give a rug the benefits of both fabrics. In fact, many households prefer a rug that’s made of 60% wool and 40% sisal because their combined benefits effectively make the rug warm, soft, and very durable.
However, make sure that when you’re using all-natural Sisal rugs for your carpeting needs. There are distributors out there who sell “synthetic” Sisal rugs. Such material doesn’t give the benefits of a real Sisal rug, hence you should always check with your distributor to see if you’re getting a genuine Sisal rug.
Moreover, as with any other type of rug, regular vacuuming for dirt effectively prolongs the life of your Sisal rug.