Natural Products
Our carpet is the product of a manufacturing process that’s carefully managed at every stage in order to reduce environmental impact to an absolute minimum. Most of the wool in our carpets is locally sourced, reducing raw material road transport miles. The wool and jute (backing) elements will biodegrade naturally over around 12 months in landfill under normal conditions. Carpet can be placed in landfill in the UK as industrial waste at the end of its serviceable life. Carpet is being recycled in greater volumes to reduce its environmental impact.
The carpet will be delivered packed in paper and on cardboard tubes, both of which can be recycled locally across the UK.
Why Wool?
Wool is nature’s own high-performance fibre, offering durability, warmth, flexibility and reliability. The majority of the wool we use comes from British sheep, which we combine into specialist blends to suit each particular type of carpet.
Wool is a great natural insulator and also helps reduce noise which adds cosiness and warmth to a room. It’s naturally flame retardant and doesn’t melt like man-made fibres do. It’s also sustainable, renewable and biodegradable – this is as important to us as it is to our customers. It is highly absorbent meaning that it can hold 33% of its own weight in water before it feels wet. This enables a wool carpet to help control the humidity of a room.
For allergy sufferers, a wool carpet or rug will actually help to cleanse the air of dust, airborne allergens and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). It is a common misconception that hard floors are better for allergy sufferers – this means allergens and dust can travel in the air which can make symptoms more pronounced. A 100% wool rug or carpet in a room will help limit the impact of living with an allergy.
What are the benefits of wool in carpet?
- It’s flame retardant and won’t melt like manmade fibres do
- Wool releases heat slowly helping to insulate your room
- As well as being cost effective performance-wise compared to synthetic fibres, wool offers great durability benefits
- Wool will hold up to 33 percent of its weight in water before feeling wet
- It’s a natural humidistat which means it can control the humidity of its surroundings
- Wool is absorbent and can absorb volatile organic chemicals whilst reducing formaldehyde present in the atmosphere from other materials
- Wool carpets should purify indoor air for up to 30 years – great if you have airborne allergies. Carpet is better in homes where people suffer from airborne allergies than bare wood or hard floors, which cannot absorb dust and allergens
- Wool has excellent acoustic performance – making a cosier atmosphere in any room
- Wool makes an excellent compost and soil conditioner
- Wool is an environmentally friendly choice:
- 100% Renewable
- 100% Biodegradable
- 100% Sustainable
Axminster Carpets is a supporter of The Campaign for Wool. The Campaign for Wool is a multi-national, cross-industry coalition working together to raise the profile of wool as the natural sustainable fibre for fashion and interiors.
Launched in January 2010, the Campaign for Wool embraces leading figures from the fashion industry, interior design, wool carpet manufacturers as well as the world of insulation and building.