The fibre of a rug decides how it feels, how it wears and how it ages. We choose materials for their performance as much as their beauty, and we describe them plainly on every product page.
“Wool, silk, cotton, jute and plant-based fibres: what we use, and how each behaves in a room.”
Wool
Wool is the foundation of most of our rugs. Its natural crimp gives it resilience, so the pile recovers well from footsteps. It contains lanolin, which helps it resist soiling, and it takes dye deeply. Wool rugs age well, often developing a soft sheen with use. New wool rugs may shed loose fibres for a period; this settles with regular vacuuming.
Best for: living rooms, bedrooms, hallways and most everyday spaces.
Silk
Silk allows very fine yarn and precise drawing, and it reflects light with a lustre no other fibre matches. It is used on its own in fine rugs and as highlights within wool. Silk is more delicate in use: it shows pressure marks, is sensitive to water and should always be cleaned professionally.
Best for: bedrooms, studies and low-traffic rooms where detail and sheen matter.
Cotton
Cotton forms the warps and wefts, the hidden foundation, of most hand-knotted rugs, where its strength and stability are valuable. It is also the traditional material of the dhurrie, giving a light, cool flatweave that is easy to move and clean.
Best for: flatweaves, dining rooms, kitchens and warm climates.
Jute
Jute is a strong plant fibre with a natural golden tone and an organic texture. It is used in flat-woven and braided rugs and blended with wool. It is less soft underfoot than wool and is sensitive to moisture, so it is best kept away from damp areas and spills.
Best for: living spaces with light to moderate traffic, and as a base for layering.
Bamboo silk
Bamboo silk is a regenerated cellulose fibre, a form of viscose made from plant material. It has a silk-like sheen at a more accessible level. Like other viscose fibres it is weaker when wet and can crush more readily than wool, so we recommend it for low-traffic rooms and professional cleaning. We describe it as a plant-based fibre, not as silk.
Best for: bedrooms and quieter rooms where sheen is wanted.
Dyes
Our rugs may use natural dyes, synthetic dyes or a combination, and some use undyed wool in its natural colours. Each approach has its own character; none is a mark of quality in itself. We state the dye approach for each piece where we know it.
Blends
Many rugs combine fibres, such as wool with silk highlights, or wool with jute. Where a rug is a blend, we list the principal fibres so that you can judge how it will behave.
Samples
If you are choosing between fibres, request a sample. Holding a material in your hand, in your own light, is the most reliable way to decide.
Last updated September 2026.
