ITHACA/ELMIRA carpet cleaners

ALL ABOUT WOOL--
Facts That May Surprise You!

All about wool is a special topic for ABC because our specialty is the washing and repair of fine wool fibers.  We are listed as a Certified Wool Care Specialist by The Wools of New Zealand, an international company that provides a commercial range of branding, technology, and design services to the carpet and rug industry for both producers and users of their product.

Wool is an amazing fiber.  Not only are the finest woven rugs in the world made from wool, but it is a perfect fiber choice for other home furnishings and clothing as well.  It is soft, comfortable, and totally sustainable. 

Because of the wide variety of man-made fibers available in today's market and because wool can be a much more expensive option (especially in carpet fiber), the consumer may avoid wool, never realizing the vast number of benefits offered by this super fiber.

ALL ABOUT WOOL
FIBER BENEFITS

WOOL IS NON-ALLERGENIC

Contrary to popular opinion, wool fiber is actually good for asthma sufferers.  The reason for this is wool carpets and rugs are especially resistant to dust mites and their waste products, the main allergic triggers for asthma attacks.

WOOL IS ANTI-STATIC and CONTROLS INDOOR HUMIDITY

Wool can retain up to 30% of its weight in water and still feel dry!  It is this ability to absorb moisture from the air that allows wool to control indoor humidity levels while making it anti-static, reducing the risk of static shocks.

WOOL ABSORBS INDOOR CONTAMINANTS, ACTUALLY IMPROVING INDOOR AIR QUALITY

This characteristic of wool may truly surprise you!  Ever since the energy conservation efforts of the 1970s, our homes and offices have been and are being built and insulated to minimize the flow of outside air. This increases our exposure to the contaminants that can be found in our indoor environments in so many of the manufactured items we find today, especially in plastics and laminates and carpets other than wool. 

Wool carpets have the highest removal rates of toxic substances such as nitrogen dioxide (often found in building and furnishing materials) and sulfur dioxide.  Rather than off-gassing these chemicals into the indoor air, wool has a structure that enables it to absorb indoor contaminants and lock them into its core—sometimes for as long as 30 years.  

It has also been shown that wool carpet can actually reduce high levels of formaldehyde down to zero in a very short time.  For those who have under-floor central heating, wool carpet will retain these gases even when heated. 

WOOL IS ECO-FRIENDLY

Wool is 50% carbon, meaning that it locks carbon dioxide away from the ozone layer, making it very eco-friendly. 

WOOL IS AN ETHICAL CHOICE --NO ANIMALS ARE HARMED!

The sheep used for wool production are not harmed in order to harvest the wool. 

WOOL IS A RENEWABLE RESOURCE

Each year, the sheep re-grow a new coat for wool production.

ALL ABOUT WOOL
FROM NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand wool, in particular, is ethically grown and is of superior quality. New Zealand has the ideal climate for this agriculture. 

The sheep of New Zealand are bred specifically to grow excellent fiber for textiles and the farmers adhere to the best practice in animal welfare, social welfare, and land management. 

The end result is free-range farmland that is managed sustainably, protecting native bird and plant species and maintaining clean waterways. 

ALL ABOUT WOOL
AN ETHICAL AND
GOOD HEALTH CHOICE

So much of the world today lives on synthetic materials made from oil, rather than natural fibers made from wool.  Consumers often choose plastic-based carpet or rugs with a small amount of recycled content and think they are doing their part to save the planet.  Even when manufacturers focus on color and style, they sometimes forget that wool offers more options than any other material. 

Choosing to make as many ethical choices as possible when purchasing products is very important and essential for the future of our children and our planet.  When you purchase carpeting or a rug that has been constructed from wool you are making an ethical decision as well as a good health decision for your family and for your environment.  

CALL ON ABC...

If we can be of help to you on this subject, please do not hesitate to call or text our office at 607-272-1566.  Our staff has a combined experience of over 100 years.  We would be happy to speak with you.


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ABC Oriental Rug & Carpet Cleaning Co.
130 Cecil Malone Drive Ithaca, NY 14850

607-272-1566

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An interesting look at how wool is manufactured.


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