Sisal rugs are one of the best natural carpet fibres, which have been extracted from the spiny and long leaves of the Agave Sisalana. The fibres of this plant are highly durable and the carpet is often used in high-end homes and higher traffic areas. Homeowners may use them as wall-to-wall carpets in their high-end homes part from their use as area rugs and runners.
Most of the times, sisal area rugs and runners are lined with canvas border of nearly an inch. Sisal has been gaining great popularity in the global market due to its tailored finish and its sustainable nature.
Origin and procurement
It is believed that agave has originated in Mexico. However, the plant is now also grown in Brazil, the Caribbean, Florida, Tanzania, Kenya as well as parts of Asia. You would be interested to know that there is a seaport town in Mexico known as sisal.
Varied uses
The fibres of the plant are used for making ropes, cloth, paper, handicrafts alongside the wall coverings. In the present times, sisal carpets have become a stylish option in the higher end homes especially in places where people prefer environment-friendly options to decorate their homes.
Sisal is highly preferred for its earthy tones and it has a higher end Berber look and feel. Moreover, it also holds a lesser amount of allergens. Homeowners also love the fact that sisal fibre rugs are highly durable and can easily obscure dirt, and stains.
Peculiarities
Sisal fibres are made entirely of natural plant fibres. These have a coarse irregularity characteristic of the natural look. Therefore, it is not generally possible to get a perfectly uniform floor covering using the sisal fibres. Moreover, there are weaving variations, like knots, lines, colour, slabs and variances, which are some of the inherent and well as favourable properties of sisal.
Life-cycle and lifespan of the sisal carpets
Typically, a well-made sisal carpet can last from anything between 7 and 10 years. On average, the plant bears 200-250 commercially useable leaves. From every leaf, about 1000 fibres can be produced. These fibres can go up to the length of 3 feet and can be harvested by hand. The sustainable harvesting of sisal fibres is one of the important issues in the world. Sisal is found to grow the best in climates where the temperatures may go up to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. One of the interesting facts is that sisal fibre is used for making tequila-like liquor. The fibres of sisal are sun-dried prior to carefully spinning them into fine carpet yarns.
Sisal and jute: much confused options
There are lots of people who cannot make out the difference between sisal and jute rugs. But, the fibres of the two plants vary greatly in how they feel to touch.
Boons of sisal carpet
Advantages of a sisal carpet include that these are eco-friendly and stain resistant. Sisal is durable, heavy duty and is suited for high traffic areas in the home. However, one should remember that sisal fibres are sensitive to water and thus, these should be kept away from the kitchen and bathroom areas. Sisal fibre carpets are beneficial for people with allergies and these maintain moisture balance in the environment.
