Fiber Content Options for Hospitality and Residential Area Rugs: Silk or Viscose?

Custom Area Rugs can be produced with a wide variety of materials, two of which include Silk and Viscose. Both of these fibers are more often than not used as substitutes or additions to other materials within an Area Rug. It is not uncommon, though, for either to represent 100% of the yarn content.

Silk and Viscose have seemingly similar exteriors, but the actual production methods for both are largely different. Silk is extracted from the cocoons of "silkworms", while Viscose is made from wood pulp. Silk production is a tedious process, involving details such as the temperature of the cocoons and the diet of the silkworms. Silk is known for having low conductivity, which makes it useful when woven into clothes, and is also known for having a soft luster.

Viscose you may hear referred to as "artificial silk," is somewhat untrue since wood pulp is a naturally occurring material. Viscose was invented as an alternative to reduce costs and the difficulty that comes with the production of Silk. When comparing Area Rugs made of either Silk or Viscose, both will look extremely similar, making it difficult to tell them apart with the naked eye.

When deciding on which material to use, every fiber has its own advantages and disadvantages depending on how and where they're used. If you're looking for durability, it's best to go with a combination of either Wool and Silk, or Wool and Viscose, with Wool being the dominant fiber. Wool representing the overall percentage will increase the durability, and the addition of either Silk or Viscose will enhance the overall design.

Below are some of the pros and cons when comparing Silk and Viscose (specifically to yarn content in Area Rugs):

SILK

• Pros:

  • Known as one of the strongest natural fibers, maintaining its fiber strength for a substantial amount of time

  • Soft texture without being slippery

  • Unique refraction of light when viewed at different angles

  • Natural fiber (environmentally friendly)

  • Good moisture regain when wet

• Cons:

  • Adds substantially to the costs due to the time-consuming production process

  • Weakened when exposed to sunlight

  • Shows footprints easily

  • Proper cleaning methods are required

VISCOSE

• Pros:

  • Excellent substitute to reduce costs and resemble Silk

  • More susceptible to dyes, giving it excellent color retention

  • Easy to care for

• Cons:

  • Crushes easier (especially under heavy furniture)

  • Produced through a chemical process

  • Contributes to air and water pollution

  • Weakened when exposed to sunlight