Types of wool rugs for the best choice underfoot
It’s not just about colour or pattern — it’s the type of wool rug determines how it feels underfoot.
We offer four main types of wool rugs at Bremworth: cut pile, chunky cut pile, loop pile, and chunky loop pile.
| Cut Pile | Chunky cut pile | Loop pile | Chunky loop pile |
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| Carpet with the top of its loops cut. Smooth, luxurious underfoot. | Cut pile but with less twist. Cushioned and cosy underfoot. | Short, densely packed looped fibres. Firm and textured underfoot. | Thicker loop pile for plush. Extra warmth and texture. |
Whether you want to create a luxurious sensory experience or provide a resilient surface for high-traffic areas, our guide will help you choose the perfect type of wool rug for your space.
The Difference Between Rug Pile and Rug Weave
If you're exploring rug types or the exquisite range of wool rugs available at Bremworth, you'll come across the terms ‘pile’ and ‘weave.’
Both significantly impact the look and textural feel of a rug, but they mean different things.
- Rug Weave
- How the fibres in a rug are woven or knotted to form the base.
- Weave refers to the process of intertwining horizontal (weft) and vertical (warp) threads to create the fabric.
- Rug Pile
- How thick or thin a rug is.
- Pile plays an important role in a rug's texture and appearance, adding to its softness, thickness and visual appeal.
Cut Pile Wool Rugs
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What it is: A wool carpet with the tops of its loops cut, giving it the name 'cut pile.'
Our Charmeuse rug featured here is a beautiful example of a cut pile rug. With a soft, 14.8mm thick pile, the Charmeuse creates a velvet-like sensory experience.
What we love about cut pile rug carpets:
- Great for high-traffic areas: Cut pile carpets feature a twist that makes them more resistant to crushing and matting. Cut pile wool is a perfectly practical choice for entryway and hallway rugs.
- Softer, comfier feel: Cut pile is also called plush, plush velvet or velour carpet because it looks and feels soft, luxurious, and cosy.
- Many unique variations to choose from, like hard-twist (known as frieze), felted plush, felted twist, and even shag piles with a long, hard-twist cut pile for a retro, 70s-style appearance.
Solid-coloured cut pile rugs tend to show footprints, so it’s best to either go with a patterned design or embrace the visual flow of movement that results.
Chunky Cut Pile Wool Rugs
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What it is: Also known as 'Saxony carpets' and 'hard-twist cut pile' rugs, these are cut pile carpet rugs with less twist. They feature more distinctive tuft ends that blend to create a velvety finish.
Our Te Aroha wool rugs are a sumptuous example of a chunky cut pile, providing a bold and immersive surface – perfect to sink your feet into:
Featured: Te Aroha – Orchid
What we love about chunky cut pile rug carpets:
- A popular and hard-wearing style – the yarn is tightly twisted and set so the tufts won’t flatten, making it a good rug option for areas with lots of foot traffic.
- Luxuriously textured surface that's less prone to displaying shading or tracking.
Customise your Te Aroha wool rug
Loop Pile Wool Rugs
What it is: Rug pile with short, densely-packed loops.
Levelled loop pile rugs like Levante and Lattice are woven with low and tight loops to create a sleek, uniform look. Less prone to crushing and matting, they’re ideal for even the busiest spaces in your home.
What we love about loop pile rug carpets:
- Wear well and don’t show footprints. Loop pile disguises everyday wear-and-tear and minor damage easily. So, it makes the perfect rug type for young, busy families.
- Short, densely-packed loops that block out dirt and are great for high-traffic areas like entryways.
Loop pile rugs can be further categorised into levelled loop and chunky loop pile rugs.
Levelled Loop Pile
Level loop pile rugs are made with loops of equal height, creating a smooth and even surface that’s durable and resilient.
Unlike chunky loop pile rugs, which feature thicker, more textured fibres, level loop pile rugs offer a clean, consistent look that is particularly easy to clean and maintain.
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Our elegant Levante rug is a levelled loop pile wool rug that’s robust and forgiving — ideal for high-traffic areas, playrooms, or dining rooms as featured here:
Chunky Loop Pile
Chunky loop pile rugs feature luxuriously textured fibres that are thicker than the typical loop pile; this makes them stronger and more tactile.
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A good example is our stunning Glenburn wool rug, crafted in wool to be naturally forgiving of spills and stains — perfect for families with children and pets.
Featured: Glenburn – Stone
A chunky loop pile rug made of wool adds exceptional warmth underfoot and tends to be more forgiving of stains and grime.
Common Questions About Types of Wool Rugs
What is the best weave for a rug?
The best weave depends on the purpose of the rug and your personal taste. Consider the aesthetic and function you’re trying to achieve before selecting a weave.
For example, short, densely-packed, textured loop rugs, like the Aoraki collection, are incredible dining room rugs because they block out dirt and handle high-traffic areas well.
What is the most durable rug weave?
All weaves are durable, but we recommend choosing a cut pile wool rug like our Āhuru collection for extra traction.
The individual strands in cut pile rugs stand upright, offering resilience and long-lasting durability against wear and tear. It's a sturdy choice for busy areas of the home.
What is the best rug that doesn't flatten?
Bremworth wool rugs don’t usually flatten, no matter the weave, but for a timeless look, we recommend a shorter pile rug such as a cut pile or loop pile.
A low-pile rug will resist matting and maintain its natural shape under footsteps, pawprints, and furniture even in the most highly-trafficked areas of your home.
Recap of the different types of wool rugs
Regardless of the pile you choose, wool flooring is the perfect addition to create a cosy feeling underfoot and throughout your space.
Explore more Bremworth rugs or book a consultation to customise your own wool rug.
