Outdoor Rugs
Outdoor rugs for the longest time were thought to need such excessive durability due to not only the wear and tear they received but also exposure to the elements that they were all made of a heavy-duty plastic and appeared much like the astro-turf of old. They were often green in color and had a very stiff and prickly texture to them that was quite unpleasant to a bare foot yet held up incredibly well to a shoe.
Eventually, these synthetic outdoor rugs were improved upon with the introduction of softer, more desirable synthetic materials that allowed outdoor rugs to become more aesthetically pleasing to the eye as well as to the touch. Many more colors were available in fibers such as rayon and olefin, and their durability was not compromised in using them for outdoor rugs.
Patterns also began to expand over all of the other stylings of rugs available for display. Outdoor rugs can be made to look like an Oriental rug, an Indian rug, a Contemporary rug; pretty much any design can be found replicated in the materials needed for the uses an outdoor rug is selected for.
Yet even though the man-made materials used in creating outdoor rugs have their place when it comes to the lasting power of the same, many consumers still prefer the look and feel of natural fibers when they choose their rugs. Looking back in history, many natural fibers such as wool and cotton have been used for centuries when it came to making rugs. Rugs using these fibers even extend to the hooked rugs of New England that were made by women of older days using scraps of old cloth.
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Many of these older-style rugs are still used today for outdoor rugs as their designs have an old-world charm and a durability that has lasted throughout time. Oriental rugs also have proved their resistance to the wearings of time and were originally used not only for rugs in a person's home but also as saddle blankets for the animals they used for transportation in the time of the nomads. The durability of these rugs to the elements speaks for itself and even the modern weavings of the same are created in the same way as the older rugs and often with the same materials.
So older, more traditional rugs are now also used for outdoor rugs and this has added to the aesthetic appeal that can be added to any outdoor space. Natural fibers used from animals often especially hold the qualities needed for a wonderful outdoor rug as these fibers created by nature were meant to protect the animal from which they came from the elements. So rugs that contain wool from sheep, goats, llamas, and the like are naturally resistant to the elements and make incredibly durable outdoor rugs. Many of these fibers take to dye very well and this also adds to the appeal for the same as the color palette is often just as diverse as the colors available in synthetic materials.
So when you are searching for your next outdoor rug, don't limit yourself to the modern belief that plastics or synthetic fibers are always the most durable and the best to survive out in the elements.
Many natural fibers also hold the ability to withstand the same type of abuse often exposed to an outdoor rug bu Mother Nature. The design patterns and colors are just as available in the natural fibers as they are in the synthetic and both should be thoroughly researched before a decision is made as to what will best suit your outdoor needs. Only after having looked at all of your options when it comes to outdoor rugs, should you make your final selection and purchase an outdoor rug. This way, you are sure to be satisfied with your final purchase.
