Why Is My Rug Shedding, and Will It Stop?

Whether a rug sheds is mostly a question of how it was made, not what it is made of — and a woven rug should not shed at all.

Wool sheds, and it is normal

A new wool rug sheds heavily for the first few months. Those are short fibres left over from spinning working their way out. It slows and eventually stops, and it is not a fault.

Tufted rugs shed differently

In a tufted rug the pile is punched through a backing cloth and held in place with adhesive. As that adhesive ages, tufts loosen. This kind of shedding does not stop — it accelerates, and it comes with rubber crumb from the degrading backing.

A woven rug should not shed

If the pile is woven into the structure rather than stuck to it, there is nothing to come out. Ours are woven, and shedding is not something they do.

What to do about a shedder

• Vacuum gently and often for the first few months — suction only, brush bar off if you can.
• Do not pull a loose tuft. Cut it level with the pile.
• If it is shedding rubber crumb rather than fibre, the backing is failing and washing it will accelerate that.