Rugs are a staple comfort for your home, and the right rug can help you define your home aesthetic, ground your color palette, and make it a space to relax and enjoy. Discover the benefits of viscose as a rug material for your home aesthetic and how to care for viscose below.

What Is Viscose?

Viscose is a type of semisynthetic material commonly used for faux silk items. Considered a type of rayon, viscose is made by combining wood pulp from trees and bamboo with chemical treatments that result in silk-like fibers. These fibers are then transformed using machines or by handweaving techniques into faux silk rugs, furniture upholstery, bedding, and clothing items.

Benefits of Viscose

Review these benefits of viscose to help you decide whether it’s the right rug fabric for your home.

Luxe Look + Feel

Get the appearance of silk and the feel of smooth, comforting cotton by going with a viscose area rug. Its silk-like properties give viscose rugs an unexpected sheen that will have you second-guessing if it’s actually a faux material. This also helps give your room a clean, polished look.

Hypoallergenic

Keep your allergies at bay with a viscose area rug or runner rug. Viscose is a low-permeable fabric, meaning it doesn’t absorb air particles like looser weaves do. Its low permeability makes viscose a smart rug choice for when you want to keep off unwanted pollen or pet hair.

Long-Lasting Color

Maintain bold colors by choosing viscose for your next area rug. Because viscose has both synthetic and natural fiber properties, it can hold dyes for a long time. This is due to its natural wood fibers which can easily absorb and retain water. This keeps dyes from fading overtime, allowing you to maximize your enjoyment of bold colors or striking neutrals in your home. Select an ivory viscose area rug to complement neutral shades of cream and beige in your living room, or go with a rich teal-colored rug to ground blue accent shades.

Affordable Pricing

Stay on budget without compromising on look or feel by choosing a rug made with viscose fabric. Viscose is more affordable when compared with authentic silk rugs because it’s more readily available and quicker to make. This makes viscose a great choice for a seasonal decor swap or an easy update for your space.

Blendable Material

Prioritize comfort by selecting a viscose-blended rug. Wool-and-viscose-blend rugs add a layer of texture to your space, while viscose-and-cotton blends combine for ample comfort underfoot. Its blendability also helps viscose take the form of braided, hand-knotted, hooked, tufted, or flatweave rug patterns, meaning you don’t have to compromise on a rug weave you enjoy.

How to Care for Viscose Rugs

Enhance viscose’s benefits by applying the right care techniques and taking the right precautions. Review these tips to determine how to best care for your viscose staple.

1. Place Rugs in Low-Traffic Areas

Place viscose rugs in low-traffic areas of your home as looser weaves may be prone to stretching and pilling. Reduce these situations by placing your rug in your bedroom, living room, or as an accent in an upstairs hallway. Elevate your bedroom, living space, or hallway by hanging a small, handwoven viscose rug as a decorative wall tapestry.

2. Keep Rugs Indoors

Maximize the amount of use you get out of viscose items by keeping them indoors. Viscose rugs typically aren’t waterproof and take longer to dry due to their tendency to absorb moisture. This also means keeping them away from entryways to outdoor spaces to keep them as dry as you can. If you’re searching for a rug to amplify your outdoor patio space, make sure it’s classified for outdoor use.

3. Dry-Clean or Hand-Wash Rugs

Give your viscose items the chance to last a long time by making sure to use proper cleaning methods. A professional dry-cleaning service can give your rug the proper clean it needs to hold its shape and quality overtime. Aside from the dry-cleaners, hand-washing is the next best option. Use cold water and a delicate detergent before letting it air-dry to prevent shrinkage. Don’t put viscose in your washing machine or dryer.

4. Follow Product Care Instructions

Make sure you review your rug’s care instructions on the product tag for specific care instructions. This is important as certain viscose rug blends or weave techniques may require different care.

Ready to go viscose?