There is no denying that shag rugs are the softest and most comfortable rug style. Shag rugs add that special touch that can take a home from plain and simple to stylish and unique. Shag rugs are warm and inviting, and they add a bit of softness to the home. They are great rugs to use for layering—smaller shag rugs look great on top of natural fiber rugs or richly-colored traditional rugs. You’ll find shag rugs in a variety of homes—mid-century, contemporary, minimalist, and “scandi” designs.
With so many types of shag rugs out there, where do you even begin choosing one for your home? It is best to start with rug material. Shag rugs come in a variety of materials, including wool, faux and real fur, leather, and acrylic. They also come in more popular rug materials like polyester and polypropylene. A higher pile looks warmer and cozier, but also requires a little more maintenance.
Here are the five best shag rug materials.
Wool
Wool shag rugs are special works of art. Handmade flokati rugs are traditionally made in Greece. They are made with wool and have a thick, loose pile. While they originated in Samarina, Greece, flokati rugs became incredibly popular in the 60s and 70s. We are thrilled that flokati rugs have not gone out of style to this day. They are superbly soft and luxurious and make any home more elegant. While some may find the flokati rug a bit over the top, they have an effortless style that makes them versatile enough to fit into any kind of room and remain tasteful.
When it comes to wool, you can’t go wrong with a crisp ivory shag rug. If you’re looking for more pattern, we love these modern, tribal-inspired designs. If you like to keep it simple but prefer darker colors, natural grey makes a beautiful flokati shag rug.
Faux Fur
While wool is traditional and elegant, you really can’t get any more luxurious than a faux fur rug. While fur rugs are gorgeous too, they tend to be a lot more expensive and come with their own ethical concerns. Faux fur is the perfect addition to a high-ceiling living room with a fireplace and leather couches. For a cabin, lodge, or other darker room, stick to deep brown and camel shag rugs. For a modern room with white paint, mirrors, silver, and glass, stick to white shag rugs. Faux fur shag rugs also look great in vanity rooms or bathrooms, libraries, and studies, and of course, they make bedrooms supremely cozy.
To really make a statement in a darker room, try this black faux fur shag rug. This particular rug comes in a variety of colors, including bone, espresso, ivory, and stone. These shades all look great in a nature-inspired home with lots of neutral colors. Granite is another beautiful faux fur shag rug color.
Polyester
Polyester rugs have very soft textures and feel wonderful underneath your feet. Just by standing on a polyester rug, you would think that it is very expensive due to its texture, but they are surprisingly affordable. This is why polyester makes a great shag rug material—soft and luxurious, yet affordable. Polyester shag rugs have a little more variety when it comes to style and texture. You will find lower pile heights in polyester shag rugs. This is great if you are looking for a shag rug that is easier to maintain and keep clean.
This is a great example of a polyester shag rug with a low pile height that comes in a variety of fun colors. To contrast, this is a polyester shag rug with a higher pile. With a polyester material, you can expect to find a lot of bright colors. This multi-color shag rug has pops of pink and orange to brighten up a room. Perhaps for a girls room you want a bright pink shag, or for a boys room a fire truck red.
Acrylic
Acrylic is a great material for any style of rug because it mimics the softness and texture of wool, but because it is synthetic it is a lot more affordable. You’ll also come across a lot of wool and acrylic blended rugs for a cheaper, but still very durable rug (as wool is known for its durability).
Acrylic maintains its coloring quite well, so it is a great material to use if you are looking for a brightly-colored shag rug. This pink faux fur rug made with acrylic is just adorable! For a children’s bedroom or bathroom, this bright blue acrylic shag rug is very fun too!
Shag rugs truly do look best in more natural hues for the majority of rooms in a home. This simple ivory shag is made with acrylic and looks absolutely stunning with its faux sheepskin appearance. We also love the regal texture of this silvery grey shag.
Polypropylene
Polypropylene is another very popular synthetic shag rug material. Polypropylene is the most durable of synthetic materials and is known for being used in outdoor rugs. However, this durable material makes the perfect shag rug because it combines softness with durable strength.
If you’re looking for a little more bohemian style in your shag rug, this polypropylene shag has a Moroccan pattern and tassels on the ends. This cream and beige polypropylene shag rug have a more sophisticated style and pattern compared to most shags and comes in a variety of shapes. Never be afraid of bright color in your shag rug—it can be done in a very tasteful way. Check out this ivory and multicolor shag rug with pops of bright colors.
Flokati wool, faux fur, polyester, acrylic, and polypropylene are the best rug materials to look for when shopping for a shag rug. For an even better shag rug, look for one made with a combination of some of these materials. Your shag rug will be durable, soft, luxurious and colorfast all in one!
