The word “berber” can refer to two different things: color or style. Traditionally, it refers to the color of the carpet. Berber carpet is light in color with flecks of darker colors.

However, today, berber generally refers to a specific carpet style. Berber carpet is found in looped styles. It’s a tight weave without any tufts like other types of carpet. All carpets begin as looped carpets.

In case you’re wondering, the word “berber” refers to the Berber people of North Africa who created hand-woven textiles that featured a signature knotting style and multi-colored flecks from sheep wool. There’s nothing wrong with knowing a little history!

Okay, so now that you know what berber carpet is, we can talk about how well it performs. The truth is, berber carpet has a lot of great attributes that make it an awesome choice for your home. Let’s dig into some of the best aspects.

• Less expensive: All carpet begins as berber carpet, so it tends to be less expensive since it’s easier to manufacture.
• Durable: It's more durable than other carpets because of its tight weave and low pile. That’s why you find it in many high-traffic commercial areas.
• Easy to clean: Because of the loop style carpet, spills tend to sit on the surface of this carpet instead of soaking into the fibers.
• Hides soiling: Multi-fleck carpets hide soiling since they aren’t a solid color.

Like every product, berber carpet does have a few limitations. Some of them are unlikely, but they’re good to know about anyway.

• Snags: To be honest, this is highly unlikely because it requires a lot of force, but berber carpet can be subject to snags and runs if you drag heavy furniture across it or have a vacuum with a beater bar.
• Pet damage: As it turns out, cats really like the texture of looped carpet and might try and scratch it. This could damage your carpet.
• Special vacuum: Beater-bar vacuums should not be used on berber carpet. Any frayed ends can get twisted around and result in a snag or run in your carpet.
• Texture: It's not as soft as cut-pile carpet.
• Installation: It's difficult to install as pattern matching is tricky and seams are rarely invisible due to its low pile.

Okay, so now you might be wondering why you should choose berber carpet over other carpets. There are a few reasons this carpet may be right for your home:

1. It's highly durable. If your home has a high-traffic area with lots of animals, people and kids running through it, berber can stand up to the challenge.
2. Berber tends to be cleaner than other types of carpet. It’s easier to suck up dirt with a vacuum because of its short fibers. Spills can also be cleaned up since they tend to sit on top of the carpet instead of soaking through.
3. Berber carpet is one of the most affordable carpets on the market. It’ll certainly fit any budget you have. If you have a tight budget, it may be the way to go.

Hopefully berber carpet has now been demystified! You no longer have to scour the internet searching for answers about berber carpet, I have them all right here for you. What are you waiting for? Get shopping!