Published August 2020 | Updated November 2025
Sisal has a way of defining a space—clean, textural, and quietly refined. It’s often chosen for its natural beauty and timeless appeal, but in higher-use environments, its limitations become clear. SynSisal® is a synthetic sisal designed to offer that same look with fewer limitations—more durable, easier to maintain, and more resistant to staining. Available in broadloom, rugs, and modular formats, it supports flexible layouts and interiors rooted in natural texture and calm. Below, explore common questions to see if SynSisal® is the right fit for your next project.
GLOBAL ACCOLADES: iF DESIGN AWARD 2025
SynSisal® stood out among 11,000 entries and has been honored with the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD 2025 in the Textile/Wall/Floor category. This globally renowned award is a seal of quality for outstanding design and design quality.
What is SynSisal®?
SynSisal® is a synthetic sisal line developed by Curran. It is made from ECONYL®, a 100% regenerated nylon yarn derived from recycled materials such as fishing nets and carpet waste. ECONYL® yarns are continuously regenerable, significantly reducing your flooring’s ecological footprint.
Not only is SynSisal® a sustainable choice, but it also meets contract-grade performance requirements while aligning with the needs of today’s design community. With a range of refined colorways and formats—including broadloom, rugs, and modular tile—it offers flexibility across a variety of interior applications. In addition, SynSisal® features low VOC emissions, reducing the need for prolonged ventilation and supporting healthier indoor environments.
What sets SynSisal® apart is its ease of maintenance. Unlike natural sisal, SynSisal® resists stains and is simple to clean, maintaining its appearance with regular vacuuming and adherence to our Care and Cleaning guidelines. This combination of sustainability, performance, and low maintenance makes SynSisal® well suited for designers and specifiers working across residential and commercial projects.
Design Intent
Many of our clients—interior designers and corporate specifiers—are looking for flooring options that capture the look of natural fibers while meeting both aesthetic and performance demands. While they’re drawn to the organic look of natural fibers, their practical needs vary—from soft, inviting textures in quiet spaces to durable, stain-resistant solutions for high-traffic environments such as retail or hospitality. While we value natural fiber rugs, they are not suited to every environment.
This led us to develop the SynSisal® line—designed to capture the beauty of natural sisal with innovative fibers like ECONYL®. We spent nearly a decade refining materials, yarn colors and weave structures. The result pairs the durability and ease of maintenance of synthetics with the refined, textural look of natural sisal.
The SynSisal® Timeline
Key Features of SynSisal®
SynSisal® is designed for environments where durability and material clarity are equally considered—from residential interiors to hospitality and workplace settings. Available as rugs, broadloom, and modular tile, it allows for both continuous surfaces and more flexible, modular compositions.
Material Integrity SynSisal® is made from ECONYL®, a 100% regenerated nylon, combining sustainability with high performance. It is well suited for high-traffic areas and carries a contract-grade rating.
Performance ECONYL® Nylon 6 offers durability with a Class 33 rating, suitable for hospitality and residential use. Additional performance features include UV resistance, high colorfastness, solution-dyed yarns, permanent anti-static properties, and a Type 1 / Class A fire rating.
How is SynSisal® different from any other synthetic sisal carpet on the market?
Read Why SynSisal® Outperforms Other Synthetic Sisals in Every Category to find out.
Ease of Care With built-in stain resistance and easy-to-clean fibers, SynSisal® maintains its appearance with regular vacuuming and minimal care—a more practical alternative to natural sisal.
Design Language SynSisal® reflects the visual language of natural sisal, with classic structures such as bouclé and herringbone interpreted in a refined range of textures and colorways. Across formats, including modular tile, it maintains a consistent, sisal-inspired look.
Customization Our workroom produces custom rugs finished with your choice of border, including cloth, leather, or the minimalist Infinity Edge. The SynSisal® Organics also offers organic shapes designed to define a space.
Where It’s Made
The life of SynSisal® begins with ECONYL®, a regenerated nylon yarn developed by Aquafil in Italy. The yarn is used in European mills to produce SynSisal® constructions, including the chevron structure of Astoria and the dimensional, sisal-inspired surface of SynSisal® Tile. Broadloom materials are then sent to our Georgia workroom in the United States. From there, they are shipped for wall-to-wall installation or fabricated into custom rugs, finished with cloth borders or the Infinity Edge.
Environmental Benefits of SynSisal®
Health and sustainability were considered throughout the SynSisal® design process, which is why regenerated yarns such as ECONYL® are used.
ECONYL® is a regenerated material with several environmental benefits:
- ECONYL® yarns are made from 100% reclaimed materials, including fishing nets, fabric scraps, and discarded carpet—reducing both waste and the need for new resources.
- Through a closed-loop regeneration process, these materials are transformed into a nylon fiber with the same performance as virgin nylon, while maintaining low VOC emissions throughout its lifecycle.
- Because ECONYL® fibers are endlessly recyclable and regenerable, SynSisal® contributes to a more circular material lifecycle.
- Each ton of ECONYL® raw material saves approximately seven barrels of crude oil and avoids about six tons of CO2 emissions.
The SynSisal® Lookbook is here!
See the story of SynSisal® & discover the benefits of this innovative, contract-grade carpet.
Is SynSisal® carpet good for stairs or a stair runner?
Stair runners must be hard-wearing, tightly constructed, and stable underfoot. SynSisal® carpets and stair runners meet these requirements, offering the performance of a synthetic sisal with added ease of maintenance. Installed wall-to-wall or as a runner, SynSisal® is designed to handle consistent foot traffic while providing a softer feel underfoot and helping to reduce sound. Its range of colorways and refined patterns integrates easily into a variety of interior styles.
SynSisal® Installation
Installing flat weave carpet like SynSisal® requires careful installation to ensure a beautiful, long-lasting result. All SynSisal® woven styles include Installation Guidelines.
For a deeper look at flat weave installation, visit our guide: Flat Weave Carpet Installation – Everything You Need To Know. We also offer installation videos to support your project—find all the videos here.
Common Questions
Is SynSisal® good for high-traffic areas or commercial settings?
Yes, SynSisal® is well suited for high-traffic residential environments and demanding commercial applications such as hotel lobbies, offices, and airports. ECONYL® yarns are solution-dyed Nylon 6 with UV resistance and high colorfastness, supporting long-term appearance retention. SynSisal® woven constructions are low profile, permanently anti-static, and carry a Type 1 / Class A fire rating. SynSisal® Tile formats offer an additional option for modular installation and targeted replacement in high-use areas.
Are SynSisal® rugs & carpet soft to walk on?
Natural sisal feels rough underfoot—something many people appreciate. By contrast, synthetic sisal offers a softer feel underfoot. ECONYL® fibers resist compression and abrasion and maintain a smooth, consistent surface without compromising durability. SynSisal® supports a more comfortable, refined interior—well suited to high-end residential spaces and boutique hospitality settings.
Is SynSisal® kid and pet friendly?
SynSisal® offers stain resistance, durability, and softness—qualities that support everyday use in homes with children and pets. ECONYL® Nylon 6 fibers are durable, soft underfoot, and easy to maintain.
Our SynSisal® offers stain resistance, sturdiness and softness, all features that our customers with kids and/or pets want. ECONYL® Nylon 6 fibers are durable yet soft and easy to maintain.
Are SynSisal® rugs & carpet easy to clean?
Don’t we all have better things to do with our time than spot-cleaning our carpets day in and day out? SynSisal®’s ECONYL® yarns resist stains with proper care. Plus, ECONYL® yarns are elastic which minimizes flattening, carpet pile compression and deformation.
Regular vacuuming, prompt removal of spills and treating stains with approved cleaners like James Cleaner will keep your carpet’s soft feel and luxurious look throughout its lifespan. We call this resilience without compromise.
All our weaves come with care guides, plus we offer videos, tips and more on our Care & Cleaning page.
James Starterset for Carpet & Upholstery
We recommend James Cleaner products for general cleaning and treatment of stains on our SynSisal® weaves. The James Starter Kit comes complete with James Water, James Stainwonder and James Stainspray.
Does SynSisal® shed?
Shedding happens when rug fibers become loose or work they way to the top of the pile. This commonly happens with new rugs or carpet, especially with wools, jutes and seagrasses. Since SynSisal® is a synthetic carpet made from long strands of nylon fibers, it does not shed.
Is SynSisal® good for allergies?
The ECONYL® yarns that we use to weave our SynSisal® collection do not shed nor emit toxic antigens, making a SynSisal® rug or carpet a great addition to any space.
ASTORIA | honey
Why SynSisal®
If all of the above did not convince you of SynSisal®’s positive properties, here are three reason why a SynSisal® synthetic sisal is such a great alternative to natural sisal and the definitive synthetic sisal on the market.
- Aesthetic Appeal You get the natural look of sisal, with the same classic weave structures and timeless colors, but with a softer feel underfoot. A SynSisal® rug or carpet is beautiful.
- Practical Benefits SynSisal®’s ECONYL® yarns are durable, rated for heavy contract settings, and resist staining. Install wall-to-wall, create a custom rug or choose an organic shaped rug to fit your design. With regular vacuuming and appropriate cleaning, SynSisal® will save you time, stress and money in the long run.
- Authentic Our SynSisal® is not like any other synthetic sisal. It is woven on traditional looms in Europe from 100% recycled materials. Our process utilizes regenerated yarn to weave elegant, artisanal quality sustainable rugs and carpets.
Our SynSisal® flooring is stunningly similar to natural sisal, but tough enough to go where you wouldn’t dare to use the real thing. It’s high performance is the right match not only for wall-to-wall flooring in commercial and hospitality spaces but also for custom area rugs (cut and bound) for high-end residential homes or boutique shops and hotels.
Five classic SynSisal® patterns: panama basketweave, herringbone, tiger eye, tight-loop and heavy bouclé.
Order SynSisal® samples today—feel their softness and see their neutral yet refined colorways.
Thinking about using SynSisal® for your next project?
Contact our dedicated customer service team
for help at any stage of your design.
The possibilities are as big as your project.
SynSisal® Rugs at The Pinch Hotel
The Pinch, located in the heart of historic Charleston, South Carolina, invites travelers from around the world to experience true Southern hospitality, from its in-house oyster bar to royally decorated rooms and residential suites. Every aspect of the space elegantly blends modern amenities with authentic period charms.
Discover why the design team behind The Pinch decided SynSisal® was the right weave for this unforgettable hotel.
18 comments
I need information regarding this product for the area of Pinehurst, NC. I look forward to hearing from you! Thank you
Hello!
Thank you for expressing interest in SynSisal. I notified our Customer Service team and someone will be in touch with you shortly to answer any questions regarding the product in your area. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thanks,
Patrick
HI –
I am interested in using Synsisal Medina for 2 flights of curving stairs in a New England Victorian.
I’m not sure how this application might go.. is it possible and would you recommend – from an installation standpoint?
Thanks!
Hi Laura,
Thank you for posting a question about installing SynSisal® Medina on a staircase. I think Medina would look wonderful on a curving staircase! The trick here is to get a professional installer who has experience with flat weave carpeting. Please feel free to reach out to our customer service team for more guidance. In the meantime, check out our blog post on installing flat weave carpeting to further educate yourself and your installer. If you do install Medina, we would love to see pictures!
Best of luck,
Christy
I am considering SynSisal for a mudroom rug 6ft by 6ft where ski boots will be removed in the winter. There is a Waterhog rug outside the door, so hopefully most snow would be knocked off before stepping on the SynSisal rug, but there will definitely be some wetness. Is wetness a problem with SynSisal? The floor has radiant heating and typically dries wetness quickly. Thank you.
Hi Sue,
Thank you for reaching out to us about our SynSisal® weaves. Although SynSisal® is a durable synthetic material that can stand up to heavy traffic, we recommend it for indoor use and regular contact with water might lead to staining. Many of our Outdoor | Anywhere weaves have a natural fiber look, come in a variety of colors and patterns, and can handle melting snow and the dirt that often tags along. Please contact our customer service team—one of our representatives would be happy to help you find the perfect rug.
Best,
Christy
Can SynSisal be made as an area rug 15′ x 20′?
Hi Kelly,
Thank you for expressing an interest in SynSisal. Currently, SynSisal rugs have a maximum width of Max. 13′ 2″. We do offer several sisal weaves in extra-wide lengths that can be used to create a custom 15′ x 20′ area rug. You can find these weaves in our Extra Wide collection.
Best,
Patrick
The Synsisal fascinates me.i am considering an area rug to be used on my newly refinished hardwood floors. Do I need a pad under it? Or do you add padding? Can a darker border be added?
Hi Eleanor,
Thank you for expressing interest in SynSisal. We offer a variety of border finishes and options on our SynSisal page: https://www.sisalcarpet.com/catalog/synsisal-collection
Best,
Patrick
Can you give me the name of a dealer in the Cary, NC area – 27519
Hi Helen,
Thank you for expressing interest in SynSisal. We are the exclusive vendor of the product and ship to North Carolina. I will have a member of the customer service team contact you.
Best,
Patrick
Are there installers / designer in the Charleston SC area with SynSisal experience?
Hi Kathy,
Thank you for expressing interest in SynSisal. While we do not have any recommended installers that are certified with SynSisal in your area at this time, we do recommend the International Certified Flooring Installers Association to locate qualified professionals for SynSisal installation. Our customer service team also offers detailed installation guidelines as well as the option of technical support, should your onsite team need any advice or guidance during installation.
As always, do not hesitate to contact our internal sales team for any specific questions you or your installer may have.
Best,
Patrick
Price please for bedroom initially and then stairs landing and further bedrooms in synthetic sisal
Hi Sara,
Thank you for inquiring about synthetic sisal pricing. The pricing depends on a few variables, namely the material and the dimensions of each room. To determine the price of synthetic sisal for a bedroom, first choose one of our synthetic sisal products and then click on the “Order Your Rug” button under your favorite weave. From there, you will have the ability to enter custom dimensions for a rug or choose Wall to Wall Broadloom.
For the staircase, please view our resources on sisal stair runners to learn more information. I also highly encourage you to reach out to our dedicated and knowledgeable customer service team for additional pricing information.
Best,
Patrick
Please provide me with the name of a dealer or showroom in the 10601 zip code or in New York City where SynSisal is sold.
Hi Carolyn– SynSisal is currently exclusively available from Curran and Sisalcarpet.com. Browse and order swatches of the collection here, or contact Customer Service for for more information or to place an order.