HOW ITS MADE

HANDMADE RUG BENEFITS, HAND-KNOTTED

  • Lifespan of the rug – Due to the overwhelming durability, handmade rugs can last you years on end. Typically made from silk or wool, hand-knotted rugs are built with special care and can take anywhere from months to years to finish production. This results in these type of  rugs being more expensive and consisting of better quality. Unlike any other type of construction, handmade rugs will age gracefully allowing you to pass them on to the next generation as a family heirloom.
  • Unpredictability – Handmade rugs embrace an element of uniqueness with the ability of the creator to add customizable designs in ways a machine can not. This natural beauty gives way to exclusive patterns and illustrations. Every handmade rug tells its own story.

TECHNIQUES AND CONSTRUCTION

  • Construction – Quality ranges from low to very high depending on what materials are used in weaving. Handmade rugs are constructed with absolutely no chemicals as well as no synthetic fibers which is one of many reasons why it’s a delicacy. A handmade rug constructed correctly can range from 100 to 600 knots per square inch.
  • Techniques – When dealing with hand-knotted rugs it is essential that you never vacuum the fringes, alternatively disable the vacuum cleaners beater bar. As far as storing these rugs it depends directly on the knot density. Typically you will be able to roll or fold your rug to store away. It is recommended to only roll rugs consisting of a high knot count to avoid foundation damage. – Shedding is not a defect and is reliant on the type of material used as well as the age of the rug and knot density. – Sprouting is something that may commonly occur but is very treatable. Simply snip the sprout with a pair of scissors to fix the rising affect, stay away from pulling or tugging on the sprout as this may cause more serious issues. – Curling can occur when a new rug is unpacked and the edges seem to curl up refusing to lay flat. This is very common and letting the rug’s backing or foundation have time to lay completely flat is normal. In some instances you may want to roll out the rug in reverse to speed up the relaxing process. – Insect damage can occur due to spilling food, flowers from outdoors or even pets. Occasionally checking for insect damage is a great way to stay on top of maintenance. Moth’s are most commonly known for their larvae feeding on wool. Most prominent in the warmer months, its a good idea to periodically leave your rug out in the sun for a few hours to dismiss any unwanted insects. Be weary of spraying your rug with insect repellant as they can cause colors to fade, so make sure you are reading about in particular products. – Fading, although giving your rug an antique and vintage look, can cause others a headache. To protect from fading, try repositioning your rugs every so often so that it is not in direct sunlight. Also drawing blinds that fight against fading is always a smart idea.

HAND-TUFTED RUGS

  • Utilizes a tufting gun during construction. Due to the support of this tool, hand- tufted rugs are produced much quicker. Since it only takes a week or two to construct, creators are given the chance to follow the latest trends in fashion and hone in on new popular designs.
  • Maintenance is very important when handling these types of rugs. Over time these rugs age differently than other rugs, the backing of hand-tufted rugs can become stiff. This is due to the canvas added to the backing during production to secure fibers with latex. The latex is non-toxic but can deteriorate in due time so do not panic if you start smelling burnt rubber or see white powder emitting from underneath. This type of aging is indeed a characteristic of the rug and not a defect. Make sure that you are taking care of spills immediately to slow down this whole process. Nonetheless, repairs for hand-tufted rugs are inexpensive unlike hand-knotted.
  • To prevent the foundation from tearing or wrinkling make sure you are rolling the rug tightly around a cylinder shape when storing them away. Putting very heavy objects on top of an already stored away rug can result in creases and even rip the backing.

HAND-KNOTTED RUGS

  • Hand-knotted rugs are typically the most durable out of all the other techniques used for production.

MACHINE MADE RUGS

  • Unlike hand-made rugs, machine made rugs rely on synthetic materials most of the time and computer engineering.
  • Machine made rugs can be produced extremely quickly usually only taking minutes to finish. The fast production time also allows for trendy designs and very up to date color schemes. Due to the few resources invested in the construction of each rug, the cost is reflective upon this. Like hand-tufted rugs, it is advised to store machine made rugs by rolling them and keeping heavy objects away from being placed on top.