You are about to make a lifetime purchase. You will see two diamonds that are the same size and style, but their price is very different. An experienced seller will teach you about the differences in clarity, color, and cut, thanks to which one stone is of better quality and therefore more expensive than the other. Even if you choose a cheaper stone, you will be satisfied that you have made an informed decision to buy.
A good Easter rug store will offer a sometimes confusing selection of rugs. A hand-woven oriental rug can be just like a diamond a lifetime purchase. You want to know a lot about the quality of your future purchase. The following factors need to be considered.
1- Wool quality
Although other materials are used for hair (such as sides), wool is most commonly used. Fleece quality is one of the most important factors determining the overall quality of a carpet; If the raw materials are bad, the finished product will be bad as well. The fur coat should be shiny, with a natural sheen made of lanolin; should not be exhausted. Other rugs, especially from China and Pakistan, are cared for to give a silky look. It does not last and the chemical treatment damages the fibers, which contributes to rapid wear. The coat should be flexible enough, should not limp, and stick easily. Coarse fleece (from Middle Eastern Fat-Tailed sheep) is a common choice of carpets. Merino wool from Australia is softer and finer. It is often found in rugs generally acknowledged (with some exceptions) that Persian wool is often of the highest quality. It is more likely to be hand spun rather than machine spun. The gentler handling in hand-spinning contributes to its durability. Hand spun wool generally takes dyestuffs better. The group can be shortened to clarify the pattern or left relatively long.
Take a look at the many different types of rugs in the store to see and feel the differences in fleece. Ask about the quality of the fur on one carpet in relation to another. Don’t ask if the fleece is good; ask if the fur on this rug is as good as the quality of the fur on it. Ask if it is manually or mechanically powered. This is not clear to the untrained eye. Silk carpets look great, but silk is not well dried. Processed (mercerized) cotton is sometimes covered with silk, especially in Turkish rugs under the names Turkish silk and art silk.
2 – Dyes
The second factor (one would say the most important) is the quality of the dyes used. In the middle of the last century, all dyes were “natural”; which they obtain from vegetables (and sometimes insects). The first synthetic aniline dyes to appear were of poor quality; when exposed to light for some time, they run down or disappear or change color. Most of these problems are eliminated with modern “chrome” dyes if they are well-prepared. The advantage of modern dyes is their main disadvantage; Dyeing too fast will not allow the dyes to soften naturally with time and use. Natural dyes are still used mainly in Turkey and Iran. They are sought after because they age well and produce beautiful colors similar to virtue.
Some beautiful rugs are damaged by added colors or bad colors; “Hot” synthetic orange is a tree criminal that unfortunately does not soften with age.
Enjoy having beautiful rugs!
