The quality of every Oriental Rug begins years before the weaver selects the first spool of hand spun wool. Think of a great work of art. First, the artist is born with a unique talent for color, shapes, design and for seeing life itself. Over the years, the artist is trained. He or she learns how to develop their raw and rare potential into a wondrous and captivating craft. The true artist never stops learning and continues to gain knowledge.

It is the true artists in the Oriental Rug producing areas we visit and deal with when purchasing year after year. We go to their homes and learn about their work. These are the people and the products that have made Oriental Rugs popular for centuries. These are the people and their craft that inspire us

The materials used to create the rugs when combined with the artistry of the designer and weaver is what makes it the carpet last, sometimes for several lifetimes. Pay attention to the following elements and characteristics when determining a rug’s value on the open market.

Handspun Wool 
Handspun wool is stronger and more textured than machine spun wool. When spun by hand, yarn absorbs more dye where it is loosely spun and less dye where it is spun tightly, thus producing pleasant variegation in the colors of a rug. This variation in color is known in the rug world by the Turkish term abrash. Handspun wool naturally requires more labor and thus rugs woven with handspun wool are more costly. But, the hand spinning process is less abrasive to the wool; more of the natural oils (lanolin) are retained and less fibers are broken. This produces a wool thread that is more resilient and carpets made with such wool will last long and wear better.

Natural Dyes
Natural dyes are more beautiful than the synthetics used in factories. The colors they produce tend to have a more organic and natural hue. In addition, natural dyes tend to be more color-fast. They fade very little when exposed to sunlight.  They do not bleed when washed with water. And finally, natural dyes are not toxic. They do not pose a risk to the dyers or to the environment.

Knots Per Square Inch
“The higher the knot count, the greater the value.” While in general, this statement is true, there are exceptions, such as the type of knot, the age, the rarity, the size and the design. More knots per inch creates a more detailed design or higher resolution. The more knots per inch, the longer it takes to produce the rug.

Higher knot counts work best for rugs with a great amount of detail. Curvilinear designs need higher knot counts. Geometric designs can often do with far lower counts and still be very high quality pieces.

When considering Knots Per Square Inch, ask questions. A well informed and trusted guide can walk you through a maze of details in the rug or rugs you prefer.