How to Identify a High-Quality Rug
It has become one of the biggest concerns for any rug buyer to identify and determine the quality of their rugs. As the demand of Area Rugs has increased so has its manufacturing, of course. But, with these advancements and increased demands, people have started to make low quality and Cheap Rugs to sell those instead. This harsh truth is obviously bad for anyone and certainly everyone since people then get exposed to doubts and have deep seated fears rooted in them and misconceptions about getting scammed (that will never go away until busted!). Don’t worry, because we are here to guide you to our utmost best. As we try to help you out always and consider that our duty, we got your back this time, too! Just sit back and read this blog till the end to identify factors that will help you determine the quality of your area rug. Just chill and keep on reading!
The Overall Appearance
It can sometimes get extremely obvious if your rug is of cheap quality. You can tell just by looking at it and analyzing the overall condition that the area rug you are eyeing on is a cheap one and possesses low quality materials. You are expected to see irregularities and the roughness on its structure that will immediately send red signals to your brain. If you notice some uneven dimensions and very bumpy sides, you can tell that the rug is not worth it. It usually happens when the rug is made quickly and with low material and techniques. You will also notice that these rugs would look as if they were washed out before placing them at their show places. The area rugs that are of high quality normally lay flat on the floor with no irregularities and even dimensions. They don’t even seem rough very much but rather look detailed. Never forget to give an overall inspection to the rug and check the appearance, shape and form of the rug.
It’s All About The Knots
The knot density contributes to the rugs quality. It usually is KPI (Knots per inch) which is used while determining the knots in area rugs. This also helps to ascertain the denseness of a rug. Normally, rugs with better quality have 290 knots per square inch which enables tightness and accord the details in the artistic designs and styles. However, rugs that are of cheap quality only have 30 knots per square inch. Due to this much less knot density, the area rug also tends to feel scratchy and hairy. Although the knots per inch depend upon the size of the rug, the estimate provided is the basic and common interpretation of this phenomenon. The knot count also determines the durability of area rugs. Less knots denote a looser weave which means the rug might not be able to withstand and bear the foot traffic and will soon appear to damage. While a rug with more knots will not have to deal with such issues. Basically what we are trying to say is; more the knots, the better!
Check What The Material Is
The material is all that matters when it comes to buying area rugs. This actually determines the whole quality and the look of the rug. If the material used is itself low in quality then there is no reason to proceed further in buying that rug. It’s an immediate turn off. To inspect regarding the material just rub your fingers on top of the rug and see if some material comes off. If it does, then that means that the rug is not capable of being used as a rug, at least. Just imagine, if it gives off material just by rubbing your fingers, you cannot even think about its condition when it’s placed under your feet (don’t even think about it!). We suggest you buy area rugs that have natural fibers rather than synthetic fibers. Why is that? We believe, durability is all that matters in the end. Area rugs of natural fibers are not very easy to retain and make and cost somewhat high but, since synthetic fibers are easily accessible so people rather exploit that to their advantage. They make cheap quality rugs excessively in large amounts made up of materials like olefin or polyester. Rugs made up of natural fibers, especially wool are more likely to survive through generations. Although, rugs of synthetic fibers such as nylon, polyester or olefin do have their own benefits such as durability and stain resistance etc but they still are not at a level where natural fibers are. The maximum that a rug made up of synthetic fibers can survive for 20 years or less but area rugs made up of natural fibers especially those with quality wool have the capacity to survive till ages and generations. Also, synthetic fibers rugs tend to fade in their color and soon become yellow which is not a good point.
Hand-Made Or Machine-Made?
The process through which the rug is made and manufactured directly affects the cost and quality of it. The foremost question that needs to be asked is where the area rug is machine made or hand- made? We advise you to prefer a hand- made rug over a machine made one. A hand- made rug is far better than the latter and has its own benefits. Obviously, they are time taking and take in both the hard work and energy in order to make a one hand made rug. It can take months to bring one rug into life and sometimes, years as well. Handmade Rugs are considered more detailed artistically from its weaving to knotting, everything is perfect. As they are labor intensive and humans supervise everything around it and so they are supposed to be of high quality. High quality area rugs obviously advocate to the longevity; an increased life span. Whereas, a Machine Made Rug is made in a very less time, I mean they are controlled by computers and eventually made by machines, too. Obviously, they are made in an extremely less time so they are less expensive. This also means that they cost less as compared to a handmade rug. A good handmade rug can last generations if proper care is taken and it is maintained carefully.
The Colors Also Contribute!
A high quality rug is either dyed through colors extracted through vegetable plants or high end pigments. The rugs are manufactured in dozens and hundreds of colors from bright and vibrant colors like yellow and red to dull and dusty colors like black and grey, area rugs are simply available in any shade. Nowadays, synthetic dyes are on a rise since they cost less but are user friendly and have good results. Whereas, natural dyes have their own uniqueness and never matched traits since they give off a glow and an effect that no other means can give. Moreover, they can even be mixed and matched or even paired with other natural dye colors to bring some else color to life. Both these dyes i.e. synthetic dyes and natural dyes have their own specifications and both work well. It solely depends upon your personal preferences which one you would want to consider. However, it should be kept in mind that a rug of high quality must have retained colors from either organic vegetables dyes (natural dyes) or from high end pigments (synthetic dyes). Otherwise you will see that the color will start to fade within weeks or even days!
Let’s Not Forget The Patterns
The weaving techniques tell about the quality of a rug. This helps in making the patterns. A bad and less detailed pattern is probably an indication that the rug is of cheap quality. You will see that the rugs strands and tips will be all over the place and not set. That roughness and mess is a bad sign. If the patterns are detailed, you will see the strands and tips set on their place and everything will be seen as very detailed. You will also begin to notice the sharpness and accuracy in the details, too!
We told you, you wouldn’t be left disappointed! We have provided you the most comprehensive guide to help you identify, determine and consider the quality of your area rug. This is by far the ultimate know-how that covers all aspects when it comes to identification of quality. All you need to do is to just read this out and implement these. Buying anything of quality is the foremost concern of any buyer and customer and we fully value that. We understand that with the growing influence of the rug industry, there is a considerable risk surrounding the quality as well. But, with all these steps and factors (that are listed in this blog post) you don’t have to do extensive surfing or take stress while buying a quality area rug. Also, we hope you found it interesting and helpful since that’s what exactly we wish for you!
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