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Home | Rug Quality : Machine-made or the Real Deal?

Today, the market is filled with synthetic, machine-made rugs.

Synthetic rugs initially come at a low price, but they can often end up costing you more.

The main reason consumers opt for a machine-made rug is their affordability.

These rugs do not last long and have no resale value

Although a machine-made rug will cost you less initially, this may not be the case in the long term.

These rugs are made with synthetic fibres, such as polypropylene, polyester and acrylic.

They do not age well

Synthetic rugs become duller and dirtier much faster than handmade rugs.

A synthetic rug will most likely require a professional cleaning within months

While a handmade rug should be cleaned every one to three years.

They do not do well with wear and tear

Machine-made rugs are harder to clean, maintain, and usually reveal dull, ugly ground-threads.

A quick test to see whether a rug is handmade is to turn it upside down and examine the backside.

If you can’t see the pattern as clearly as on the front, the rug is most likely not handmade.

Additionally, you should be able to see the knots on the back of a handmade rug.

Antique Qashqai 69 X 46 Rug

The more distinctly the design shows on the back, the greater the number of knots per square inch and the better the quality of the rug.

When it comes to materials, wool is the best and most commonly used for handmade rugs.

Wool is durable, withstands wear and tear, is great for washing and lasts decades.

Wool is a renewable resource.

Whereas, machine made rugs are made using plastic fibers from non-sustainable resources.

For these reasons, hand-knotted Persian and Oriental rugs are commonly made of wool with a cotton foundation.

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Oriental Carpets on Display in Beckwith Galleries Showroom

Did You Know?

  • Finer Persian rugs are made with a wool and silk pile on a cotton foundation.
  • The finest Persian rugs are knotted on a foundation of silk, with a silk pile.
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Wool & Silk Rugs

Wool & Silk Carpets Collection

Premium, hand-knotted carpets in Ottawa at Beckwith Galleries.

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Urban Collection 711 X 5 Rug

Urban Collection 7'11" x 5'

$1,850.00
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Indo Tabriz 12'0 x 18'0

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Indo Persian 12'0 x 18'0

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Tabriz Mahi 6'0" x 8'0"

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