Rug production has been ongoing for over 2000 years moving from a
home craft to a fine art form. The weavers craft is still paramount in the
production of handmade rugs, whilst more modern production techniques
give almost unlimited opportunity to develop complex and original patterns
and structures.
We source from the four most prominent rug manufacturing countries -
India, China, Turkey and Belgium. Each country has its own distinct style
and comparative advantages - India for example is the world leader in hand
tufted wool rugs, whilst China has an expertise in synthetic fibres. Turkey
and Belgium on the other hand have invested in the latest machinery and
necessary infrastructure to create a large volume of machine made rugs.
FIBRE TYPES
Picking the right fibres for your rug is a key factor in performance and
consumer satisfaction. There are many things to consider like cleanability,
durability, softness, colour retention and more. Synthetic fibres often come
out as top performers but lack the unique natural beauty that wool has. The
following explanation will help you choose based on your needs.
Natural Fibres
Wool
This is the most commonly used natural fibre in rug production. It is
naturally flame retardant, durable, warm in winter and cool in summer. Wool
takes on colour well and is naturally resilient to wear. Wool rugs will shed
fibres - this will reduce with time. This process will keep your rug looking
fresh for many years. Wool is relatively easy to maintain and only needs
regular vacuuming. It can be shampooed for a deeper clean.
Cotton
A soft yet strong fibre, it holds dye which results in a brighter colouration.
Cotton is a relatively easy care, low maintenance option for lighter
constructions.
Jute
This is a popular eco-friendly and cost-effective fibre. It is a relatively soft
fibre, so not as durable as wool or synthetics but gives an organic look and
is easy to style. It can be combined with other fibres to add texture. Jute is
highly absorbent so should not be used in bathrooms or kitchens.
Sisal
This is a practical, durable and low-cost fibre, ideal for entrances and
hallways as it is durable, rugged and easy to keep clean.
Synthetic Fibres
Acrylic
A super soft fibre that holds dye extremely well, allowing for a wide variety
of colours from soft pastels to a bold primary palette. Acrylic is not as
durable as other synthetic fibres so not ideally suited to high traffic areas.
Polyester
A soft and shiny yarn that is highly versatile. It is used in a wide variety of
styles from shaggy through to flatweaves. It is moisture stain and abrasion
resistant so ideal for the busy areas of a home.
Polypropylene
A great value synthetic fibre that is at the forefront of yarn technology. It can
be spun or dyed in many ways to create thick shaggy rugs; bolder, more
colourful rugs or fine classic looks. It is soft to the touch but is highly stain
resistant, non-shedding and easy to clean.
Viscose
A super soft, shiny and luxurious looking fibre, it is often used to add sheen
and lustre to natural fibre rugs. It is most suited to low traffic areas of the
home as it has low stain resistance and will absorb moisture.
PET
This yarn is manufactured from recycled plastic bottles, it is highly durable
and is the ideal fibre for outdoor rugs. Colours can vary from batch to batch
due to the mixed origin of the base fibre.
TECHNIQUES
There are many different ways of weaving a rug, and while hand knotted
is the most prestigious and well-known rug construction, the majority of
rugs in our homes are less expensive constructions such as hand tufted or
machine woven. Each construction has their own respective durability and
defining characteristics.
Hand Knotted
The original and authentic method of production that is still followed today.
Every piece is unique and reflects the individual skill and technique of the
weaver. The quality and very often the cost are determined by the number
of knots per square inch. Complex patterns require very dense knotting
and it can take a long time to produce. Hand knotted rugs will last for many
years and are ideal for high traffic areas. Eg Amira page 266
Hand Tufted
This is a more affordable alternative to hand knotted rugs. The quality and
price depend mainly on what quality of fibre is used. Hand tufted rugs are
made using a “gun”; a hand operated tool that punches strands of yarn
into a stretched canvas. The design of the rug is stencilled onto the canvas
and the weaver fills in the pattern with the appropriate colour of fibre, just
like painting with numbers. These yarns are secured with a latex glue and
finished with a cloth back for a neat appearance. This type of construction
gives a nearly unlimited variety of patterns, colours and textures. The most
common yarn types are wool and viscose. Eg Matrix page 66.
Hand Woven
This is a precise manual weaving technique that can produce shaggy rugs,
flatweaves or piled rugs. The main yarns used for this type of construction
are wool, polyester and cotton. Sometimes also known as hand loom rugs
the basic premise of the weave is to intersect vertical warp threads with
horizontal weft threads. To create the pile, the fibre is wrapped around a
special rod during the weaving process and then cut to ensure equal pile
height. Designs tend to be more limited due to the linear nature of the
weaving process. Eg Blade page 120 or Plush page 186.
Machine Woven
This is the most affordable rug construction, it is most commonly associated
with synthetic yarns like polyester and polypropylene. Rug patterns are held
on computers which control the design, colour and texture so there is little
chance of error in production. Modern machines are capable of creating
highly complex designs but there are production restrictions. In a machine
made collection the rugs are restricted to a particular set of colours so
that the machines can run at maximum efficiency. Common machine types
include Wilton and jacquard looms. Eg Aurora page 288
In more recent times additional techniques have been established to
enhance weaving constructions. Most common of these is printing. There
are 2 main printing processes that can be used to add design to base
carpets.
Screen Printing
A series of fine mesh screens are created to represent the colours in the
design. There is one screen for each colour. The mesh is placed on the
rug and then a selected dye colour is passed through the mesh onto the
carpet below. The ink only penetrates the exposed area of each screen
and leaves a replicable design on the surface of the rug. This process is
repeated for each colour until the final design is completed. This process
allows for relatively complex designs to be added to basic carpets. Eg
Gatsby page 54
Digital Print
This enables photographic imagery to be applied to the surface of a
flatweave rug. The process is very similar to that of most peoples home
printer. In this case instead of a sheet of paper they use a fine woven fabric.
This passes through the printer and the image is transferred by a print head
that moves across the fabric below. Once printed, a backing is added to the
fabric to create the finished rug. This process enables very complex images
to become rug designs. Eg Texas page 212
TECHNIQUES & MATERIALS
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