Tips to How to Recognize a Handmade Rug?

 

It is said that only a real expert can recognize a handmade rug. But the truth is, if you pay close attention to the following concepts, you will be able to find out in a very easy way whether a rug is handmade, by hand, which means that its quality is superior. Let's start!

Steps To Recognize a Handmade Rug

To recognize the best handmade rug, the first thing to look at is whether it is hand-knotted in the traditional way. Each authentic Oriental rug is unique and it is very possible to find imperfections that add personality and differences between them.

To know if it has been tied by hand or by machine, the following 3 points must be taken into account:

Topstitched Stripes: Machine-knotted rugs have stitched stripes. To check this, turn the rug over and look for the knots on the edge of the fringes at the back. Pull a strip and check if the knots are on the same line as that strip. If it moves, it means the stripes are not sewn.

No Defects:  Machine-made rugs do not have these imperfections. To check this you can flip the rug or find a pattern, compare the rows and find the differences. If there are subtle differences between the designs and the knots are different sizes, congratulations, the rug you are looking at is handmade!

Same Size: Machine-made rugs are all the same, that is, they always have the same size, the same design. However, if they are made by hand, there are obvious variations. Take a tape measure and measure.

While these may seem like laborious steps, this is one way to tell if a rug has been made by hand. And the fact is, considering how much they cost, it's important that you make sure that they don't give you a cat for the hare.

Another of the indicators that determine that a rug was made by hand has to do with your Origin. Countries with a tradition of carpet knotting guarantee a standard. However, there are authentic handmade Bokhara rugs and prints.

What Countries Do Authentic Rugs And Prints Usually Come From?

In the case of genuine handmade rugs, these are usually sourced from countries such as Iran / Persia, Afghanistan, Turkey, or Russia. As for the copies, they come from other countries such as India, Pakistan, China, or countries in North Africa.

That’s why you need to take this into account both when you are traveling and want to buy a rug and when choosing it in a store. Always look for the label where the place of origin of your carpet is specified!

Tips for Identifying If a Persian Rug Is Genuine

The Persian rug Handmade has always been very popular to decorate all kinds of living rooms and other rooms in the house where you want to add an exclusive touch. They may be a little more expensive, but they are so wonderful and of such extraordinary quality that they are well worth the investment. These are lifelong rugs! Of course, these are not all the same, as there are qualities that distinguish handmade rugs from factory-made rugs:

The Design: Compare the design of the rug with samples of Persian rugs, or compare it with the Internet or with books, to determine where it is from and its age.

The Pattern: The pattern is also one of the factors to consider because if the pattern is irregular and you see knots, it means it was done by hand. If it's the same, it could be from a machine. Look for imperfections. In the faults, it is the charm!

Colors: If the colors are muted, it means that the weaver has dyed the material with natural vegetable dyes; which would indicate that the rug is handmade and that no chemicals or products of questionable origin have been used. Factories often opt for more attractive synthetic materials, which results in a brighter appearance or the use of colors such as orange, blue, or purple, among others.

Knots: If the rug was made by hand, the number of knots per centimeter determines the value of the rug. Think about the hours of work it took to make it! So the higher the number, the more expensive the mat will be.

Signature: This information is very important, as you should find the signature written in Arabic on one of the edges of the mat. This identifies the rug as a unique and authentic piece and of course, handcrafted.

By following all of these tips, you will learn to distinguish handmade rugs from which were made by machines like a professional. Keep in mind that the value is not the same, so before you buy them we recommend that you take a good look at them and research all those “details” that make a difference.