| Turkish carpets have long been considered a desirable | | | | last forever and will not fade. Therefore, the more |
| addition to any well-decorated home. They can be as | | | | expensive and valuable rug will be the one using the |
| much fun to buy as they are beautiful to look at. But | | | | natural dyes.o The type of fiber used in weaving the |
| whether you are lucky enough to be shopping in | | | | rug is very important. Traditionally, all Turkish carpets |
| Turkey or simply buying one from a dealer closer to | | | | were made of silk. This makes even the smallest of |
| home, there are several things you should be aware | | | | these rugs very expensive. More affordable versions |
| of to insure you get the best carpet for your money.o | | | | are made with wool or a combination of wool and silk |
| You will want to determine whether the rug was | | | | and the very inexpensive carpets are a blend of nylon, |
| machine or hand-knotted. The hand-knotted version will | | | | polyester, cotton and acrylic. Even the quality of the |
| be more expensive. You can certainly ask but to be | | | | wool or silk used can affect the price. Lightly scrape |
| certain, turn the rug over and look at the weaving | | | | your fingernails over the carpet. While it is expected |
| pattern and knots on the underside. A machine made | | | | that a few fibers will come loose when scratched, if |
| rug will have perfectly spaced knots while a | | | | you come away with a large handful of fibers, this |
| hand-knotted rug will show some imperfections. The | | | | indicates a lower quality material was used.o Pattern is |
| size of the knots does not determine quality, just the | | | | not only a personal choice but can be an indicator of |
| number of knots used.o The number of knots per | | | | the quality of your rug. A floral or curvy pattern will |
| square inch of the rug has a direct impact on the | | | | require more knots per square inch to get the desired |
| quality and value of the rug. The more knots per | | | | look whereas a geometric pattern with its straight lines |
| square inch, the more expensive the rug. A rug of | | | | requires fewer knots. While the floral pattern will usually |
| average quality will have roughly 150 knots per square | | | | be more expensive due to the work required in tying |
| inch. A higher quality rug can have 500 knots or more | | | | more knots, no one pattern is necessarily more |
| per square inch. Again, check the underside of the rug | | | | valuable than another. It might be fun to ask the dealer |
| and look for closely spaced knots that are | | | | about the "story' of the pattern. Many of the geometric |
| symmetrical. Also, if the pattern on the underside | | | | patterns tell a story about the region and/or the |
| closely matches the pattern on the top of the rug, | | | | weaver.o It is important to check the condition of any |
| there will be more knots per square inch. This is also a | | | | rug you purchase, regardless of price. Turn the rug |
| good indicator as to whether the rug is machine or | | | | over and check for any areas that appear to have |
| hand-made. A good dealer will be able to tell you the | | | | been restored or repaired. Place the rug in the sun |
| number of knots used.o A good quality Turkish carpet | | | | where it is easier to spot any problems with color, |
| will use natural dyes that come from vegetables, | | | | weaving patterns, repairs etc.o Check the small details. |
| flowers and even bugs! A less expensive carpet will | | | | Look at the quality of the fringe on the ends of the rug |
| use synthetic dyes. One way to determine the type of | | | | as well as any binding around the edges. A hand-made |
| dye used is to run a slightly damp cloth over the rug. If | | | | rug will have fringe woven as an extension of the rug |
| color rubs off then chemical dyes have most likely | | | | while a machine made rug will have attached the |
| been used. While some rug dealers may not | | | | fringe to the ends. Binding on a hand-made rug will |
| appreciate you using a damp cloth on their rugs it is a | | | | have some visible and uneven stitches as opposed to |
| good test. However, to avoid any problems with the | | | | a machine made rug that has perfectly stitched binding |
| dealer, you can simply turn the rug over and see if the | | | | all around. Try the "smell" test. If there is a chemical |
| top and bottom are equally vivid and bright in their | | | | smell, an acid wash may have been used. This type of |
| coloration. If there is a difference in color intensity then | | | | wash can break down the fibers of the wool, |
| chemical dyes have probably been used. Also, try | | | | ultimately reducing the durability of your rug. |
| spreading the fibers apart with your fingers and look at | | | | A rug that does not meet the highest of these |
| the "root" of the fiber. If natural dyes have been used | | | | standards is not necessarily a "bad" rug. Your budget, |
| the color of the fiber will be the same all the way to | | | | pattern preference and size requirements will all |
| the root. A synthetic dye will result in a lighter color at | | | | determine the rug you choose to purchase. However, |
| the bottom of the fiber than at the top. Since they | | | | armed with a little bit of knowledge you can make the |
| come from nature, natural dyes produce color that will | | | | best investment possible based on your needs. |