Area rugs are a beautiful and practical addition to your home or business. They protect the floors underneath. They offer colors and patterns that amplify the design of a room. They are versatile, movable, and easy to clean. Area rugs don’t require special installation and can advance business branding or create a conversation piece in an intimate home setting. Area rugs come in many varieties including Oriental and Persian.
What is an Oriental rug?
The precise definition of an Oriental Rug is a carpet hand knotted in an Asian country. The largest exporters of Oriental Rugs are Turkey, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, India, China, Nepal and Tibet. The practice of hand knotting rugs has existed in these countries for thousands of years, making true Oriental rugs made by artisans a truly special product.
Oriental rugs are sought after worldwide. To be considered an authentic Oriental rug, it must be knotted by hand. Machinery is not used in their creation, and that sets them apart from other area rugs. Oriental rugs have unique and rich color combinations and come in several designs, sizes and weaves. It is possible to find slight irregularities in Oriental rugs because they are made by hand. You can be guaranteed that your Oriental rug is one of a kind.
Natural dyes used in Oriental rugs are derived from plant materials an insects from indigo and to pomegranate and larkspur. Oriental rugs can be made from many fibers including silk or wool. Rug quality can be determined by its knotting. The curved lines in an Oriental rug design are created smoothly with more knots per square inch. These can number anywhere between 50 to 1500 for each square inch of rug.
What is a Persian rug?
A Persian rug is a type of Oriental rug that was originally produced in Persia, now modern-day Iran. The art of carpet weaving originated in Persia as far back as 224 CE, almost 2000 years ago. Persian rugs have a rich history that make them a popular choice for today’s consumer.
Authentic Persian rugs are generally made up of floral patterns, but each region celebrates its own style of the knotting techniques, pattern, motif and colors. Materials used include silk, cotton or wool. Manufacturers of Persian rugs often combine all of them in the process. Persian rugs are also hand woven, so they take longer to complete than mass produced area rugs.
Interestingly, the Iran Carpet Company made history when its weavers created the largest handwoven carpet in the world. It measured 5,600 square meters and required over 2 billion knots to complete the process which took over two years. It now lies in a mosque in the United Arab Emirates and is reportedly worth almost $6 million dollars,
The Iranian people place a great deal of value on making these rugs, and rightly so. It has been a part of Iranian culture for millennia, and professional weavers proudly pass down the skill set to the next generation to keep Persian rug artistry alive.
These rugs are an investment that may get more valuable with time. If you own an Oriental or Persian rug, there are steps you can take to ensure it stays beautiful for decades.
Call us today to find out precisely why Precise Carpet Cleaning is the best.
Get your Oriental and Persian rugs professionally cleaned.
This will keep the colors as vibrant as they were when first knotted and extend the life of your rug. Renting a carpet cleaning machine from a big box store and using it on your Oriental and Persian rug can permanently damage it.
Precise Carpet Cleaning are experts in specialty area rug cleaning and make sure your Oriental and Persian rugs are gleaming with their structural integrity intact. Learn about our St. Louis area rug cleaning process.
