An oriental rug can be a beautiful addition to your home, But it’s not always easy to spot whether your rug is the real thing or a clever fake so here is a short guide on how to tell the difference. One of the best places to purchase such rugs is in the market’s of Turkey with the traders direct. It might be a good idea to stay in the country for a while and the best place for that is to look at Holiday Villas in Kas, one of the most beautiful places in Turkey.
Check the backing
The back of a genuine oriental rug will be soft, because they’re hand knotted. The pattern on the back will be a mirror image of the pattern of the rug itself. If that’s not the case, your rug is a fake.
The other way to tell whether your rug is not the real article is if it has a plastic backing. This is a giveaway that the rug is synthetic and may even release volatile organic compounds, which can be a no-no in the home.
Check whether the colours bleed
This can be difficult to ascertain, and assumes you’ve taken the rug home. Leave a damp cloth on the surface of the pile overnight. If it’s stained in the morning then the dyes are not colourfast, as you would expect them to be in a genuine oriental rug. If the invoice doesn’t specify the type of dyeing process used, you can claim your money back.
Check the fringe
The fringe on a genuine oriental rug is integral to the structure of the rug itself and will be hand knotted. It will never be sewn or glued on. This is a huge red flag, and it’s easy to spot if you flip the rug over.
Check the rug is hand knotted
Genuine oriental rugs are knotted by hand, a laborious and painstaking process. If your rug is described as ‘hand tufted’, then it is not the genuine article. Hand tufting is a modern process, involved in the manufacture of contemporary carpet and carpet tiles.
Carpets and rugs manufactured in this way can be aesthetically pleasing, but they are not as hard wearing as a hand knotted rug.
Check whether it’s wool
An oriental rug will be made of wool and feel soft to the touch. Synthetic rugs will not feel as luxurious to the touch.
Check the price
Because of the craftsmanship that goes into creating them, oriental rugs have a price tag to match. Don’t be fooled by a bargain price, as a cheap rug is unlikely to be the real deal.
