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Question:
I
purchased a hand tufted 8x10 rug made in India of new wool. I think it is
probably a hard twisted rug because some of the yarns do turn back and the
rug has an almost berber like look and feel. The surface has a look that is
very textured. The problem is I have had this rug for almost a year and
it sheds continuously. And by shedding I mean it will put quite a bit of
wool into my Dyson. It really does not feel at all soft, I would have to
describe it as having a scratchy, course texture. Could this just be because
the yarns turn back or does the shedding and courseness just amount to a bad
rug? What would you give the longevity of such a rug? Might I have recourse
with the manufacturer rather than the furniture store through which is was
purchased?
I have just
found out that the importer of this rug, Hellenic, is no longer in
business. The rug was purchased through a furniture retailer at a cost of
$854 for the 8x10. The rug is called Twisted Wonders TW04 and is currently
listed at several web sites for around
$1,251 or more. The tag on the backing of the rug is an original
Hellenic tag that states that it is 100% New Wool Hand Tufted in India Backing
Primary: Latex Secondary: Cotton. I have attached a picture from the
website of what the rug looks like and a picture of a small area that to me
looks kind of pulled and matted but I don't think you can really see it in the
picture. Although it is in my living room rug we take our shoes off and it
does not get heavy foot traffic.
Thanks very
much!
Thanks for writing in about your carpet and providing detailed information.
If the following seems
somewhat critical, out apologies in advance. We're simply providing
information based on our expertise in a forward manner.
While almost any carefully chosen area rug can visually augment the
look and feel of a room, there are certain types we instruct our
audience to reconsider prior to purchasing. Although there are some
excellent quality tufted rugs out there, simply put (in general) tufted
rugs are not the best investment. There are many reasons for this: Know Hand Tufted
Shedding
is really not uncommon. Even for hand knotted rugs. In a well made
carpet with good material inputs and balance in structure, shedding
should dissipate after time. As you mentioned, your rug appears to have hard twisted wool, which can and may develop pulls. If removed, it can potentially place
additional strain on adjacent fibers as density is lessened.
There's really no proper solution to prevent the rug from
shedding. To accurately assess the severity of your situation, we
really would have to see the rug in person. However, other than
vacuuming regularly, the only alternative option would be to use a less
aggressive vacuum - perhaps one with suction rather than a brush. This
may take more time to 'clean', although in the long run, could prove to
keep the rug from shedding exponentially higher amounts down the road.
If you don't already have a suction adapter, we would not recommend the
purchase of one. A dyson is a great vacuum, and will be well suited
for a fine quality hand knotted rug down the road.
Even if the company you had purchased the carpet from were still in
business, there would be little case against them in recovering money.
Perhaps they may replace the carpet if they were still around? That in
itself would be a stretch. You mentioned a new company [deleted] will be carrying on the designs of Hellenic. It may be worthwhile to mention to them the experience you've had with this particular line.
Truth be told, tufted rugs are (in our opinion), considered
disposable rugs. Unfortunately, due to high decorative demand,
turnover and consumer interest in lower price point area rugs in
addition to 'change up' design schemes every few years... These rugs
have become well accepted by consumers in the last decade.
As for the longevity of these carpets, it really depends on the extent of shedding and many, many factors. Additionally, these are very difficult rugs to have cleaned as they're often limited to a simple shampoo on the face of the rug, rather than a full wash. One bad stain could justify a toss to the curb as traditional, thorough cleaning may be cost prohibitive as replacement for a similar carpet may be as little as twice the investment of cleaning. With tufted rugs, there's also the problem of deterioration. Even if the rug was purchased brand new, there's no telling how long it had been in stock for prior to purchase. If it had been imported 4 years ago but purchased today, generally, that's already 4 years closer to expired lifetime of the latex.
The best thing to do is enjoy the rug for its colors, design and
comfort. Although the shedding you describe may be irritating and
cause for concern, it's just one of several potential downsides to a
rug which is suited for a lower investment.
Going forward, we highly recommend consideration of a fine quality
hand knotted rug. With well known established importers of program
lines in oriental rugs, there is often a higher degree of oversight and
much greater quality control. In the long run, a well constructed hand
knotted carpet with good quality wool will not only be easier to
'maintain', but also be a much more cost effective purchase despite the
higher, initial investment.
All the best,
David Dilmaghani
Co-Founder,
Rug Rag
We look forward to talking with anyone who may have questions on or
about Oriental Rugs. We are an Independent Reviewer, and will give you
our opinion for any rug, new or old. Should you have any questions you
would like to submit for a blog entry response, please do so, and be
sure to include photographs of your rug. For more i
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