FAQ - Answers to Frequently Asked Rug Questions

We've pulled together the answers to the questions we're asked most frequently about our rugs.

Rugs play a significant role in enhancing the aesthetics and functionality of a space. 

This FAQ aims to provide quick answers you questions on various aspects related to rugs, from their materials to care and maintenance. 

Whether you're a seasoned interior design enthusiast or someone exploring options for their first rug purchase, we hope this FAQ helps you to make informed and better decisions.

Please check out our blog post for advice on which size to choose based on which room you are shopping for.

Spoiler alert: Bigger is almost always bigger in rugs.

We can work with your fabric swatches or paint colors.

Our most unique color match? A client in Australia emailed us a photo of her child's periwinkle toy to match.

All of our rugs can be ordered in custom sizes and shapes (runners, circles, and other shapes).

If you are looking for a size not listed on the price list e.g. 8'x11' , please look for the closest (larger size) and purchase that size. You will purchase a 9'x12' rug, and we will make an 8'x11' rug. Please remember to write the required size under notes on the order.

Choose Wool over Cotton For High Traffic Areas:

➡️Living Rooms, Family Rooms, Hallways, Stairs

Wool:

✅ soft and plush

✅naturally stain and soil resistant

✅cleans easily

✅naturally flame retardant

✅will last longer than cotton

Choose Wool OR Cotton For Low to Medium Traffic Areas:

➡️Bedrooms, Studies

Cotton:

✅soft and plush

✅easy to clean, but will absorb spills, so treat fast!

✅does not wear as well as wool over time

For a step by step guide to creating a custom rug, please have a look at our blog post!

Most rugs are made to order in 12 weeks - please look at the product page for the specific delivery of the rug you're buying.

We offer rush service on some rugs, with a 25% surcharge  - please get in touch to learn more. Rush service means the rug will be delivered 4 weeks earlier than stated on the product page.

If you're looking for a custom oversized rug, please get in touch and we will give you price options.

When you take care with your rug, it will last longer and look great for years.

We recommend reading our short guide to caring for organic wool and organic cotton rugs below.

Flatweave rugs are made by hand without a “pile.”

Flatweave rugs are woven on a horizontal or a vertical loom by threading cotton or wool through the warp.

Flatweave rugs are available in 100% organic cotton, 100% organic wool or a combination of 100% organic wool + 100% organic cotton.

To begin making a handknotted rug, our skilled weavers make a foundation – called “the warp” – which consists of thick threads of cotton or wool which run through the length of the rug. Similar threads, which pass under and over the warp threads in the opposite direction, are called wefts.

Weaving usually begins from the bottom of the loom. Dyed wool or cotton is knotted in rows around the warp strands. As more knots are added to this foundation, they become the pile of the rug. Depending upon the fineness of the weave, the quality of the materials, and the expertise of the weavers, the knot count of a rug can range from sixteen to eight-hundred per square inch.

When a rug is completely knotted, the warp ends remain as the fringe. This fringe may be braided, tasseled, or hidden.

Our Handtufted Rugs are made on a loom, with a skilled weaver punching strands of wool or cotton into an organic cotton canvas. Once the "tufting" is complete, a secondary backing of organic cotton is affixed to the rug, with a GOTS approved non toxic glue.

Handtufted rugs are available in 100% organic cotton or 100% organic wool or a combination of organic wool + organic cotton.

An Organic Rug is made according to the strict protocol established by GOTS:

• Raw materials are from traceable, certified organic producers.
• Cleaning or scouring raw materials uses biodegradable cleansing agents.
• Water is used in a sustainable way throughout processing.
• No synthetic agents or oils are used in spinning process.
• Yarn is dyed using Global Organic Textile Standard approved dye stuffs.
• Farmers and Fabricators are treated fairly.
• Rugs are finished with no harmful chemicals or detergents.

You'll want to buy an organic rug if you want to avoid chemicals of concerns in your rug.

When you buy an organic rug, you are choosing a product that is better for your health, better for the environment, and better for the artisans who made it.

Some of the common harmful chemicals found in conventional rugs:

1. Synthetic Fungicides and Pesticides, which are harmful to farmers and the environment.

2. Harmful Cleaning Agents, which may include bleach and formaldehyde, are used to remove impurities from raw wool or raw cotton before dyeing

3. Synthetic Toxic Dyes are used to dye cotton or wool yarn

4. Topical chemical treatments to reduce moths and stains as well as flame retardants

If your questions are not answered here, or you would like specific advice, we would be happy to answer any questions by email or phone!