Silk Persian Rugs: Things You Must Know

By Author: Phoebe Holland
Total Articles: 94
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People often get tricked by certain rug retailers, who trade artificial Persian silk rugs in the name of genuine ones. To help you identify an authentic one from a faux one, the article today shall shed light on the difference between the two. If you are here, the chances of getting duped shall go down to zero by the time you reach the end of the column.

Let’s start with silk as a material and its extraction. As we all know, silk fibres are harvested from cocoons of silkworms. The durable and shiny fibre unwinds as experts put the cocoons to boil. These are then spun into silk threads and dyed accordingly to derive that lustre and colour richness.

On the contrary, artificial silk is made up of rayon fibres. Sometimes, mercerised cotton also constitutes them. You can tell from the composition that it’s artificial and has not originated from a silkworm’s cocoon. The drawbacks? Artificial silk Persian rugs hardly last for even a few months. Plus, they lose their lustre quite easily and fail to match the desired durability.

Now that you have started valuing authentic Persian rugs woven in luxurious silk, ...
... let’s move ahead and check out the steps to identify them.

Step 1: Observe the Persian rug closely

Consider all four to determine its genuineness:

• How tightly are the fibres woven? Counting the knots seem impracticable but you can at least derive an idea and affirm whether it’s less than 250 knots/ sq. inch or more than 500 knots/sq. inch.

• How intricate is the detailing in the rug? Look up for patterns and if you find them conspicuous, know for sure that the product, be it a round Persian rug or a regular rectangular one is genuine.

• How closely is the rug clipped?

• Check for silk fringes. Authentic ones have natural extensions made of silk. Steer clear of those that have none in them or have cotton extensions.

If your purchased Persian rug or the one you are planning to buy qualifies this test, move ahead and get ready for the next step.

Step 2: Run this test on your chosen silk Persian rug

Here are three things you must do to confirm your purchase decision.

• Rub your palm vigorously over it
If it constitutes authentic silk, the stated action shall warm up the portion of the rug. However, an artificial one shall stay cool throughout.

• Burn a fringe
Next, set a portion of a fringe to fire and check how it smells. If you get the smell of burning hair and derive flaky and blackened ash, know for sure that it’s real silk. However, if it gives off the smell of burning paper and generates powdery ash know for certain that the material is artificial.

• Check if it dissolves
Lastly, prepare a clear solution by mixing 16g of copper sulphate with 10g of glycerine and caustic soda. Then, pour it over a small sample. Natural silk dissolves in it but those constituting cotton, nylon and rayon shall not.

Congratulations if your chosen rug has passed all the stages with flying colours! However, if not, it’s time to shift from the current rug supplier to someone more reliable. Rugs.ie stocks authentic ones like Chinese Silk, Kashmir Silk and Ghom Silk to meet the demands of shoppers, seeking genuine Persian and Oriental rugs. You can always give them a try and enjoy the quality standards met by the featured floor coverings here. The floor coverings available online do not just have a higher knot count but feature intricate designs and have fringes as beautiful extensions. The best part is you can shop online from the safety and comfort of your home without stepping out and risking your lives in this global crisis. Spend some more time indoors and revamp the interiors with splendid rugs ordered from Ireland’s leading rug suppliers.

Author Bio:
The author is a professional writer with a distinct taste in rugs. Out of the box styles in floor coverings pique her interest. Area rugs like round Persian rugs, genuine Oriental rugs, brown-hued floor coverings have inspired many of her articles.

Owner of Rugs.ie - Rugs shop in cork, Ireland.