1. Choose the proper material
One of the most important bases for making a decision when buying the right rug is the type of material. It can consist of synthetic or natural fibres. Well-known natural fibres are sisal, jute and coconut. These fibres are mostly cultivated in the Third World and processed into basic material for carpets with a high use of resources – sometimes also harmful additives. Carpets made from these materials have a long service life due to their robustness, but are rarely ecologically sustainable.
The best known natural fibre used for carpet production is wool. Cotton and wool are particularly suitable for floor surfaces due to their soft touch. In addition, wool is above all a warm raw material which is also dirt and water repellent. Due to the grease in the wool, it is also easy to clean. In contrast to synthetic fibres, wool is a renewable material and can therefore be regarded as sustainable.
Synthetic fibres also have a couple of good characteristics, but are a problem for many allergy sufferers and should therefore be purchased with caution. Synthetic fibres are much cheaper to produce, but also have a few undesirable properties in direct comparison to natural ones. They conduct heat much less effectively, can develop unpleasant odours over time and are often chemically treated. Their service life is also shorter than that of a hand-knotted wool rug with good care.
For these reasons, we at Nain Trading almost exclusively offer sheep’s wool carpets, and more rarely cotton as well. Due to different types of weaving and knotting there are oriental carpets for every need and use. Robust kilims with short piles are ideal for corridors, kitchens and study rooms, while high pile carpets (e.g. Gabbeh carpets) create a cosy, warm room atmosphere. For those carpet lovers who love luxury, silk carpets are a great choice. These rugs are knotted either from blends of silk and wool or, in more rare cases, from pure silk. Their elegant appearance meets even the highest demands. Well-known silk carpets come from Qum (Persian rugs) or in a more affordable variant from Kashmir (India).
2. How robust is the rug? The height of the pile is the decisive factor
In the carpet industry there are three different pile heights. The height of the pile of a carpet is the height of the carpet fibres which stand vertically upwards and are knotted or woven onto the base fabric. There are rugs with short, high and long piles. The former have a pile height of less than 15 millimetres, the latter one of more than 50 millimetres. High pile rugs, on the other hand, are in the middle of both dimensions. Basically, higher piles have a shorter lifespan than shorter ones. The oriental rugs woven with the shortest pile are kilims. These rugs, produced by nomads, are robust with a pile length of 3mm and are suitable for many everyday situations. Other oriental rugs are mostly knotted and therefore a little higher, but a knotting is also much more robust than a woven fabric. High-quality Persian rugs, however, are often short pile rugs that are very densely knotted and therefore highly robust.
But not only the height of the pile is a decisive factor for the durability. The density of the knots is also important. The denser a rug is knotted, the less dirt gets between the fibres and has a negative effect on them. Very high-quality Persian rugs also have very high knot densities (partly up to more than 1,000,000 knots per square metre) and are therefore highly durable and at least stable in value.
In the following you will find approximate guide values for the most important types of oriental carpets. It goes without saying that there are always carpets that deviate from this average.
| Type of the Rug | Height of Pile | Density of Knots |
| Kilim | 3 mm | woven |
| Vintage Rug | 5 mm | medium |
| Persian Rug | 6 mm | very high |
| Ziegler | 6 mm | high |
| Pakistani / Afghan Rug | 8 mm | medium |
| Village & Nomad Rugs | 8 – 10 mm | high |
| Indian Rugs | 12 mm | medium – high |
| Persian Gabbeh | 18 mm | high |
| Berber / Moroccan | 20 mm | medium |
3. Pay attention to the warp, the back of the carpet!
The back or warp of a carpet is of great importance when it comes to durability. In order to fix the fibres, a strengthening coat is applied to the back of a carpet. This can consist, for example, of synthetic material or natural rubber. Synthetically produced rubber is usually used for cheap carpets. Although this stryrol butadiene rubber has good properties such as resistance to embers, its degradation products (e.g. nitrosamines) are partially carcinogenic. Instead of synthetic rubber, fleece, latex or natural rubber should therefore be preferred.
High-quality rugs from the Orient, which are hand-knotted, have a back made of cotton or wool, the so-called warp. This is not only permeable to air and heat, but also completely harmless to health. These carpets are also odourless. Cheap rugs made of synthetic materials often emit a chemical smell after some time.
4. Choice of colour and pattern: Where do you want the rug to be placed?
Due to the high variety of colours and patterns, carpets can be selected excellently according to lighting conditions and furnishing style. A rug alone can contribute a great deal to the cosiness and atmosphere of a room. Dark carpets “darken” rooms because their colour absorbs much of the light. Rooms thus appear smaller. In contrast, bright carpet colours optically enlarge rooms and provide warmth.
If the interior design is characterised by many different styles, a monochrome carpet makes sense in order to give the room a quieter appearance. If the room appears to be sterile, a colourful, eccentricly designed rug can create excitement that makes a stylish statement. The walls should also be taken into account. If they are covered with patterned wallpaper, a carpet with a simple design is more worthwhile than one with patterns. Too many patterns in the room cause a lot of unrest and should be avoided. In any case, it is advisable to match the colours of a room. If the colours of the furniture or walls are reflected in the carpet, the interior will look like a harmonious overall concept.
A brief overview below will help you to pre-select the rugs that match your interior design:
- Gabbeh rugs are monochrome in their original form and have a high pile. They give a room warmth and peace.
- Traditional Persian rugs come in an almost infinite variety of designs. The elaborate ornaments are often more suitable for brighter and quieter rooms because the basic colours are red, blue and beige. They give simple interiors a pleasantly warm atmosphere.
- Village and nomad rugs have become highly popular in recent years. Geometric patterns fit into modern urban interior styles. They also harmonise perfectly with Scandinavian design, which has been predominant in interiors for some time.
- Pakistani and Afghan rugs are patterned similar to nomad rugs, but mostly in very dark shades. In puristic, bright rooms these oriental rugs can create warmth and tranquillity and in this way strengthen the cosiness.
- Indian rugs are very similar to those of Persian origin, but of a coarser quality and therefore more affordable, but also less robust.
- Ziegler rugs often have a so-called Abrash. This faded look gives a certain vintage or antique character, but should be combined discreetly. The cream shades should be present in the surrounding room.
- Vintage rugs are short pile rugs for highly frequented areas. They are ideal for use in hallways, offices or corridors.
- Kelims are colourful rugs that are woven. They enliven modest rooms, but are also somewhat more lightweight.
