History of Carpets

Handmade carpets are famous for their Design and the quality of materials used. Wool is the most common material for carpets but cotton is frequently used for the foundation of the carpet in the workshop, there is a wide variety in types of wool used for weaving. Silk carpets date back to at least the sixteenth century in Sabzevar and the seventeenth century in Kashan and Yazd. Silk carpets are less common than wool carpets since silk is more expensive; but they tend to increase in value with age.

Designs can be described in terms of the manner in which it organizes the field of the rug. One basic design may serve the entire field, or the surface may be covered by a pattern of repeating figures. In areas using long-established local designs, the weaver often works from memory, with the patterns passed on within the family. This is usually sufficient for simple rectilinear design. For the more elaborate curvilinear designs, the patterns are carefully drawn to scale in the proper colours on graphs. Each square thus becomes a knot, which allows for an accurate rendition of even the most complex design. Designs have changed little through centuries of weaving.

The internationally well-known carpets such Qum, Isfahan, Nain, Bijar, Tabriz, Kilims and Tribals are individually handmade in Iran. Qum carpets are famous among Persian carpets because they are hand tufted either with Pure Silk or Pure Wool. By the same token Isfahan, Tabriz, Nain are made with a mix of Pure Silk and Pure Wool, while Tribals are only made out of Pure Wool. The famous tribal rugs are known as Qashqai, Yelama, Sarouk, Sana, Baloochi and so on. In the world of handmade rugs India has firm hold quite closely following Iran. The finest quality Indian carpet derives from traditional carpet making families of India. Kashmir and Jaipuri are the finest quality carpets made with Pure Silk in single-knot and double-knots.

Third in the line stands Pakistan a place of traditional carpet making families of Karach and Lahore. The carpets from Pakistan are made with Pure Wool or mix of Pure Wool and synthetic Silk, with single knot. Handmade designs such Bokhara, Open Design and Silk Touch Flowers are quite popular in demand. Last but not the least stands Afghanistan, with the finest hand-tufted area rugs, famous with such but not limited to Kokas, Balouchi, Kazak, Kergai, Door Hanging, Cession Cover, Camel Bags and so on. The very mysteries of how handmade carpets actually came into existence will always remain the same in the absence of a documentary evidence. However, the market for handmade carpets (area rugs) is potentially growing across the continents. Exquisite design, High quality hand crafted fine carpets have long been the international community threw out the ages.

Hand-made carpets are technically very different from machine-made carpets. As it is quite relevant from their names, hand-made carpets are woven by hands on a loom taking time to complete while machine-made carpets undergo treatments by various machines and produce mass amounts in a shorter time. One of the most prominent differences between handmade and machine-made carpets is that the handmade holds a valuable impression and you will never find two of the same. The other main difference between these two types of rugs is the actual manner of construction. More clarity on the differences can be explained in terms of:
⚫ Knots used.
⚫ Sides and Ends sewn.
⚫ Back of the carpets.
⚫ Materials used.
⚫ Touch.
⚫ Manufacturing process.

Machine-made carpets are not woven by hand but are loomed by a computer generated system or apparatus. There are no knots in machine-made rugs. Whereas in a hand-made rug, each knot is hand knotted and tied. Hand-knotted carpets are the most durable in tenure. Usually an Oriental rug quality is judged by the knots per square inch (KPSI). Higher the count, finer the quality. Knot density is an indicator of quality. More the number of knots per square inch, better the quality. KPSI is the density i.e. knots per square inch.
⚫ 80 or less KPSI denotes poor quality.
⚫ 120 to 330 are medium to good.
⚫ 330 or more KPSI denotes good to very good quality, and those around 700-900 are classified as exclusively fine pieces.

Hand-made carpets are traditionally more expensive than those made by machines. Countries that are known to produce beautifully crafted hand-knotted rugs include Iran, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Russia, China, Iraq and Morocco (among others). Hand-knotted rugs are descendants of Oriental Rugs and can be made in any shape, size, coloured or design. Handmade rugs are rich in colours and tightly woven and they are meant to last for generations. In fact there is no history that a handmade rug has ever lost its value over time. Handmade carpets tend to increase in value with age.

How to take care of your Carpet.

The piercing truth is- if everything is done in a correct manner, the results will be a good clean carpet. It is important to know your carpets, their type and the fibers used so that you can apply the best cleaning methods that can make your carpet look brand new! The only question that comes to mind is what method is needed where.

When it comes to cleaning, some people do it on their own while some find professional approach for that. If your carpet is heavily soiled and has not been cleaned in many years then steam cleaning will get you that deep clean you need and remove much of the heavy soils on the carpet. The only one restraint that we can analyse here is that steam cleaning can be used once a year only and it requires an experienced technician to handle the cleaning. Care should also be taken that boiling hot water is not used as it affects the carpet glue if its a machine made carpet. On the other hand, when you use a buffer system, you do get a deep clean because the brush works its way into the carpet. When someone uses this type of cleaning, he vacuums and rakes the carpet first. Then use enzymes to eat the oil in the carpet. The shampoo they use is non-residue so it does not attract dirt. After the cleaning is done, you should vacuum your carpet at least after 24-hours to remove the loose dirt. With this method, you can use it every 3 months and see your carpets always look great.

At Peacock Carpet we recommend you the best cleaning methods based on the carpet you’ve purchased. By doing so, you can extend your carpet's life duration. They will last long and will look cleaner for a long time. The cleaning process starts with an awareness to prevent all those nasty things that can cause harm to your carpet. It is advisable to put on carpet slippers or wearing socks while stepping on your rugs or carpets. Stepping on expensive rugs with your dirty shoes is sure to bring stains, dirt and sand particles.