Why Is One Rug More Expensive Than Another?

The price of a new oriental rug is determined by labor costs and materials; but a rug need not be expensive to be beautiful. Cost factors include:

Knot density - It takes a weaver longer to hand tie 40,000 knots per square foot than 7,000 knots per square foot. Simply put, the more knots in the rug, the more labor.

Intricacy of design - A simple, elegant Bokhara may have no more than five colors while a floral pattern can have as many as thirty. A complicated design with many colors requires more time and an experienced weaver.

Labor cost - Imported oriental rugs are subject to in-ternational economic and political conditions that cause the cost of labor and exchange rates to rise and fall.

Wool quality - There is no such thing as bad wool, but there is such a thing as better wool. How to tell? Length of fiber, springiness and luster. Better wool costs more.

Is an Oriental Rug Really a "Work of Art"?

The answer is a definite "yes!" And like all art, you'll be drawn to some rugs more than others.

The design and color of oriental rugs follow centuries-old traditions; new rugs are interpretations of those motifs, conceived by a real artisan, taking several craftsmen many months to hand tie the millions of knots that make up an average 9x12 Persian design

Isn't the Design a Little "Busy" for My Home?

In the showroom, an oriental rug is subject to much staring and close attention. The center medallion of a Persian design rug may seem enormous; the colors may seem intense. In a natural room setting, however, the rug tends to "calm down". While in the showroom, try to view the rug at the distances and angles from which it will be en-countered at home.

Why Do they Add the Fringe?

Actually, the fringe was there before the rug! These cotton threads run the entire length of the rug and form the "warp" onto which the weaver ties the knots. When the rug is cut down off the loom, the ends of the warp become the fringe.

Why Does the Color Seem Lighter from One Side?

The dyed wool from which the rug is made doesn't stand straight up. The pile "leans" in one direction, and light is either reflected or absorbed, depending on where you stand. Even standing in one place, the color may seems to be different shades. Variations in color are part of the natural beauty, of handmade oriental rugs. Often, wool is dyed in separate lots, and this will sometimes cause a slight difference in hue over the course of a rug. This effect is called "abrash".

I've been hearing about child labor in the production of hand-made rugs. Do I need to be concerned about this when I'm purchasing a rug?

Recently, media attention has been focusing on the issue of child labor in the production of imported merchandise. Conscientious retailers and importers stand firmly against the use of illegal child labor in the production of carpets. However, as UNICEF has noted, not all child labor is harmful or illegal: In a "family child labor" setting, children work alongside their parents or family members on looms, learning a craft that will provide a source of income, essential for the economic well-being of struggling families. Reputable rug retailers and suppliers are committed to implementing on-site loom monitoring programs and to working with exporting countries for the improvement of economic conditions and educational opportunities. For you as a consumer, selecting such retailers can relieve your concerns.