RUGS 101
A guide for buying or selling today’s rugs
AN INTRODUCTION Rugs have a history rooted in ancient times. But thanks to new constructions and fibers, the rug world has changed entirely into a more fashionable and affordable industry. The change is constant and can be difficult to keep up with — which is why we created Rugs 101. Rugs 101 will help
you understand today’s rugs in an easy-to-browse, visual way. Whether you’re in the market to buy a rug, or you’re a salesman trying to learn the fundamentals, our Rugs 101 has you covered.
TABLE OF CONTENTS MANUFACTURING COUNTRIES
4
FIBER TYPES
6
CONSTRUCTION TYPES
8
SELECTING THE RIGHT SIZE
20
CLEANING & MAINTENANCE
30
3 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BUYING A RUG
36
5 REASONS TO BUY A RUG
40
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MANUFACTURING COUNTRIES The four most prominent manufacturing countries are India, China, Egypt, and Turkey. Like in any other industry, each country has its comparative advantages. China for instance, is the world’s leader in hand-tufted rugs made pg.4
of synthetic materials because of their access to those types of fibers. Egypt on the other hand, has the proper infrastructure and knowledge to create a large volume of machine made rugs.
CHINA
EGYPT
China is one of the largest manufacturers of hand-tufted and hand-hooked rugs, including shags. The most commonly used fibers in China are synthetics, like polyester and polypropylene. China is also a manufacturer of indoor/outdoor rugs, which are made of 100% man-made fibers (like polypropylene) that are tested to resist damage from water, UV rays, and mildew.
Egypt is the world’s largest manufacturer of machine-made rugs. Rugs from Egypt are power-loomed on a Wilton loom, which essentially uses a mechanism to regulate the feeding of pile yarns into the loom to form a pattern. Machine-made rugs can be made using nearly any fibers, although synthetic fibers are most commonly used. Egypt also manufactures shags and indoor/outdoor products, although unlike China they’re all machine-made products.
INDIA
TURKEY
India is well-known for manufacturing hand-knotted and hand-tufted rugs. The most common fiber used in India is wool, although it’s not unusual to find rugs made of synthetic fibers like polyester or viscose.
Like Egypt, Turkey manufactures a significant volume of the world’s machine-made rugs. The rugs are power-loomed using essentially the same machines that are used in Egypt.
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FIBER TYPES Picking the ‘right’ fiber is contextual. You have to consider things like cleanability, durability, softness, shedding, color retention, and more. In fact, sometimes synthetic fibers like polypropylene or polyester are better choices than pg.6
natural fibers because they’re stain-resistant, fade-resistant, and soft. Understanding the 8 fibers on the following chart will help you determine what you should choose based on your needs.
NATURAL FIBERS Cotton
Sisal
Jute
Wool
Natural, soft fiber
Natural fiber, stems from the agave plant
Shiny, vegetable fiber
The most commonly used natural fiber in rug production
Sometimes used as thread for the base of a rug Easy to clean and maintain
Highly sustainable Does not attract dust and is static free
One of the most affordable fibers Second to cotton as the most produced vegetable fiber
In rug production, wool usually refers to the fibers from sheep. Fiber diameter is the single most important wool characteristic, determining price and quality
SYNTHETIC FIBERS Acrylic
Polypropylene
Viscose
Polyester
Moderately priced
Very affordable
Very affordable
Durable, although not as strong as other synthetics.
Easy to maintain and highly durable
Synthetic, shiny fiber — sometimes called ‘art silk’
Most commonly blended with other fibers like polyester (this is called a poly-acrylic blend)
Bold, fade-resistant color
Commonly used as a more affordable substitute for silk
Commonly used in indoor/outdoor rugs for its UV, mildew, and water resistant qualities
Some rugs are made of 100% vicose, but most rugs use viscose to accent a pattern
Wears well and feels very soft, especially when used for rugs with a thick pile Moisture, stain, and abrasion resistant Retain color over time, easy to clean
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CONSTRUCTION TYPES While hand knotted rugs are the most prestigious and well-known rug construction, the majority of rugs in people’s homes are less expensive constructions like hand tufted or machine made rugs. The following pages will help you pg.8
understand more about the main construction types, including their respective durability, defining characteristics, and how they’re made.
5 COMMON CONSTRUCTION TYPES Types
Price
Durability
Manufacturing Time
Hand Knotted
$$$$
20+ years
5 - 7 months
Hand Tufted
$$
3 - 10 years
3 - 5 months
Hand Hooked
$$
3 - 10 years
3 - 5 months
Power Loomed
$$
3 - 10 years
2 - 3 months
Flat Weave
$$
20+ years
3 - 4 months
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HAND KNOTTED DURABILITY 20+ YEARS MANUFACTURING TIME 5 - 7 MONTHS PRICE $$$$
Characteristics
Process
Most prestigious, high quality rug construction.
A weaver sits behind a loom and hand ties individual knots onto the vertical strings seen on the backside of a rug.
Great durability. Minimal shedding compared to hand-tufted rugs. Most common fiber used is wool.
Bogart Collection / BG-03 Aqua Ivory
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INSIDER TIP The back side of a rug is the easiest way to distinguish its construction. The back of hand-knotted rugs show individual knots and the overall design and colors of the rug’s surface.
HAND TUFTED DURABILITY 3 - 10 YEARS MANUFACTURING TIME 3 - 5 MONTHS PRICE $$
Characteristics
Process
More affordable alternative to hand-knotted rugs.
Hand-tufted rugs are made using a “gun� : a handoperated tool that punches strands of fiber into a canvas stretched on a frame. The design of the rug is drawn on the canvas, and the worker fills in the pattern with the appropriate color fiber. When the rug design is fully piled the rug is removed from the frame and a scrim fabric is glued to the back of the rug. Once the glue is settled the scrim backing helps to hold the fiber pile in place.
Quality and price depends mainly on what fiber is used. Life span ranges from about 3 - 10 years. A nearly unlimited variety of patterns, colors, and textures can be used in a hand-tufted rug.
Allure Shag Collection / AQ-01 Citron
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INSIDER TIP The back side of a rug is the easiest way to distinguish its construction. A canvas backing is applied to hand-tufted rugs with an adhesive to hold the yarns together.
HAND HOOKED DURABILITY 3 - 10 YEARS MANUFACTURING TIME 3 - 5 MONTHS PRICE $$
Characteristics
Process
More affordable alternative to hand-knotted rugs.
Hooked rugs are made by tufting loops of yarn or fabric through a stiff woven base such as burlap, linen, or rug warp which has been stretched over a frame. The design is printed on the base fabric, and the loops of yarn are pushed through the fabric (similar to the process for hand-tufting).
Larger looped rugs create a plush, heavily textured rug while smaller loops allow for greater detail in pattern and interesting texture. A nearly unlimited variety of patterns, colors, and textures can be used in a hand-hooked rug.
Stella Collection / SL-01 Graphite
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INSIDER TIP The back side of a rug is the easiest way to distinguish its construction. A canvas backing is applied to hand hooked rugs with an adhesive to hold the yarns together — similar to hand-tufted rugs.
POWER LOOMED DURABILITY 3 - 10 YEARS MANUFACTURING TIME 2 - 3 MONTHS PRICE $$
Characteristics
Process
Usually the most affordable rug construction.
Large machines have hundreds of spindles of fiber that are mechanically woven into a thin mesh backing. The machine is computer-drive and runs continuously to maximize efficiency.
Common fibers in power loomed rugs include synthetic yarns like polyester, polypropylene and nylon. A computer dictates texture, design, and color so there is little chance of error in production. Unlike all other constructions, power loomed rugs have distinctive production restrictions. In a power loomed collection, rugs are restricted to a particular set of colors once in production.
Charlotte Collection / CT-05 Ivory Onyx
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INSIDER TIP The back side of a rug is the easiest way to distinguish its construction. Like hand-knotted rugs, you can see the design/colors on the back of a machine made rug, but has a coarse latex backing that secures it in place.
FLAT WEAVE DURABILITY 20+ YEARS MANUFACTURING TIME 3 - 4 MONTHS PRICE $$
Characteristics
Process
A flat-weave’s most defining characteristic is their lack of base material (hence the term “flat”-weave).
The fabric itself is braided or woven onto a loom to create the structure of the rug — no base material is used so the pile is thin (hence the name “flat”weave).
Common fibers in flatweaves include wool, jute, and cotton. Great durability and toughness. A nearly unlimited variety of patterns and colors, but not textures.
Rio Collection / RI-01 Red
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INSIDER TIP The back side of a rug is the easiest way to distinguish its construction. Being reversible, a flat-weave’s “backside” will appear the same as its “front.”
Barcelona Shag Collection / BS-03 Peacock Lime
SELECTING THE RIGHT SIZE The best rug doesn’t just look great in and of itself —it enhances and complements the entire look of your interior
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space. With that, it’s interesting how the size of a rug, not just its appearance, can influence the dynamic of a room.
TIPS & TRICKS
18 Define the dimensions of a room with measuring tape.
Keep at least 18 inches of bare floor exposed by the rug’s edges.
We can’t emphasize the importance of this enough. Outline the area where you want your rug. And consider the location of doors and how they’ll open. Do these simple things up front and you can buy with confidence.
This is a classic rule that works for most rooms. If your room is smaller, then feel free to bend this rule a bit. The key is to get the proportions right.
Rugs can create an optical illusion — make this work in your favor.
Bend the rules.
An undersized rug makes the room appear small and disconnected. When in doubt, go for the bigger size. It’ll unify the furniture and make the room appear bigger than it actually is.
With all this said, remember that these are standard rules for standard rooms. If you’ve got an unusual room layout or furniture arrangement, you’ll have to be flexible. Ultimately if you think it looks good, go for it!
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Xavier Collection / XV-04 Grey Gold
LIVING ROOM
Common Sizes: 5’ x 8’, 8’ x 10’, 9’ x 12’
Selecting a rug size for your living room obviously depends on the size of your room, but also your furniture arrangement.
5’ x 8’
8’ x 10’
9’ x 12’
ALL LEGS OFF THE RUG
FRONT LEGS ON, BACK LEGS OFF
ALL LEGS ON THE RUG
When you’ve got a smaller living room or prefer to keep all of your funiture off the rug (except for a coffee table in the center), go with a 5’ x 8’ rug.
This is one of our favorite sizes for the living room. With this size, you’ll most likely have all front legs of the furniture on the rug with the back legs off. Or just some of the front legs will be on the rug. Either way, this size connects the various pieces together and creates a good sense of proportion.
This size generally pulls the furniture together and defines a space.
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Stanley Collection / ST-01 Beige Green
DINING ROOM
Common Sizes: 5’ x 8’, 7’ - 8’ Round, 8’ x 10’
In a dining area, the most common mistake people make is selecting a rug that’s not big enough. Make sure the size you select is big enough for the legs of the chair to sit comfortably on the rug — even when they’re pulled out for people to sit at the table. Our rule of thumb is to look for a rug that extends at least 24 inches around the table. And remember to keep at least 18 inches of floor exposed around all sides between the rug’s edge and the wall.
5’ x 8’
7’ - 8’ Round
8’ x 10’, 9’x 12’
FOUR CHAIRS
FOUR TO SIX CHAIRS
SIX TO EIGHT CHAIRS
5’ x 8’ Rugs are a great choice for smaller sized dining tables with 4 chairs.
Regular rugs work under round tables too, but a round rug is a better match.
Typicaly a 8’ x 10 or 9’ x 12’ rug will work under a dining table with 6 to 8 chairs.
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Madeline Collection / MZ-02 Flame
BEDROOM
Common Sizes: 5’ x 8’, 8’ x 10’, 9’ x 12’
In a bedroom, the size of your bed and the floor area that surrounds it will dictate what size you should select.
5’ x 8’
9’ x 12’
8’ x 10’, 9’x 12’
8’ x 10’, 9’x 12’
FULL SIZE BED
TWIN SIZE BED
QUEEN SIZE BED
KING SIZE BED
Laying the rug horizontally under the bed is your best option here. You certainly want to have some of rug exposed on the top too. Let your room size and personal preference dictate just how much rug you want showing at the foot of the bed.
Since twin beds are small, take the bed’s positioning and overall size of the room into consideration. And if you’ve got two twin beds in the same room, a 9’ x 12’ works wonderfully for pulling the look together.
Just like full size beds, you’ll want to layer a rug horizontally under the bed. Both an 8’ x 10’ and 9’ x 12’ will work, but remember the larger rug has the effect of making your room appear bigger.
A king size bed calls for at least an 8’ x 10’ and usually a 9’ x 12’. Anything smaller will appear out of proportion.
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Terra Collection / TE-02 Charcoal
PATIO
Common Sizes: 2’ x 3’, 5’ x 8’, 8’ x 10’
Just like selecting a rug for your living room, you must consider the scale of your patio furniture arrangement before selecting a rug. One of the most underrated benefits of indoor/outdoor rugs is their ability to unify an outdoor furniture arrangement, which allows us to create a cohesive look in an open space.
2’ x 3’
5’ x 8’
8’ x 10’
INDOOR OUTDOOR MAT
INDOOR OUTDOOR RUG
INDOOR OUTDOOR RUG
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CLEANING & MAINTENANCE It’s possible to keep your rug looking as beautiful as it did coming out of the package, but it’s going to require a little
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cleaning and maintenance. Follow this simple but important advice and your rug will stay looking as good as new.
VACUUMING Regular vacuuming is essential for removing deeply embedded dirt and prolonging the life of your rug. Before you vacuum, make sure you consider your rug’s construction.
Regular Pile
Loop/ Braided
Shags
Vacuum regularly. We recommend once a week with a regular pile (especially in the first month), unless it’s a looped, braided, or shag rug.
If the rug has a loop or braid texture, remove the beater bar setting. If it cannot be removed, set the vacuum on the highest possible setting.
For shag rugs, shake them outside first to loosen dirt and other particles. Then carefully use a hand held attachment on vacuums for shags.
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CLEANING BASED ON FIBER Proper cleaning is contextual, dependent on the type of fiber used in the rug. A breakdown of proper cleaning on common fiber types are listed here.
Natural Fibers Cotton Small rugs can be machine washed in warm water with a mild detergent. Larger rugs should be treated with a dry cleaning powder.
Wool Shedding in wool rugs is completely normal. Vacuum wool rugs at least once a week for the first few months. Use a common wool cleaning detergent or create one with a teaspoon of neutral detergent and a teaspoon of pure white vinegar combined with a quart of warm water. If a liquid stain, absorb as much as possible before applying the cleaning solution.
Synthetic Fibers Sisal
Use a dry cloth to blot the stain, then use water and pure vinegar together to treat the stain. Be sure to wring out the cloth prior to applying the solution, as excessive moisture is not healthy for sisal rugs.
Jute Limit the amount of moisture used when treating a stain (never steam clean). Treat stains by dabbing a small amount of club soda or a cloth dampened with mild soap.
Polypropylene
Viscose
Polypropylene is one of the most stain resistant fibers as it resists moisture damage comparatively well. Follow wool cleaning instructions.
Avoid placing a viscose rug in a high traffic area, as it does not take moisture and heavy foot traffic well. Professionally clean or use a spot cleaner with very little moisture.
Polyester Polyester, like polypropylene, is one of the most stain resistant fibers as it resists moisture damage comparatively well. Follow wool cleaning instructions.
Acrylic Use a common cleaning detergent or create one with a teaspoon of neutral detergent and a teaspoon of pure white vinegar combined with a quart of warm water. If a liquid stain, absorb as much as possible before applying the cleaning solution.
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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Premium Grip Rug Pad, Secure Grip Rug Pad, Outdoor Grip Rug Pad, Dual Grip Felted Rug Pad.
RUG PADS Use a rug pad! Rug pads prevent rugs from sliding, buckling, and wrinkling. This helps with safety and prevents premature aging of the rug. And vacuuming is easier with a rug pad. Listed below are examples of pads offered by Loloi.
Premium Grip Rug Pad
Secure Grip Rug Pad
Strong Grip for indoor use on hard surfaces.
Strong Grip for indoor use on hard surfaces.
Outdoor Grip Rug Pad
Dual Grip Felted Rug Pad
For outdoor use.
For indoor use on both carpet and hard surfaces.
To order rug pads email orders@loloirugs or online at loloirugs.com. pg.35
Tempo Collection / TP-01 Samba
3 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE PURCHASING A RUG • Color • Design • Texture
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COLOR The first thing you should consider is how the colors in the rug coordinate with the existing colors in your room. Remember, the colors don’t necessarily have
to match up perfectly but they should be complementary to each other. Trust us, when you get the color right everything else becomes so much easier. On left: Warm and bright seat cushions match the warm and bright colors in the rug perfectly, creating a room that is not only cheerful but harmoniously colored.
On right: The cool metallic grays and blacks in the room necessitate cool color tones in the rug. Here the cool aqua and beige colors in the bogart rug complement the existing colors in furniture and walls, creating a serene atmosphere.
Juliana Collection / JL-27 Rainbow
Bogart Collection / BG-03 Aqua Ivory
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DESIGN Let your personal style and existing decor guide you to select either a traditional, transitional, or contemporary rug. When in doubt transitional designs are a
smart choice as they tend to work in most interiors, ranging from traditional to contemporary rooms.
On left: The elaborately pattered chairs draw your eye in this room. Rather than compete with the pattern in the chairs with a patterned rug, it’s best to select a solid design with colors that complement the chairs like this hand-knotted rug from our Byron Collection.
On right: The patterned rug looks fantastic here, creating an eye-catching focal point that does not compete with other furniture in the room. This is because the other furniture is patternless which allows the rug to garner attention.
Byron Collection / BB-01 Metal
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Hermitage Collection / HE-16 Latte
TEXTURE Design and color may define a rug to most onlookers, but the visual effects of texure should not be underestimated. Not only are textured rugs visually
intriguing in themselves, they offset the solid surface of your floor, drawing your eyes into the dimensions of the rug. On left: Sometimes texture is the defining characteristic in a rug. Here, Hera Shag features a long twisted yarn that not only feels comfortable underfoot, but makes it distinctly different from your average shag rug.
On right: Brighton illustrates how impactful it is to combine texture and pattern. Brighton is constructed in a cut pile / loop combination, with certain parts of the design strategically raised to create a high / low effect. This allows the pattern to ’pop’, creating dimension and overall visual interest.
Hera Shag Collection / HG-01 Blue
Brighton Collection / BT-04 Grey Gold
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Sahara Collection / SJ-08 Mediterranean
5 REASONS TO BUY A RUG Create a focal point in your room pg.40
Add comfort and warmth underfoot
Protect flooring and furniture
Muffle sound
Cover imperfections
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TO ORDER FULL SIZES OR 18” SAMPLES FROM STOCK P 972.503.5656 | F 972.387.0436 orders@loloirugs.com B2B | Ask your Loloi sales rep
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