Handmade Rug Considerations

Our floor rugs are expertly woven by master weavers in India. It is important to understand these handcrafted pieces may not be suited for every environment. The following are common issues that may arise, and advice on how to best rectify them.

Pop-Ups

Due to the handwoven nature of our floor rugs, you may notice that loops or ends of yarns pop up occasionally. These are common occurrence with woven designs and not considered a fault. Pop-ups happen when fibre ends or loops, wriggle out and appear above the natural pile height of a floor rug. They can occur in any type of woven rug whether it is wool, jute, or any other type of fibre. Watch our short video to see how pop-ups can quickly and easily be mended.

Suitability

It is important to understand that handmade floor rugs are not suited for every environment. It is therefore essential to explore if the rug is suitable for your or your client’s situation.

Shedding & Pilling

Loose fibres occur with most new floor rugs, particularly with products made from natural fibres. Shedding is a normal, inevitable occurrence and is caused by some outside fibres or yarn bundles becoming detached during early wear stages. The good news is that pilling and fluffing isn’t a ‘forever’ thing and should settle down over time. Take care not to over-agitate the fibres. Careful, gentle vacuuming (NEVER use a brush or turbo head) with low-level suction along the grain of the pile will hasten the removal of any loose fibres, while trimming stubborn areas with scissors will keep your rug looking its best. A de-pilling comb can also be used.

Bunching

This can happen on plaited designs stitched into round floor rugs. As you unroll your new rug, work slowly by smoothing the rug out from the centre as you lay it down. For persistent bumps rug underlay should help. Lay the underlay down, then work with the same method of smoothing the rug out from the centre.

Placing a rug on carpet can also occasionally cause rugs to bunch (especially if heavy furniture is then placed on top of them). In this instance we recommend choosing a heavier weight rug with a higher pile and a cotton backing.

Sunlight

New Zealand and Australian sunlight is particularly strong and can degrade fibres and cause discolouration. Dyed and printed products made from natural fibres are susceptible to fading in high UV areas, so avoid placing these products in areas exposed to sunlight to ensure product longevity. We advise rotating rugs every half a year to ensure even fade and wear. In areas of particularly high sunlight, we suggest using an outdoor rug or neutral toned rug where fading won’t be as noticeable.

Pile Shading

Due to changes in pile and weave direction, shading or shift lines may occur. This is a natural characteristic of carpets and floor rugs and presents as particular areas appearing lighter or darker from certain angles (where the pile reflects the light differently). This is a feature characteristic of cut and loop pile floor rugs, especially solid colours.

Colour Transfer

Avoid placing dyed floor rugs (specifically those with no backing) onto light coloured floors as colour migration can occur. If you are worried about a floor rug transferring colour, we recommend using rug underlay.

Unrolling a new rug

Initial wrinkling and curling may be caused by the transportation and storage of the rug. This is normal and will rectify over time. Try rolling the rug the opposite way or laying it reverse side up for a few hours, this will relax the fibres and flatten the rug. With shaggy styles, an initial fluff may be needed to enliven the pile.