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Assessment

Rug Identification

Before we quote anything we work out what the rug actually is, because construction decides method.

Method

How it is done

We check the back for hand-knotted versus tufted versus machine-woven construction, burn-test a single fibre from a hidden edge to distinguish wool from viscose and silk, look at how the dyes behave when wetted, and read the foundation for age and previous repair. It takes a few minutes and it changes everything downstream.

Macro photograph of the reverse of a hand-knotted rug showing individual knots
Rug Identification at the Tampa workshop.
Why It Matters

What happens if it waits

Irreversible damage nearly always comes from a rug being cleaned as though it were something else — a viscose rug treated as wool, a tufted rug immersed, an antique treated as modern.

Tell-tale sign: Any rug whose origin you are unsure of, particularly if it was inherited.

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