Carpets and rugs are an integral part of many homes. There are households that avoid them because of cleaning and maintenance, but there are also homes that cannot be imagined without them. People have different preferences when it comes to carpets. There are families who enjoy luxury and would like to have handmade carpets and rugs in their homes. Others enjoy patterns and crafts that cannot be made by hand. However, the choice is up to the buyer.
Unfortunately, there are also attempts at fraud on the market, i.e. something that is machine-made is advertised as handmade. This misleads many buyers. Today we will try to explain in detail the differences between handmade and machine-made carpets, so you know what you are up to when shopping.
To make sure you are buying an authentic product, check out the following things:
1. Certificate of quality and handicraft
Every rug or carpet that is handmade must have a declaration and a certificate that confirms it. Just look at ohhappyhome.com.au and you will find information that they sell Goodweave certified rugs. This certificate confirms that the product is made according to all necessary standards, but also that there was no abuse of labor and child labor in that process. It is also a confirmation that the place where the carpets are woven has humane working conditions. This machine is also certified by the machine manufacturers of carpets, in order to confirm the required production standards. If you notice that mark, you can be sure that there was no abuse and that the workers were properly paid, especially when choosing a handmade rug or carpet.
2. The appearance of the carpet
The fringes can immediately indicate whether it is a machine or handmade. It is easy to see if they are tied or part of the weaving itself. It is similar to the edges of the carpet. There are imperfections in the handicraft that increase the value of the carpet itself. The upholstery of the carpet can also reveal many secrets about the workmanship. Machine weaving is almost perfect and completely even. The knots that are made by hand weaving can be different so that the back of the carpet would have more texture. Also, the carpet design would be mirrored on the back if it was handmade. If it is machine-woven, then it will probably have a synthetic base, which holds the wool and threads in place.
3. Check what material it is made of
True connoisseurs can only judge by touch whether it is wool, cotton, or synthetic materials. If the material is natural, for example, wool, silk, cotton, fiber, and jute, it is likely to be handmade. There are more polyester and acrylic materials in the machine. Of course, there may be woolen machine-made carpets, but you will recognize them by the edges, as we described earlier.
4. There are different types of hand-woven carpets and rugs
This complicates the selection process a bit, but at the same time makes it easier. For example, hand-knotted rugs are those that are made entirely by human labor. Each thread and each knot are carefully placed and take a long time to make. That is why they are the most expensive on the market.
Hand-tufted is also handmade, but a tufting gun is used. This is much faster to make because it uses a device that ties knots between the threads. Because of this, they are slightly cheaper than completely handmade ones.
Hand-woven carpets are also a popular choice, as each work is unique and an identical approach to work can never be repeated.
5. The price of the carpet
Price is a factor that says a lot about the originality of the product. If you are looking for a handmade rug or carpet, it will always be more expensive than machine-made. Many factors influence this, but the speed of production and labor make the biggest difference.
It is quite normal for natural materials to be more expensive than synthetic ones. The price also increases if they are obtained from a rare type of wool or from organic cotton. If you add natural organic dyes, then expect an even higher price. Furthermore, it can sometimes take several months to produce a rug. In machine production, hundreds of carpets can be made in one day.
This means that there is no consumption of labor and time, so machine products are cheaper. However, this does not mean that they are of poor quality. And they come at different levels of quality, so in machine production, there will be price differences.
6. The final choice is yours
You should not feel the need to buy something expensive if you do not have enough money. Handmade carpets and rugs are beautiful in many ways and aspects, but no one is obligated to spend money they cannot afford.
That is why there are products with different prices and different quality. If you want to have a unique rug, then you need to spend more money on it. But if you do not feel comfortable with such a cost, you can always find beautiful crafts in machine-made carpets.
The market is huge and every consumer can find a product that suits him.
Conclusion
Handicrafts are something special. They give a really unique feeling, whether it is a rug, clothes, jewelry, or furniture. For some consumers, the price of such products is not really a problem. But they want to make sure that they invest their money in authentic products and that they directly help everyone involved in the process.
It is therefore important to know the signs by which you will recognize that the carpet is handmade, no matter which method is used. Of course, buying from a trusted seller is a must. Check all the features of the rug before you pay for it. Anyone who really wants to buy a handmade rug must be sure that it is not part of a scam.
And we really hope we helped you with our article.
