A touch of royalty and sophistication in the traditional way can be tempting for a home décor enthusiast but achieving it comes at a cost. When we think of traditional- antique, silks and gilded mirrors come to our mind, but incorporating them in a modern home gets tricky and expensive. Pure silk rugs, specifically the Kashmiri rug is versatile enough to seamlessly fit into the interior décor of a modern home. At the same time, they have an intricate and striking design that makes them stand out in their own right.

But finding a genuine product gets difficult when you shop handmade rugs online. Here are a few tried and tested tips that can simplify the process for you.

Tips to identify Pure Silk Kashmir Carpet

Kashmiri pure silk handmade rugs are much coveted for their extremely detailed design and vibrance which is unmatched. Here are a few tips which will help you instantly spot a genuine piece whether you are shopping online or offline:

 

1) Checking the material

The carpet should be much lighter than usual when made from pure silk but the weaves must be strong and very close to each other. The best way to check the authenticity of a pure silk carpet is to pull a thread from one corner and then burn it. If the smell is like burning hair, the material is authentic.

 

2) The detailing

Best silk rugs from Kashmir have a unique oriental design which is very detailed using a variety of threads in different colours. The level of detailing is only possible when it is hand-weaved. By placing a handmade carpet and an artificial or machine-made one, you can easily spot which one among them is genuine.

 

3) Trusted store

Always buy such carpets from old and trusted carpet stores from Delhi whether you go for online or offline stores. Any online store which is genuine will have a detailed product description about the material, dimensions, wash-care, and other important details such as the time taken to weave the rug or carpet and more listed on the website. At any carpet store Delhi, check the background thoroughly before you shop the handmade rugs.

 

4) The price

The better the quality of the rug, the higher will be the price. There is no way in which you can find genuine handmade rugs at a lesser price. Usually, the price is based on the quality of the yarn, the dimensions of the rug and the intricacies of the design altogether. The more lustrous and detailed the design is, the higher will be the price.

 

5) Construction technique

The method of weaving the carpet can tell a lot about its authenticity. 

• Handmade silk carpet will be hand-knotted. Their weaves are in piles and knots and take months and even years to make. 

• Usually, handmade carpets will either be silk-on-silk weave or silk-on-cotton weave. This means the weft of the carpet is silk and the warp is cotton in the case of silk on cotton and silk in the case of the silk-on-silk method. 

• Also, another way to tell apart an authentic pure silk carpet is the knot-count. The counts are very close by and hence there will be at least 300 knots per square inches, if not more. 

• Lastly, the yarn is very thin which is why they weigh much less.

Conclusion

Finding the perfect handmade rugs and carpets from Kashmir is easier when you are observant and have basic knowledge and the carpet making techniques. So now shopping is made easier when you know what to look for at the store.