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Materials
While the materials used to construct an oriental rug may vary, there
are only a few general materials used which account for 99% of all hand-
knotted rugs. Because of this, generalizations can be made which
allow one to learn much about their rug solely through knowledge of
what composes their rug.
Most hand-knotted rugs have a woolen pile, but this woolen pile can
consist of any number of combinations of animal and hair fibers. Aside
from basic sheeps wool, goat hair, camel hair, mohair, silk, and metal
fibers are commonly found in many oriental rugs. Silk rugs also have
another subcategory because of the use of synthetic false silk fibers
and mercerized cottons as substitutes. Blending of different materials
to create finer grades of wools, cottons, and silks, is also common, but
sometimes reserved for finer pieces. Wool, for example, can be
blended in order to create softer, more lustrous pile materials.
The warps and wefts of oriental rugs are almost always cotton, with
finer piece using a silk foundation, and many antique piece using a
wool or silk foundation. Again, how the foundation is constructed and
what material is used will give many clues as to the age, origin, and
value of the rug. Cotton is arguably the best base fiber for the average
rug because of the low cost and durability of the fiber.
All of the materials in oriental rug have both pros and cons, but the
overwhelming majority of rugs are constructed using wool, silk, or
cotton. Each of these will be discussed further in this section.
are only a few general materials used which account for 99% of all hand-
knotted rugs. Because of this, generalizations can be made which
allow one to learn much about their rug solely through knowledge of
what composes their rug.
Most hand-knotted rugs have a woolen pile, but this woolen pile can
consist of any number of combinations of animal and hair fibers. Aside
from basic sheeps wool, goat hair, camel hair, mohair, silk, and metal
fibers are commonly found in many oriental rugs. Silk rugs also have
another subcategory because of the use of synthetic false silk fibers
and mercerized cottons as substitutes. Blending of different materials
to create finer grades of wools, cottons, and silks, is also common, but
sometimes reserved for finer pieces. Wool, for example, can be
blended in order to create softer, more lustrous pile materials.
The warps and wefts of oriental rugs are almost always cotton, with
finer piece using a silk foundation, and many antique piece using a
wool or silk foundation. Again, how the foundation is constructed and
what material is used will give many clues as to the age, origin, and
value of the rug. Cotton is arguably the best base fiber for the average
rug because of the low cost and durability of the fiber.
All of the materials in oriental rug have both pros and cons, but the
overwhelming majority of rugs are constructed using wool, silk, or
cotton. Each of these will be discussed further in this section.
859-254-4412
Rugs 101 - Information Center for Oriental Rugs __________________
Materials - Cotton
Cotton, the purest form of cellulose found in nature, is the seed hair of the plants of the
genus gossypium. It is classififed as a natural, cellulose, monocellular, staple fiber. Cotton
has been cultivated for more than 5000 years, and has been growing wild for over 8000
years. Archaeologists found that it was grown and used for textile purposes in the Indus
valley well before 2100 BC and in Mexico around 3500 BC. Cotton has been of service to
mankind for so long that its versatility is almost unlimited. New uses are constantly being
discovered. Cotton provides thousands of useful products and creates millions of jobs as it
moves each year from field to fabric.
Different kinds and types of cotton are grown in the various parts of the world. Variations
among cotton fibers occur because of the growth conditions, including such factors as soil
composition, climatic conditions, fertilizers, and pests. The quality of cotton fiber is based
on its color, staple, fineness, and strength. Cotton varieties are often identified by the name
of the country or geographical region in which it originated.
Successful cultivation of cotton requires a long growing season, plenty of sunshine and
water during the growing time, and dry weather for harvesting. Generally, these conditions
are met within tropical and warm subtropical latitudes in the northern and southern
hemispheres. Cotton requires about 200 continuous days of warm weather; frost is harmful
to the plant. In the United States, production of the crop starts soon after the harvesting of
the preceding fall, when many farmers chop or shred the cotton stalks with machines. The
residue is left rough, and is plowed under to replenish minerals until the spring tillage. In
march or April, selected seeds are planted. Flowering plants appear in June, and the cotton
is gathered around august.
The ripe bolls are picked by machine or by hand, depending upon the industrial maturity of
the producing area. Mechanical picking is a fast, cost-effective method, cannot distinguish
between inferior bolls, and may also pick fragments. With trained hand-picking, higher
grades of cotton can be collected. This is the chosen methods of most rug producing
countries.
The seeds are then separated from the fibers in a process called ginning, which has
changed little since the invention by Eli Whitney over 200 years ago. The cotton gin,
mechanically separates the cotton fibers from the seeds. Still, in most rug producing
countries, the separation of seeds from the cotton fibers is a method done by hand. After
this is completed, the cotton is baled, and then prepared for spinning. Almost all spinning is
done by machine.
genus gossypium. It is classififed as a natural, cellulose, monocellular, staple fiber. Cotton
has been cultivated for more than 5000 years, and has been growing wild for over 8000
years. Archaeologists found that it was grown and used for textile purposes in the Indus
valley well before 2100 BC and in Mexico around 3500 BC. Cotton has been of service to
mankind for so long that its versatility is almost unlimited. New uses are constantly being
discovered. Cotton provides thousands of useful products and creates millions of jobs as it
moves each year from field to fabric.
Different kinds and types of cotton are grown in the various parts of the world. Variations
among cotton fibers occur because of the growth conditions, including such factors as soil
composition, climatic conditions, fertilizers, and pests. The quality of cotton fiber is based
on its color, staple, fineness, and strength. Cotton varieties are often identified by the name
of the country or geographical region in which it originated.
Successful cultivation of cotton requires a long growing season, plenty of sunshine and
water during the growing time, and dry weather for harvesting. Generally, these conditions
are met within tropical and warm subtropical latitudes in the northern and southern
hemispheres. Cotton requires about 200 continuous days of warm weather; frost is harmful
to the plant. In the United States, production of the crop starts soon after the harvesting of
the preceding fall, when many farmers chop or shred the cotton stalks with machines. The
residue is left rough, and is plowed under to replenish minerals until the spring tillage. In
march or April, selected seeds are planted. Flowering plants appear in June, and the cotton
is gathered around august.
The ripe bolls are picked by machine or by hand, depending upon the industrial maturity of
the producing area. Mechanical picking is a fast, cost-effective method, cannot distinguish
between inferior bolls, and may also pick fragments. With trained hand-picking, higher
grades of cotton can be collected. This is the chosen methods of most rug producing
countries.
The seeds are then separated from the fibers in a process called ginning, which has
changed little since the invention by Eli Whitney over 200 years ago. The cotton gin,
mechanically separates the cotton fibers from the seeds. Still, in most rug producing
countries, the separation of seeds from the cotton fibers is a method done by hand. After
this is completed, the cotton is baled, and then prepared for spinning. Almost all spinning is
done by machine.
Materials - Wool
Wool is the natural fiber that makes up the wonderful textiles such as oriental rugs, fine
cashmere sweaters, and hiking socks that somehow stay dry all day long. This fiber is the
product of the spun fur of the otherwise unglamorous sheep. The question many have
asked is- how does such a rather unintelligent animal produce some of the worlds most
amazing material?
Wool is the fiber from the fleece of the sheep. It is a natural, protein, multi-cellular, stable
fiber. Prehistoric man, clothing himself with sheepskin, eventually learned ways to make
yarn and fabric from their fiber covering. Wool has been used since biblical times, and was
mentioned in the chronicles of roman history. From medieval time, throughout the
industrial revolution, sheep have performed double duty for mankind, not only as a food
source, but a foundation for insulation form the elements.
Wool is the fiber forming the protective covering, or fleece, of sheep. Wool can also be
taken from other animals such as goats or camels. Early wool was a very coarse fiber.
Selective sheep breeding eliminated most of the long, course hairs forming the protective
outer coating of the sheep, leaving the insulating fleecy undercoat of softer, fine fibers. The
breeding of animal and the production of wool fiber into fabric are more costly than the
cultivation of plant fibers, like cotton and linen. Wool provides warmth and physical comfort
that linen and cotton products cannot give. These qualities, combined with its soft
resiliency, make wool desirable for apparel, rugs, and blankets.
Wool is gathered by shearing the fleece from live sheep, but pelts of slaughtered sheep
are sometimes chemically treated to loosen the fibers, yielding an inferior type of wool
called pulled wool. Cleaning the fleece removes the “wool grease”, a fatty substance that
is then purified to make lanolin, a product used in cosmetics and ointments.The wool fiber
is composed of three layers. The outer layer of scales is called the epidermis, or the
cuticle, a porous membrane that repels water, but allows moisture vapor to penetrate. The
scale covering overlap much like roof shingle. This scale structure is unique to wool,
which gives the special qualities. The center of the wool fiber is the medulla, the
honeycomb-like core that contains air spaces (absent in fine wools). The bulk of the wool
fiber is composed of a mass of cells called the cortex. The cells contract to different
extents, giving the wool fibers their unique spiral crimp, elasticity, resilience, and size.
Wool is so absorbent that it can take in up to 30% of its own volume in moisture, feels dry
when it is damp, holds a layer of air next to your skin to keep you warm in the winter,
absorbs perspiration, sheds dust due to lack of a static charge, sheds liquids, breathes
easily, absorbs a broad range of dyes, and resists fading.
Wool is also flame resistant- it does not melt under fire and does not support combustion.
It is so versatile and adaptable that it weaves and knits into a wide variety of textures and
weights from sheer crepes, fine gabardines, cozy sweater knits, and luxurious carpeting.
cashmere sweaters, and hiking socks that somehow stay dry all day long. This fiber is the
product of the spun fur of the otherwise unglamorous sheep. The question many have
asked is- how does such a rather unintelligent animal produce some of the worlds most
amazing material?
Wool is the fiber from the fleece of the sheep. It is a natural, protein, multi-cellular, stable
fiber. Prehistoric man, clothing himself with sheepskin, eventually learned ways to make
yarn and fabric from their fiber covering. Wool has been used since biblical times, and was
mentioned in the chronicles of roman history. From medieval time, throughout the
industrial revolution, sheep have performed double duty for mankind, not only as a food
source, but a foundation for insulation form the elements.
Wool is the fiber forming the protective covering, or fleece, of sheep. Wool can also be
taken from other animals such as goats or camels. Early wool was a very coarse fiber.
Selective sheep breeding eliminated most of the long, course hairs forming the protective
outer coating of the sheep, leaving the insulating fleecy undercoat of softer, fine fibers. The
breeding of animal and the production of wool fiber into fabric are more costly than the
cultivation of plant fibers, like cotton and linen. Wool provides warmth and physical comfort
that linen and cotton products cannot give. These qualities, combined with its soft
resiliency, make wool desirable for apparel, rugs, and blankets.
Wool is gathered by shearing the fleece from live sheep, but pelts of slaughtered sheep
are sometimes chemically treated to loosen the fibers, yielding an inferior type of wool
called pulled wool. Cleaning the fleece removes the “wool grease”, a fatty substance that
is then purified to make lanolin, a product used in cosmetics and ointments.The wool fiber
is composed of three layers. The outer layer of scales is called the epidermis, or the
cuticle, a porous membrane that repels water, but allows moisture vapor to penetrate. The
scale covering overlap much like roof shingle. This scale structure is unique to wool,
which gives the special qualities. The center of the wool fiber is the medulla, the
honeycomb-like core that contains air spaces (absent in fine wools). The bulk of the wool
fiber is composed of a mass of cells called the cortex. The cells contract to different
extents, giving the wool fibers their unique spiral crimp, elasticity, resilience, and size.
Wool is so absorbent that it can take in up to 30% of its own volume in moisture, feels dry
when it is damp, holds a layer of air next to your skin to keep you warm in the winter,
absorbs perspiration, sheds dust due to lack of a static charge, sheds liquids, breathes
easily, absorbs a broad range of dyes, and resists fading.
Wool is also flame resistant- it does not melt under fire and does not support combustion.
It is so versatile and adaptable that it weaves and knits into a wide variety of textures and
weights from sheer crepes, fine gabardines, cozy sweater knits, and luxurious carpeting.
Materials - Silk
Silk is one of the oldest known textile fibers. According to Chinese legend, it was used
as long ago as the 27th century B.C. The silkworm moth is a native of China, and for
almost 3000 years the gathering and weaving of silk was a secret process known only
to the Chinese.
According to Chinese legend, silk was discovered in the garden of the emperor
Huamgdi. The emperor asked his wife, Xilingshi, to find out what was damaging his
mulberry trees. Xilingshi found white worms eating the mulberry leaves and spinning
shiny cocoons. She accidentally dropped a cocoon into hot water and watched as the
delicate, cob-web like tangle separated itself from the cocoon. Xilingshi is also credited
with the creation of the silk reel. China successfully guarded the secret of silk
production until 300 AD, when Japan, and later India, stole the secret.
References in the Old Testament indicate that silk was known in Biblical times in
western Asia. From there, it was transplanted to the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea.
The Chinese are believed to have built up a lucrative trade with the west from the days
of the Han dynasty in the 2nd century BC. The ancient Persian courts used Chinese
silk by unraveling it and reweaving it into Persian designs.
When the king of Persia, Darius III, surrendered to Alexander the Great, he was clothed
in such great silken splendor that Alexander demanded the equivalent of 7 million
dollars worth of silk as spoils. Caravans carried silk on camelback from Asia to
Damascus, Syria, along a treacherous route known as the Silk Road. Silk was traded
for western luxuries not found in the east, some of these artifacts still existing even
today.
The Roman statesman and general Gaius Julius Caesar officially restricted the use of
silk for himself ad for use in he togas of officials that he favored. Despite these
restrictions, bootlegging allowed those who could afford silk to wear it.
All silk in Europe came from Asian sources until 550 AD, when the Roman emperor
Justinian I sent two Nestorian monks to China. Risking their lives, they stole mulberry
leaves and silkworm eggs by hiding them in holes in their walking sticks. When these
goods arrived back in Byzantium, the Asian monopoly on silk production had ended.
Silkworm is the common name for the silk-producing larvae of any of several species of
moths. Silkworms posses a pair of specially modified salivary glands, called sericteris,
which are used in the production of cocoons. The silk glands secrete a clear, viscous
fluid, which hardens when it comes into contact with the air. The diameter of the hole
through which the fluid is secreted, the spinneret, determines the thickness of the silk
being produced.
The best known silkworm is the larvae of the common, domesticated silkworm, Bombyx
Mori. This moth is native to China only. The moth has been cultivated for many
centuries, and is no longer found in the wild. The female silkworm dies immediately
after laying her eggs, and the male dies shortly thereafter. The female deposits 300 to
400 Bluish eggs which are attached to a surface by a sticky secretion form the female.
The larvae, which hatch in about ten days, average around .25 inches long. These
larvae feed on mulberry leaves in order to produce the finest quality of silk. Mature
larvae grow to about three inches long.
Approximately 6 weeks after hatching, the silkworm stops eating and begins spinning
its cocoon. The length of an individual fiber composing the cocon varies from 1000 to
3000 feet. The silkworm then pupates for two weeks before emerging as an adult
moth. Tearing during this emergence destroys the silk for any commercial use.
Therefore, for the production of silk, only enough adult moths are allowed to emerge in
order to allow for the survival of the species. All of the other moths are killed within the
cocoon during the heated water or oven process which unravels the cocoon.
The amount of usable silk from each cocoon is very small. Around 500 silkworms, or
160 pounds of cocoons and 400 pounds of mulberry leaves are required to make 2.2
pounds of raw silk. The silk thread is a continuous filament fiber consisting of fibroin
protein secreted from two salivary glands in the head of each larvae and a gum, called
sericin, which cements the two filaments together. Silk must be reeled off of the cocoon
quickly before the pupae begins to rot. Cocoons are initially soaked in hot water to
remove the sericin, which loosens the silk fibers. Single filaments of silk are drawn
from the cocoons into water bowls and are combined to form yarn. This yarn is drawn
under tension through several guides and is eventually wound onto reels. The yarn is
dried, packed according to quality, and is then ready for marketing as raw silk.
Silk filaments are very fine and long, ranging from 900 to 3000 feet in length. Silk has a
natural luster and sheen, and is white or cream in color. Silk is one of the strongest
natural fibers, being able to hold five grams per denier. When it is dry, the fibers can be
stretched 10 to 25 % of their own length, and when wet can be stretched to 35 percent.
Silk can absorb up to 11% of its own weight in moisture. Silk does not require a
mordant to be dyed.
as long ago as the 27th century B.C. The silkworm moth is a native of China, and for
almost 3000 years the gathering and weaving of silk was a secret process known only
to the Chinese.
According to Chinese legend, silk was discovered in the garden of the emperor
Huamgdi. The emperor asked his wife, Xilingshi, to find out what was damaging his
mulberry trees. Xilingshi found white worms eating the mulberry leaves and spinning
shiny cocoons. She accidentally dropped a cocoon into hot water and watched as the
delicate, cob-web like tangle separated itself from the cocoon. Xilingshi is also credited
with the creation of the silk reel. China successfully guarded the secret of silk
production until 300 AD, when Japan, and later India, stole the secret.
References in the Old Testament indicate that silk was known in Biblical times in
western Asia. From there, it was transplanted to the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea.
The Chinese are believed to have built up a lucrative trade with the west from the days
of the Han dynasty in the 2nd century BC. The ancient Persian courts used Chinese
silk by unraveling it and reweaving it into Persian designs.
When the king of Persia, Darius III, surrendered to Alexander the Great, he was clothed
in such great silken splendor that Alexander demanded the equivalent of 7 million
dollars worth of silk as spoils. Caravans carried silk on camelback from Asia to
Damascus, Syria, along a treacherous route known as the Silk Road. Silk was traded
for western luxuries not found in the east, some of these artifacts still existing even
today.
The Roman statesman and general Gaius Julius Caesar officially restricted the use of
silk for himself ad for use in he togas of officials that he favored. Despite these
restrictions, bootlegging allowed those who could afford silk to wear it.
All silk in Europe came from Asian sources until 550 AD, when the Roman emperor
Justinian I sent two Nestorian monks to China. Risking their lives, they stole mulberry
leaves and silkworm eggs by hiding them in holes in their walking sticks. When these
goods arrived back in Byzantium, the Asian monopoly on silk production had ended.
Silkworm is the common name for the silk-producing larvae of any of several species of
moths. Silkworms posses a pair of specially modified salivary glands, called sericteris,
which are used in the production of cocoons. The silk glands secrete a clear, viscous
fluid, which hardens when it comes into contact with the air. The diameter of the hole
through which the fluid is secreted, the spinneret, determines the thickness of the silk
being produced.
The best known silkworm is the larvae of the common, domesticated silkworm, Bombyx
Mori. This moth is native to China only. The moth has been cultivated for many
centuries, and is no longer found in the wild. The female silkworm dies immediately
after laying her eggs, and the male dies shortly thereafter. The female deposits 300 to
400 Bluish eggs which are attached to a surface by a sticky secretion form the female.
The larvae, which hatch in about ten days, average around .25 inches long. These
larvae feed on mulberry leaves in order to produce the finest quality of silk. Mature
larvae grow to about three inches long.
Approximately 6 weeks after hatching, the silkworm stops eating and begins spinning
its cocoon. The length of an individual fiber composing the cocon varies from 1000 to
3000 feet. The silkworm then pupates for two weeks before emerging as an adult
moth. Tearing during this emergence destroys the silk for any commercial use.
Therefore, for the production of silk, only enough adult moths are allowed to emerge in
order to allow for the survival of the species. All of the other moths are killed within the
cocoon during the heated water or oven process which unravels the cocoon.
The amount of usable silk from each cocoon is very small. Around 500 silkworms, or
160 pounds of cocoons and 400 pounds of mulberry leaves are required to make 2.2
pounds of raw silk. The silk thread is a continuous filament fiber consisting of fibroin
protein secreted from two salivary glands in the head of each larvae and a gum, called
sericin, which cements the two filaments together. Silk must be reeled off of the cocoon
quickly before the pupae begins to rot. Cocoons are initially soaked in hot water to
remove the sericin, which loosens the silk fibers. Single filaments of silk are drawn
from the cocoons into water bowls and are combined to form yarn. This yarn is drawn
under tension through several guides and is eventually wound onto reels. The yarn is
dried, packed according to quality, and is then ready for marketing as raw silk.
Silk filaments are very fine and long, ranging from 900 to 3000 feet in length. Silk has a
natural luster and sheen, and is white or cream in color. Silk is one of the strongest
natural fibers, being able to hold five grams per denier. When it is dry, the fibers can be
stretched 10 to 25 % of their own length, and when wet can be stretched to 35 percent.
Silk can absorb up to 11% of its own weight in moisture. Silk does not require a
mordant to be dyed.