How to recognize an Indian rug
Indian hand‑knotted rugs use the asymmetric knot on a cotton foundation at 60 to 300 knots per square inch, in wool that ranges from coarse to very fine, sometimes with silk or viscose highlights. Agra and Jaipur produce fine Persian‑ and Mughal‑design rugs; Bhadohi and Mirzapur produce the bulk of the decorator market, including most of the "Oushaks," "Mahals," transitional and modern rugs sold by U.S. retailers; Kashmir produces fine wool and silk Persian‑style rugs. Older "Indo‑Persian" rugs from the 1970s to 90s, often with an "Indo‑Heriz" or "Indo‑Kashan" label, are common in Long Island homes. Many Indian rugs are given a herbal, tea or antique‑finish wash at the factory that softens the colors, and that finish is not colorfast.
We see them everywhere: Garden City, Rockville Centre, Merrick, Massapequa, Great Neck, Roslyn, Jericho, Syosset, Huntington, Dix Hills, Smithtown, Stony Brook and the Hamptons.
- Origin
- Agra, Jaipur, Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Kashmir, India
- Knot
- Asymmetric; 60–300 kpsi
- Pile
- Wool; silk or viscose highlights on some
- Foundation
- Cotton
- Dyes
- Variable; factory finishing washes not fast
- Our method
- Dye and fiber test → dusting → cold immersion with stabilizer → clear rinse → centrifuge → flat dry
