Informative guide

 

 

Ready to add a magic touch?

Much more than a decorative item, the perfect rug has the power to unite the elements of a room to make it an inviting and warm whole!  

For millennia, artisans have used traditional weaving techniques to create beautiful rugs. With technological advancement, new fibers and automated methods have emerged to diversify the selection of products available.

At Tapis du Monde, our mission is to provide durable and quality products, at the most affordable prices, while guaranteeing the most diversified range in order to offer customers and decorators as many choices as possible to help them reach their full creative potential. Thus, all the products offered come from established and trusted suppliers, who respect international ethical standards.

The main countries where our carpets are produced are: Belgium, Turkey, Egypt, India, Holland, England, Denmark, Pakistan, United States.

 

1- Define the dimensions of your space

Open plan spaces can sometimes make your furniture appear to be "floating" in the room. A well-arranged and positioned rug can help define your space and anchor your furniture. It is possible to create a beautiful cohesion by choosing rugs that complement your furniture and accessories.

For living rooms, we always recommend choosing a dimension that will allow the furniture to partially sit on the rug.

For dining rooms, we recommend about 24” extra on each side of the table to allow the chairs to not slide off the carpet when backing up.

For a bedroom, we recommend choosing a size that will cover approximately 2/3 of the perimeter of your bed.

 

A few little tips...

As a general rule, any type of rug can be placed in almost any room. However, here are some small aspects to take into account depending on the room intended to accommodate the carpet.

Traffic intensity - Is it a heavily used room such as the living room, bedroom, hallways, etc.? ? If so, consider choosing a stronger fiber to avoid premature wear.

fiber type - Think about the type of fiber you want, with some being more suitable for different uses due to their technical properties, and others that can provide interesting textures and patterns to your decor.

Dining room - If your chair legs are too pointed, they risk penetrating the fiber during movement and thus damaging it. It is therefore recommended to choose more flat carpets, and if possible to protect the legs with pads. Also avoid rolling backwards by applying excessive weight.

Good to know !

In case of damage, it is usually possible to remove a stain in almost all cases, but only if you act quickly with the right techniques and products. Thus, you should not be afraid of accidents so as not to limit yourself when choosing carpets.

Depending on the fiber and the nature of the stain, different products are available to remove it and deodorize if necessary. It is also important to follow the correct instructions so as not to burn the fiber with too much friction.

Consult the section MAINTENANCE for a complete care and cleaning guide.

 

2- Size guide

Here's what we recommend in terms of rug placement for your room to bring out the best effect. Obviously, every space is different and you will need to adapt your dimensions to this one!

SALON (IDEALLY INCLUDE PART OF THE FURNITURE)

DINING ROOM (ABOUT 24’’ EACH SIDE)

BEDROOM (COVER AT LEAST 2/3 OF THE PERIMETER OF THE BED)

 

3- Properties of fibers

Each fiber we have in store has its pros and cons. Here is a summary of each of them.

SYNTHETIC FIBERS

Synthetic fibers are very popular in carpet production due to their more affordable price as well as their resistance to fading and ease of cleaning. Their main disadvantage is their faster wear than natural fiber carpets. In the case of machine cleaning, it will also be necessary (ideally) to put on a protective layer of Teflon to protect the fiber, and this is why a professional cleaner is recommended.

Polypropylene / Olefin: It is the strongest synthetic fiber in terms of color due to the coloring process. Generally the least expensive, this fiber makes up the vast majority of machine-woven carpets. It also makes up the majority of indoor/outdoor rugs thanks to its flexibility of use.

Polyester : It is the perfect compromise between softness and resistance. This fiber is also more affordable and can create softness and shine in carpets. A mixture is often appropriate with the polypropylene in order to give different effects.

Nylon : It is the synthetic fiber of choice in terms of resistance. Ideal for high traffic areas, nylon is used in the majority of large commercial spaces. Nylon is more expensive than other synthetic fibers since it is extremely strong and abrasion resistant. Easily cleanable, it is ideal for entrances, stairs and any high-traffic area. The versatility of possible designs with nylon is also very interesting. This fiber is however coarser than the others.

Viscose : It is the most popular synthetic fiber to mix with wool rugs due to its extreme silk-like softness, but you have to be very careful with this one since it is the exception to the rule in terms of its maintenance. Unlike other synthetic fibers, it deteriorates much faster. It is absolutely necessary to clean with cold water (and with very little water!) and avoid rubbing in case of stains. Also, it tends to fray from the rug more, so we recommend avoiding rugs with more than 20% viscose. Its advantage, however, is its imitation of silk for a more upscale finish.

 

NATURAL FIBERS

Natural fibers are generally stronger over time than synthetic fibers. Easy to maintain with the right techniques and products, they will add more texture to your room. They are more expensive than synthetic fibers due to the manufacturing processes, but they will give a better effect to the piece thanks to their quality and natural properties. They are also much more environmentally friendly.

Laine : Wool is the fiber that has been used to make rugs for thousands of years. The quality of this varies according to the climatic conditions in which the sheep live. Today, New Zealand wool is the most recognized in terms of quality, which is why the majority of our suppliers use it. Its natural properties surpassing all those of synthetic fibers make it the ultimate choice for a quality carpet that will follow you all your life. Wool rugs are usually handmade, which puts them at a higher base price depending on the weaving technique.

So here are the natural properties of 100% virgin wool, which is used in most of our wool rugs:

Thermal insulation: As air is a poor thermal conductor, virgin wool rugs reduce heat loss in the room and thus create a warm atmosphere and help to increase the room temperature.

Acoustic Insulation: The sound level also drops, because the air trapped between the fibers increases the sound absorption power. The formation and transmission of noise are therefore significantly reduced, thus providing additional calm to the room.

Flexibility: Extremely comfortable on bare feet (depending on the weave), the wool is pleasant to the touch and is very elastic, which makes it possible not to make furniture marks on your carpets since it recovers its shape very easily

Climate regulator: When the atmosphere is very humid, wool can absorb and retain up to 1/3 of its own weight in moisture without feeling damp. When the air is too dry, it releases the retained moisture.

Purifies the air: It absorbs and retains pollutants often found inside buildings, such as formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. It is estimated that wool rugs can purify the air in a room for up to 30 years!

Antistatic: Unlike many fibers, wool will save you from electric shocks since in normal climatic conditions, pure new wool does not become charged with static electricity.

Repels liquids: Liquids will first bead on the wool before penetrating it, allowing time to fully absorb the stain during cleaning, and thus reducing its chances of appearing.

Holds Surface Dirt: Unlike other fibres, wool holds dust and dirt on the surface until it is vacuumed away. This makes cleaning and maintenance easier, in addition to providing it with its next property;

Anti-allergenic: Allergenic droppings from house dust mites (which are the main culprit in causing allergies in susceptible people) mix with house dust and can be inhaled. Mattresses and upholstered furniture are a favorable environment for dust mites and contrary to popular belief, carpets are much less affected by this problem. Thus, thanks to the dirt-holding capacity of wool, allergenic substances will not fly away.

Flame Retardant: Finally, a wool fiber offers far superior fire protection than most other fibers due to its high moisture and nitrogen content. The wool opposes the spread of flames by forming an insulating and cooling layer. This is also why wool carpets support small burns very well, just scrape the traces of scorch on the place in question.

Cotton : Cotton is one of the best fibers for a natural and casual look. Generally woven flat, it is both a clean and classic material, and can adapt to many styles. Very light and versatile to use, its main drawback is however that it is necessary to avoid soaking the rug with water during cleaning, at the risk of breaking and discoloring it (for our cotton Jacquard rugs) .

 

Silk : Ravishing and sophisticated, the silk rug offers a luxurious sheen and elegant softness. Because silk is delicate and very decorative, you'll want to show it off. However, it is best suited for low traffic areas. All the shimmer of a 100% silk rug requires a little more care than other rug materials. The combination of silk and wool rug fibers can provide the same dramatic look of silk with more durability and easier care. However, you must be very careful with synthetic and vegetable fibers that imitate silk (bamboo, viscose, etc.) since these do not have the same properties and do not have the same value (be sure to do business with a merchant recognized and trusted).

NATURAL PLANT FIBERS

sea hay : Sea hay, or sea grass, is made from a tropical reed grown in rice-like fields in China and Vietnam. The fibers are harvested, dried and spun by hand into strong strands. When woven together, the result is a rug full of texture, yet sturdy and durable. Sea Hay blends nature's colors - beige, green, yellow and russet in endless variation, resulting in hue shifts between rolls and mats. The mats will have a distinctive hay aroma, which will mostly dissipate, but will be reminiscent of the freshness of nature. Avoid in the basement because of the humidity which will promote the appearance of mold. Can be very suitable in entrances to replace carpets in commercial styles, as long as the ventilation promotes the drying of the carpet.

Sisal : Recognized as being a very resistant fiber, a multitude of choices of patterns, colors and textures are available to satisfy all tastes! It is obtained from the long green leaves of the Agave plant, which grows in Brazil, Mexico and Africa. On average, about 1000 fibers are extracted from each leaf, which are then washed, sun-dried, brushed, graded and baled. The rest of the plant is used to generate electricity for rural areas, in addition to helping the local economy. They are then sent to the United States to be transformed into carpets. Naturally rougher, it is less pleasant to the touch than wool and you have to be careful to dry the fiber well in case of liquid spillage. Some sisals are also stain resistant, and this is the perfect fiber to add a unique touch to your space or stairs!

 

Many other fibers are used to make carpets such as jute, acrylic, bamboo, coconut, recycled synthetic materials, etc. Those described in this section are, however, the most common among our selection of products offered.

4- Types of weaving

Hand knotted or woven 

Hand-knotted rugs are made knot by knot from a weft mounted on a horizontal loom, and can be knotted at different densities. Different treatments of the wool are carried out depending on the region in which the rug is knotted, before and after production. This, added to certain precise patterns traditional to the culture of the region, thus defines a particular style of rug (Chobi, Persian, Berber, Kilim, Indo-Tibetan, Bokhara, etc.) Our most popular hand-knotted rugs in store are the Moroccan rugs made up of large knots of boiled wool giving them a warm, dense and extremely comfortable appearance.

Tufté

The technique of tufting is very similar to that of knotting, but the knot is tied using a special instrument. The canvas is stretched on a loom. When the tufting is complete, the carpet is removed from the loom and the back is coated with a layer of latex. After drying, the rug is shaved and chiseled to highlight the patterns. Finally it is washed, its back is covered with a protective cloth and the fringes are sewn. Carpets can also be machine tufted.

Jacquard 

Jacquard is actually a pattern printing technique by extremely tight weaving of interwoven colored threads. This rendering of weaving was created by Joseph Marie Jacquard, a weaver worthy heir to the Lyon tradition, who developed the Jacquard loom in 1801, a revolutionary programmable machine, working with punched cards. This process caught the attention of Napoleon Bonaparte himself, who encouraged Jacquard to perfect his invention in the national interest. Nowadays, Jacquard fabric is still used for its exceptional properties and it is highly appreciated for the beauty and variety of possible patterns, not to mention the remarkable quality that the weaving of the patterns gives to the product. Made in Belgium by an ancestral company, our jacquard rugs are of unequaled elegance.

Machine made 

Modern electronic machinery that can quickly and inexpensively produce patterns for every taste. Generally reserved for synthetic fiber rugs.