Hand-Tufted Rugs
[ Plush pile ] [ 5–7 years ] [ Mirzapur origin ]
◌ THE FIRST DAYS
Unroll your rug and let it settle for a few days before placing furniture. The pile needs time to decompress and the backing to acclimatise to its new environment. Any arrival creases will ease within days, rolling the rug pile-side out overnight moves the process along.
You may notice a faint smell from the materials, this is natural and short-lived. Simply air the rug in a ventilated room for a day or two and it will clear entirely.
◉ LIVING WITH IT
⟳ SUN & WEAR
Place tufted rugs away from windows with intense direct sun. The pile and canvas backing both respond to sustained heat and UV exposure. Rotate every six months to even out any gradual wear.
◎ COLOUR
Handmade pieces carry the natural variation of their dye process. Slight tonal differences from sample to finished rug are part of what makes each piece individual, not something to correct for.
≋ SHEDDING
Some initial shedding is normal as the pile settles into its finished form. It reduces quickly, usually within the first few weeks of regular use. Avoid placing a new tufted rug in a high-traffic area during this period.
◈ WATER & MOISTURE
The canvas backing is not water-resistant. Treat spills immediately, blot with a dry cloth, working inward, and allow the rug to dry fully and naturally before placing it back down. Do not use steam cleaners.
⊕ VACUUMING
Vacuum gently on a low-suction setting along the pile direction. Avoid the beater bar, it can pull loops from a tufted surface. Run a soft comb through the pile occasionally to keep longer fibres aligned.
✂ LOOSE FIBRES
If a loop or fibre end appears above the surface, trim it level with scissors. Never pull. On a tufted rug, pulling a loose end can unravel an entire section of the backing.
▣ RESTING IT- STORAGE
The canvas backing on a tufted rug is more sensitive to storage conditions than a knotted rug's foundation. Temperature swings and moisture are its main adversaries.
↺ BEFORE YOU STORE
Clean the rug and ensure it is completely dry before storage. Any moisture trapped against the canvas backing can cause delamination, where the backing begins to separate from the pile. A light surface clean is fine for short-term storage. For anything longer than a season, a professional clean is worth the investment.
- Roll, never fold. Folding creases the canvas and stresses the pile. Roll pile-side out and wrap in breathable cloth or acid-free paper.
- Avoid sealed plastic for extended storage, it traps humidity against the canvas backing, which can cause it to soften or separate over time.
- Store in a dry, ventilated interior space. The canvas backing is more susceptible to damp than a knotted rug's cotton foundation, keep it away from anywhere moisture gathers.
- No stacking. Keep stored tufted rugs flat or standing upright. Weight compresses the pile and can distort the backing permanently.
- Inspect periodically during long storage, a quick unroll every few months ensures nothing is developing beneath the wrap.
⊞ RUG PADS
For tufted rugs, a rug pad is even more important than for knotted ones. The canvas backing needs to be kept lifted from the floor, floor friction against canvas accelerates wear and can eventually cause delamination.
- Use a felt and rubber combination pad, the felt cushions the pile from below, the rubber keeps it in place without gripping the floor too hard.
- Size the pad 1 inch inside the rug's edge on all sides for a clean, invisible fit.
- Use furniture protector discs under heavy legs, sustained point-pressure will permanently flatten a tufted pile far faster than it would a knotted one.
- Replace the pad every 2–3 years. A degrading pad can begin to transfer chemicals to the canvas backing, inspect it when you rotate the rug.