Posted on February 2, 2016 by Behnam Rugs

Why Should You Care if Your Rug is Made of Real Silk or Fake Silk, and Why Does This Matter?

Unfortunately, there are merchants out there selling fake silk rugs as real silk rugs at inflated prices.  Fake silk does not have the strength of real silk and will lose color and age fast. Viscose rayon, or “art silk” is the material most commonly passed off as real silk. Luckily we have written an article so that you can learn about the benefits and drawbacks of fake silk and become less likely to buy it unknowingly.

It is easy for these merchants to fool tourists or first-time rug buyers because fake silk rugs can look like real silk rugs and it is hard to tell by just looking at them. After even the first wash there are massive differences between real silk and fake silk- if you put a real silk rug next to a manufactured silk rug they will feel quite different. In addition, fake silk shows stains and wear much more easily and therefore needs much more frequent professional cleaning to maintain.

When we receive a rug like this we have to do a burn fiber test to know for sure if the rug is fake and made of bamboo silk, paper rayon, or real silk. If your rug is made of real silk, it will last generations being used on the floor and look even better after maintenance washes every 4 to 5 years. A fake silk rug will wear out after to use and frequent professional cleaning in as little as 10 years.

We are offering our evaluation services to rug owners for free if you or someone you know has taken a cruise abroad recently and picked up a “fine silk rug” not knowing that it is really a souvenir rug. Souvenir rugs are typically not real silk. It’s a common scam. We have helped several customers determine the real value of these souvenir rugs and have educated them on real silk or fake silk rugs while in the store. In the past, we have even helped them refund some of the overcharge price back to their credit card.

If you would like to set up a time to bring your rug in for a free fiber test and verbal appraisal call us at 972-733-0400.

If your rug is too big for you to transport we can pick it up, hand wash it, and evaluate it while at our grand showroom here in North Dallas. Then when you are ready we will reinstall your rug with proper padding. Due to current circumstances, we are offering zero contact delivery and pick up.