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Suzani 7 (Mountain High Soumak Rug)

Posted on February 03, 2019 by Susan Brouwer

This dramatic and very cheerful Mountain High Soumak Rug is a durable and hard wearing — much thicker than a kilim — soumak rug. The original suzani (“souzani”) designs derive from the folk art tradition of Uzbekistan. The original suzanis were woven with an embroidery construction.

Suzani 7 Mountain High Handmade Area Rug

Now rendered in India in a warp-wrapping technique on a rug weaving loom, New Zealand wool on a cotton warp, these are intended for hard wear on your floor! The Souzani designs are notably cheerful and striking. We have a large variety of soumak rugs, including many Suzani designs. In addition to the “Mountain High Soumak Rug" or Suzani 7, A Rug For All Reasons sells the “Sun Palace Soumak Rug" or Suzani 3, “Marigold and Mocha Soumak Rug" or Suzani 4, and the “Terrafina Soumak Rug" or Suzani 13. We also carry many other soumaks in a variety of designs, including the “Equestria Soumak Rug" or Pazyryk.

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Are All Of Our Rugs Available?

Posted on November 25, 2018 by Susan Brouwer

Customers have asked, “Why can I put a rug in my cart if it’s not available?”

We understand the confusion. We haven’t figured out a better way to handle it.  All of the rugs on our web site are available. It just may take time for them to arrive. We can’t make a rug available, even if there is a wait, unless it’s posted on our website.

We have several categories of rugs:

  1. Programmed rugs: A rug design that is made in several standard sizes. Because handknotted rugs are not made in large quantities, there may be limited sizes available at any one time. If your size is not available currently, we can check on any rug to find out when another in your size will be arriving, whether there is one on the loom, on the sea, etc.
  1.   Rugs that are part of a collection but that are not stocked: These are made-to-order rugs and can be made for you. To do this we require a deposit with the balance due when the rug arrives.
  1.   Rugs that are available in one size only, or have been made in one or two sizes only: If the actual rug on our web site is no longer available, we will check for you to see if another has been made. Keep in mind: Unless a rug is one-of-a-kind, meaning there will never be another like it, we can always have a rug made for you that may not currently be available but that is pictured on our website.
  1.   One-of-a-kind: We have very few of this category, mostly Persian tribal types of rugs (Kashkuli, Gabbeh, the Gaon Naksha Tibetan rugs, etc.) We are always happy to find out what is available in similar designs in the size you need.

Another important thing to remember is that all of our rugs, except perhaps the one-of-a-kind type, may be customized in special sizes and even colors.

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Flatweave Rugs: Soumak vs. Kilim. What is the difference between these two types of flat weaves?

Posted on November 18, 2018 by Susan Brouwer
We have just recently added a line of kilim rugs, which prompts this article. We’ve been carrying soumaks for a long time.

The soumak rugs are a completely different weave from the kilim rugs. Both types are made on a loom strung with warp threads. A soumak is made by twisting the weft (cross-wise) yarns around the warp (lengthwise threads). The result is a sturdy, reversible rug that looks like knitting on one side, purl on the other, for you knitters reading our blog. Our soumaks are very durable.

Kilim rugs are a straight over-and-under-the-warp-threads weave They are thinner than the soumaks but are also reversible.

It’s important to put a good pad with some cushion under both the soumaks and the kilims, to add to the wear of the rug, to keep the rug from slipping or bunching, and to enhance the look of the rug on your floor.

Note: Flatwoven rugs tend to be less expensive than pile rugs! The weaving process for both is quicker than the knotting process, which involves creating the design from individual “knots” going across the warp.

Don't see the perfect rug on our site? Send us a note or give us a call at 877-817-0246 -- we're up to the challenge!

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I’m Concerned About The Accuracy of a Rug’s Colors on your Website!

Posted on November 11, 2018 by Susan Brouwer
Probably the very biggest factor affecting the color of a rug is the fact that they are made of fiber, actually three-dimensional fiber, which absorbs and reflects light in many different ways, depending on the lighting. The photos of our rugs were all taken pretty much in a studio setting under photographic lighting that mimics natural light as much as possible. A rug may appear different in color or brightness than it might in your home. We try for accuracy of representation as much as possible.

There are two ways you as the customer might put your mind at ease about color. One is to ask if we can provide another photo, perhaps a photo taken of the rug on a cement floor in the warehouse. Not the most flattering situation or lighting, but it would give you more information! The other way would be to order a smaller rug if you’re thinking of a large piece. We pay shipping to the customer; the customer pays to ship the rug back (within 30 days). That way the shipping expense is reduced if the colors aren’t right for the room. (In some cases we don’t have small sizes: either none are in stock are the rug isn’t made in a small size.)

Please get in touch about any concerns you have and we’ll do whatever we can to provide information, more photos, our personal feedback about any rug we have.

Don't see the perfect rug on our site? Send us a note or give us a call at 877-817-0246 -- we're up to the challenge!

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NEW TO OUR ONLINE STORE: DO-IT YOURSELF SEARCH FOR OTHER RUGS IN OUR INVENTORY!

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Susan Brouwer

We have a new and exciting option to offer our customers:  a direct link into many rugs in our inventory (not the ones pictured on our site).  ALL OF THESE FOUND THROUGH THIS LINK ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE!

A little primer on how to use this searchable inventory:

1) Click here to start your search.

2)  Click on “Shape and Size” to enter your size parameters.

3)  Next, you may choose “Style” in order to specify a style (e.g. Modern, Traditional, Tribal).

(Our artisan rug selections include old or antique rugs,  which you may view by selecting “Antique” or “Vintage” under the “Age” category.)

4)  Choosing “Construction,” you’ll be able to specify flat weave, hand knotted, hand made or Tibetan weave.  All of the rugs pictured on our online store are hand knotted, the most durable types of rugs.

5)  The last category we suggest you include is “Material.”  All of the rugs pictured on our online rug store are “wool,” “silk,” or “wool and silk.”  We don’t recommend any other types of fiber content.

Click here to start your search

Call us at 877-817-0246 or 541-840-3384 for information or prices of rugs you find, or if you need help with your search.

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Featured Rug -- Parpa and Vines (Gangchen Tibetan)

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Susan Brouwer

This month, April of 2015, we have chosen to feature as our “Rug of the Month” the Healing Botanical Parpa and Vines. Susan, one of the owners of A Rug For All Reasons, has this rug in her home and it never fails to please her, every day of the year.

This rug, as with all the Gangchen Tibetan, was hand knotted in Tibet with the world’s most beautiful wool: long-staple, lanolin rich wool from sheep who live at high altitude in Tibet. Handspun, hand-carded, and then dyed, there is subtle variation of color in the yarns which, along with the luster of the wool, makes these rugs come alive and truly “sparkle.”

The weaving of these Tibetans is very dense and tight. A timeless design that would work in a wide variety of settings, Parpa and Vines also has many wonderful colors that would be easy to work with. Custom sizing and colors are also an option.

We hope you love this rug as much as we do! Happy Spring (not quite here yet but on its way)!

View this rug on our site

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Traditional Techniques - New Interpretations

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Susan Brouwer
Several of the rug producers we represent paved the way in the world of present-day rug weaving making rugs exactly as they have been for hundreds of years.  Some of them are made to look old but haven't been distressed with chemicals or other methods that compromise the wool. Their production has been centered in Pakistan (and now Afghanistan as well) where rug making had been in the doldrums for at least 20 years: very few rug qualities, hardly any innovation, repetition of the same designs, and no handspun wool or vegetable dyes. There was a huge migration of refugees from Afghanistan to southern Pakistan beginning in the 1980s. These refugees took their sophisticated weaving techniques with them into Pakistan where the infrastructure for rug weaving and business acumen already existed. According to Jack Simantov, one of our suppliers,"I think more than any other country in any other time, these two cultures have come together and complemented each other to the benefit of the rug industry."

The rugs being produced with the best traditional techniques range from traditional to transitional to modern. They all have the character and appeal of rugs made with handspun wool and natural dyes. Don't see the perfect rug on our site? Send us a note or give us a call at 877-817-0246 -- we'd love to help you find it!

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Our Rugs Are Good For Your Health!

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Susan Brouwer

Well, that may be a bit overblown! On the other hand, a good wool rug insulates your home and keeps you warmer in the winter, so you need to use less artificial heat in your home. They also absorb sound, which will help you to be more cozy and relaxed, right?

But the main point I'd like to make here is that quality, handknotted rugs are made entirely of materials found in nature, so they emit no toxic fumes or chemicals, unlike the rugs constructed with glues -- such as "hand" tufted rugs -- or using chemicals, such as in polypropylene rugs or machine-made rugs. 

All of our rugs are constructed of high-quality, untreated wool knotted onto a cotton warp (the threads put on the loom that become the fringe at each end, which is often bound under so it's not visible -- but it's there).

I've had customers who complain of "environmental allergies" who have dramatic reactions to chemicals in their environments. Most of us, however, are not really aware of such allergies. However, we are exposed to so many questionable chemical products every day, and we may have no idea how that really affects our health and long-term wellbeing.

An all-natural, hand knotted rug is more expensive (usually) than one of the cheaper types of rugs, but if we think of buying a wonderful rug as purchasing a piece of art that we'll love forever, that may help with the decision to buy a wool, hand knotted rug that really is good for your health!

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Should I use a "good" rug in my kitchen or bathroom?

Posted on December 09, 2012 by Susan Brouwer
After many years of hearing from customers who have hesitated to put down a handknotted rug in their kitchens or bathrooms -- and from my own personal experience -- I can report wholeheartedly that you will find that a handmade wool rug is the most practical, and beautiful, answer for kitchens and baths.

Practicality: Obviously, the kitchen floors of those of us who actually cook are the recipients of daily spills and droppings, as well as lots of traffic. A high-end wool rug is the most practical choice because of the density of the wool pile and also because of the quality of the wool. Sphaghetti sauce? Wine? Dogs? Take a rag or dishcloth with soapy water, bend down and clean it up. Voila! I have yet to encounter a spill that doesn't come right out with soapy water (which I follow up with clean water if it's a largish spill).

In bathrooms where there is shower water going on to the floor on a daily basis, a gorgeous wool rug is also a highly practical choice. Handmade rugs, like anything, should be allowed to dry in between wettings, so if you step out onto the rug from your shower or bath, we recommend using a bath mat over the rug, then hanging the bath mat up to dry.

More fun considerations: There's nothing that brings a room alive more than a wonderful rug on the floor. Think about it: a $39 rug from Home Depot, a thin hooked or tufted rug from Crate and Barrel...or a dense, beautiful and interesting rug that has the character and beauty of a wonderful handknotted rug? Even the more generic kitchen or bathroom can come alive with a great handknotted rug on the floor!

I've had people come in to my store just to tell me, "I can't believe it. That rug in my kitchen has been so great. The spills just sit on the surface and it's easy to clean up -- and I get to look at it sparkle in my kitchen every day!"

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Creative Matters and LabelStep

Posted on December 01, 2012 by Susan Brouwer
Creative Matters is a company based in Toronto, Canada, that is comprised of only women, all of whom have a background in textiles, the arts, or related fields. Together they have "created" (designed and produced) world-class Tibetan, very modern, very beautiful and very distinct rugs. These rugs go way beyond their superlative designs: most of them are a blend of Tibetan wool with Chinese silk that are combined in a complex and labor-intensive process that results in a rug that is refined and elegant but also very "organic" in its look and feel. The deceptively simple results are skillfully crafted and beautifully rendered works of art for your floor.

We are so pleased to be able to present these rugs to our customers. Not only does the owner of a Rug For All Reasons relate strongly to an all-woman company (being an independent woman herself!); it is our intention to carry the best rugs being produced, and Creative Matters certainly fills the bill there.

In addition, Creative Matters is a company of people who genuinely feel a sense of responsibility for promoting environmentally friendly production methods as well as concern for the wellbeing of the people who are involved in the hands-on process of making their rugs. Here is a quote from Creative Matters:

"We believe in the ethical treatment of the weavers and artisans who create our beautiful rugs overseas. It was these beliefs that lead us to support Label STEP and we are very proud to announce that we are Label STEPS’ first North American Partner."

LabelSTEP is an organization that’s committed to improving weavers' living conditions, working conditions and ensure fair wages. It also promotes environmentally friendly production methods. Label Step is systematically monitoring the production sites of its licensees and their suppliers, and takes measures to ensure fair conditions.

Label STEP operates at the local level in all major carpet-producing countries - Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan and Turkey. A portion of the sale of every rug we have made in Nepal goes to support this organization.

For more about LabelSTEP, also see www.label-step.org

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