RUG INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
by Janelle Jarous-Lampp
A SEMINAR PRESENTED AT
SURFACES EXP0, LAS VEGAS, NV
January 19, 2003
Channels of Distribution and Countries of Origin
The rug industry is layered with a variety of participants who all play an important role in bringing rugs to market.
Manufacturers
There are manufacturers worldwide who specialize in different qualities of rugs. There are cottage industries in India, Turkey and the Middle East as well as large-scale industrial factories in China, Europe and the US.
Importers and Wholesalers
These companies buy from manufacturers and either distribute the product themselves or sell to other distributors, wholesalers, retailers and designer showrooms
There are also independent agents who represent individual manufacturers or groups of manufacturers.
Wholesalers and distributors sell to retailers.
Retailers
Consumers buy rugs through a wide variety of distribution channels.
1. Mass market stores have become one of the largest retail venues for rug sales. The term "mass market" refers to national or regional chains that include discount, "upper-tier" mass, linen specialty stores and home goods specialists and home centers.
2. Department stores
3.Specialty stores include floor covering specialists, furniture stores, hard surface retailers. They are either independently owned or part of co-op buying groups or franchises.
4. Designer Showrooms sell to consumers through design professionals
5. Catalog companies have become a very popular way to buy rugs.
6. Internet rug companies. Internet rug sales include auction sales on such sites as eBay, retailers that exist solely on the Internet and "clicks-and-bricks" retailers which have both an Internet site and a physical store.
Non-traditional Retail Channels
1. GOB is a term used for Going Out of Business operations. Often stores contract with an independent GOB specialist to sell inventory. In The inventory may be brought in by the GOB operator, or be the store's own inventory or a combination of on-site inventory and GOB inventory.
2. Flea Markets
3. Road side sales.
WHERE RUGS ORIGINATE
Countries of Origin are primarily in the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, the Far East, Europe and the U.S. U
Middle East
Afghanistan.
Tribal weavers hand knot rugs using the famous Afghan wool. Many Afghan weavers sought asylum in Pakistan during that country's decade-long political strife. Now that there is some political stabilization, many are moving back to their traditional home lands.
Egypt.
Both hand knotted and machine made rugs. Finely knotted silk rugs from Egypt are especially prized.
Iran.
Persian knot rugs and Kelim flatweaves. After an embargo of more than 15 years, Persian rugs are now allowed into the U.S.
Saudi Arabia
Machine made carpets and rugs.
Turkey
Turkish knot, Karabagh, Besarabian, Kellim handmade rugs and machine made
India, Pakistan and Far East
China
China is growing in importance as a source for rugs made in virtually every construction: Hand knotted, hand hooked/hand tufted, Sumak, Aubusson and machine made. In recent years, many American importers have formed joint ventures with Chinese manufacturing facilities.
India
Major production center for hand tufted and hand-loomed rugs. Hand knotted, Chainstitch and Dhurries hand made constructions.
Nepal and Tibet
Tibetan knot construction is the hallmark of Nepalese and Tibetan production. Nepal is part of India. Tibet is a sovereign country. Tibetan and Nepalese rugs are known for the use of fine wool combined with silk.
Pakistan.
Peshawar has become a center of rug production. Rugs are hand knotted by both Pakistani and Afghani refugee weavers.
Europe
Belgium --Machine made
England --Axminster, wilton, needlepoint
France --Savonnerie, Aubusson, Wilton machine made
Greece --Machine made, Flokati
Morocco -- Hand-loomed, hand knotted
Portugal -- Needlepoint, machinemade
Spain -- Machine made,
North America
Canada -- Machine made woven and tufted rugs
U.S. -- Machine made woven and tufted rugs, hand-tufted rugs
Qualities and Constructions
Quality Formula
Warp (horizontal) and the wep (vertical); Multiplying the warp and wep knots per square inch. Knots do not up the quality of the rug but it does up the price of rugs. The more knots there are the more elaborate and colorful the design. The type of wool is what makes the quality.
Constructions
Construction and texture are as much the focus of product development today as are design and color.
Machine-made (machine loomed) is great for those retailers just getting started in the rug business. There's an enormous variety at a lower price point.
a Axminster which is machine woven, Karastan 700 series the most famous example, are not fringed or surged on the ends; they have a knobby, coarser, textured look.
b Wilton is a machine woven velvet cut pile. It's most popular because it's softer, denser look.
There is no true price differential between a machine made and hand made rug. They sell pretty much evenly.
Handmade
Tufted is not knotted so there is a canvas backing to cover latex- the most popular with customers in any price range.
Cut pile - A cut-loop with various densities of high and low shag.
Loop/Hook - Combining hook-rug with a cut-loop, looks to have more color than it really does. It can create high and low patterns.
Woven quality is often measured by the number of knots. Some low knots are good quality.
Different Knots from different countries
1 Turkish
2 Senneh
3 Giordes
2 Flatweaves - Are flat woven with an embroidered chain stitch going through it. They are very versatile and were made to make the back of the rug more attractive.Unlike pile carpets though, they are less consistent in terms of sales.
Kelims/Dhurries
Chinese Sumaks-look more like a production line.
Indian- Looks more hand made;organ
French and Chinese Savonnerie
Indian Chain-stitch-To much like a fabric, light weight but wonderful quality and durability.
Chinese, Portuguese and Indian needlepoint
The type and quality of the yarn is as important to the overall quality of the rug as is the construction. Every country has its own unique source of wool from which it produces its own yarns for weaving. Depending on the type of sheep the wool is coming from. There's short, long, course, oily, etc.
New Zealand is the only regulated wool.
2 Vegetable dyes are more organic and rich in color though it does crock or fade but they do clean well vs. chemical dyes do not fade, bleed, crock or run.
3 Abrush- natural property dye with lots of colors in a streaking effect. Done in both vegetable and chemical dyes.
AMS helps develop the underdeveloped world markets by importing artisan created programs of unique designs and raw materials.
In my opinion, ingrain carpet is so unique, elegant, affordable and historic that it warrants a great deal more attention than it has received to date. It is a design solution appropriate to homes of any age and décor.
Other Trends in Quality
a 1. Printing Millitron, shabby Chic from Rug Market
2. Collaging Combining fabric with woven or tufted rugs
3. Overweaves Sumak, embroidery on flatweaves from India
History
In Colonial times, carpet was considered a luxury afforded only by the wealthy and until midway through the 19th century, America imported most of its carpet from Britain. Ingrain was the most popular form of carpet for nearly 100 years and was referred to as Scotch, English, Kilmarnock and Kidderminster, after its various manufacturing centers in the UK. Ingrain was the original carpet, a flat woven, two ply construction, woven in narrow widths of up to 54 inches (36€VbCrLf is the norm), which is seamed together to cover the floor. Later wall-to-wall carpet was created in wider widths, and hence called broadloom.