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At ValuePros, we are regularly asked to perform rug appraisals ranging from small rugs, hallway runners, to full-size room rugs. There are several factors we must consider, but one in particular involves the sense of touch; it is called texture. If you run your hand over the rugs or carpet in your home or office, your hand will sense the difference, and what you are feeling is known as the texture or the smoothness of the surface. When you purchase floor covering, aside from size, color and design, the texture that you select is determined by your personal taste.  You might prefer plush, flat, sculpted, or a feeling somewhere in between. Unfortunately in this world of internet shopping, texture is the only feature that cannot be evaluated using a computer. The human touch still provides many indications about the quality and structure of rugs and carpets. The various sensations of texture primarily depend on the types of materials in the rug, such as whether the base material is Wool, Cotton, Silk, or in some rare instances Gold or Silver threads. Wool is by far the primary material that is used to construct the rug’s structure. The majority of wool comes from sheep, though there are some occasions when weavers use wool from different animals, such as camels or goats. The wool from camels and goats is used, for example, in Kilim rugs. The softest wool comes from baby lambs (8-14 months) and is called Kork. You find Kork in high-end rugs with a high knots per square inch count. The rugs that are made with Kork are very smooth, usually thin, have a glossy appearance, and are soft to the touch. Cotton is also used in many rugs to warp looms. You can see the cotton on the backside of Tribal rugs, for example. Silk is smoothest of all materials used in rugs and carpets and it provides rugs with an extreme softness and reflection. Usually, silk is used for flowers in motifs and medallions. These types of rugs are famous in Tabriz, Iran’s fourth largest city. Quite often, Silk threads are used in combination with either Wool or Cotton. Some rugs are pure Silk. These types of rugs have the highest knots per square inch and usually are smaller in size. Iranian cities like Qom, Kashan, and Isfahan are famous for their silk rugs. Isfahan has long been considered one of the centers for production of the famous Persian Carpet. Gold and Silver threads have also been used in rugs and carpets going back as far as the 16th century, but in the earlier periods the metallic threads were used mostly in the floral designs of the carpet. As the use of metal threads became more popular, silk was gradually substituted for the wool of the pile; eventually the carpets were made entirely of silk on a Gold or Silver ground. Wool disappeared completely in these luxurious carpets. As Accredited Appraisers, the expert rug appraisers at ValuePros must be professionally informed, as well as experienced,

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