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Q: Why do the carpets have such a distinctive and elegant look? A. Tufenkian carpets distinctive look is attributable to the use of exceptionally high quality materials and the extraordinary level of traditional handwork involved in all stages of production. For its Tibetan and Designers Reserve rugs, Tufenkian uses the finest Tibetan wool, carried by yak over the Himalayas to our facilities in Nepal. For its Armenian rugs, the wool of Caucasian Mountain sheep is used. In both cases, the wool is not bleached or scoured; thus preserving its character. The wool is carded, spun, dyed, and knotted exclusively by hand. The result: rich texture, subtle striae of color and innovative design, the hallmarks of Tufenkian Carpets. Q: Does the wool clean and wear well? A. There is a unique hardiness to the Tibetan wool due to the extreme altitude and climate of the Tibetan plateau where the sheep graze. Their wool is long in staple and contains an unusually high amount of lanolin, a natural stain and soil repellant. The wool is inherently strong, elastic, and resilient; all of which contribute to its longevity. Our Armenian production starts with the wool of Caucasian Mountain sheep. This wool heralds back to some of the finest antique Oushak carpets available today. Q: Can I use Scotchguard on my carpet? A. Scotchguarding the carpet is normally not required because Tufenkian carpets are naturally stain resistant. Q: How should I clean my carpet? A. Vacuum regularly and have your carpet professionally cleaned if visibly dirty. If spots are attended to immediately, almost any stain (red wine, soy sauce, etc.) will come out after blotting with seltzer or plain water. Never clean a stain by rubbing as doing so can possibly force the stain into the carpet permanently. Q: If a piece of yarn pulls out, will my carpet unravel? A. No. Each knot is separate from the others. If the yarn pops up, just clip it off. Q: Why are there dark spots or irregular colors? A. The wool is hand-scrubbed without harsh scouring or bleaching. Because the wool is not bleached to stark white uniformity, each fiber retains its own unique shading and character, thus dyes are absorbed unevenly. These slight variations in the wool make each carpet unique. Q: Does Tufenkian use vegetable dyes? A. No. Vegetable dyes do not offer a broad enough range of color for our designs and exhibit lack of color-fastness both in washing and exposure to sunlight. Tufenkian was one of the first manufacturers to switch to top-quality Swiss metal-complex dyes, which provide a broad range of fade-resistant colors. Q: Why do carpets vary in size? A. Tufenkian carpets differ from machine made carpets in several ways, including variations in size. These variations exist because of the numerous handmade processes used to make each rug. The variation in size ranges from +/- 3% in width and +/- 6% in length. Our wool is spun into yarn by hand. Therefore, the yarn varies in diameter, which results in knots of varying size. The thinner the yarn, the smaller the knot; the thicker the yarn, the larger the knot. So it follows that the smaller the knots, the smaller the rug; and the larger the knots, the larger the rug. Additionally, during the weaving process, each row of knots is beaten down by hand. This also contributes to variations in size. Q: Why do Tufenkian rugs shed? A. After the carpet has been woven, the tips of the pile are gently sheared to even out the surface of the carpet. Small bits of yarn and fibers may be released from the pile during use. This is a temporary phenomenon. With normal vacuuming and traffic these extraneous fibers and pieces of yarn will work their way out the carpet. The temporary shedding in no way compromises the integrity or durability of your handmade carpet. Q: Are the carpets treated with a mothproofing chemical? A. No. Tufenkian carpets are not treated with a mothproofing chemicals; they are effectively mothproofed as a result of the washing process. Q: Why are the rugs so expensive? Am I getting good value? A. There are handmade carpets with finer knotting available for less cost. They tend to be machine-made (except for the knotting process), and they utilize common New Zealand wool. These rugs are not very different from completely machine-made carpets, which are even cheaper. Tufenkian does not cut corners; only rare and wonderful Tibetan and Armenian wool is used. The yarn is spun, carded and dyed entirely by hand. This process is costly, but Tufenkian is committed to providing our customers with an exceptional product. Additionally, Tufenkian is dedicated to addressing the social, economic and environmental concerns of the communities in which our facilities are located in Nepal and Armenia. Tufenkian houses, feeds, educates and provides medical care for thousands of weavers in Nepal. We keep their water clean and further safeguard Nepal's fragile ecosystem against chemical by-products by washing most of our carpets in European facilities, which feature environmentally sound finishing processes. In Armenia the Tufenkian Foundation funds an orphanage and senior citizen housing. Q: Where does the cotton on the fringes come from? A. The fringes are made of cotton from India. The fringes are not ornamental finishing but rather the ends of the warp threads, part of the carpets foundation. Q: Where are the rugs woven? A. Tufenkian Tibetan Carpets are woven in Nepal by Tibetan expatriates who employ age-old Tibetan weaving techniques. Workers collectives include ethnic Nepalese in compliance with employment regulations established by the government of Nepal. Armenian artisans make Tufenkian Armenian Carpets. James Tufenkian reintroduced the art of handcrafting carpets to Armenia after it was virtually eliminated during three generations of Soviet occupation. Q: Can the carpets be used in a business/public environment? A. Tufenkian carpets durability and beauty make them a perfect addition to public settings. They are made of durable wool that is hand-carded, hand-spun and densely packed in pile. This great wool, combined with the European finishing process, contributes to the creation of a high-quality, soil-resistant product. Q: Does Tufenkian make custom rugs? What is involved? A. Yes, custom sizes are available for all Tufenkian designs. In our Tibetan production you can specify your own design and colors. Prices vary based on attributes such as size and style. Stocking dealers may contact our Customer Service or Custom Department for a quote. Allow 5 to 7 months for delivery. A 50% deposit is required on all custom orders. Q: What other sizes and colors do these rugs come in? A. Most Tufenkian carpets come in a variety of sizes and colors. Keep in mind that the designs are constantly evolving; new designs and color-ways are introduced twice a year. Your local Tufenkian dealer has inventory and catalogs showing the broad range of Tufenkian carpets. Q: What Tufenkian carpet (sizes, color) complements this rug? A. The answer depends upon the rug in question, as well as the intended room setting. Tufenkian dealers are qualified to offer assistance in selecting appropriate color/design combinations from our diverse collection. Q: What if I have additional questions about Tufenkian Tibetan Carpets? A. Call 800-928-6671 |
Tufenkian Carpets imports fine handmade oriental carpets and rugs from Tibet and Armenia.
Copyright Tufenkian Imports Inc: 919 Third Avenue New York, NY
Outlet Showroom 515 NW 10th Avenue, Portland, OR 97209
Buy outlet carpets and rugs online direct from Tufenkian
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Copyright Tufenkian Imports Inc: 919 Third Avenue New York, NY
Outlet Showroom 515 NW 10th Avenue, Portland, OR 97209
Buy outlet carpets and rugs online direct from Tufenkian
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Web Design by Serr.biz LLC, an ethical SEO Company