I have purchased wool rugs which I really like but they have an odour and we have stepped on prickly objects that, when searched for, turn out to be similar to twigs (approx. an inch or more in length) or seeds woven into the wool. The rugs come from a very reputable rug importer that operates in the United States as well as Canada so I'm somewhat surprised at what appears to be poor quality and am considering returning them. Will I find this with all 100% wool handmade rugs? Does cleaning them make any difference?
these have been made by a craft work shop where the wool has been spun by hand and probably in a workshop in a rural work shop where as it was woven twigs etc have been picked up from the floor it was crafted on the best bet is to wash the rugs if possible if not then contact the rug importer and complain
If your supplier is buying from village producers, then yes, there will be twigs and seeds in the wool. In a handmade rug, the wool is sheared from sheep that are wandering about and getting dirty. Although the wool will be combed/carded and probably scoured a little, it will not become 100% clean. Textile machinery and harsh chemicals are required to remove every bit of debris from the wool. A 100% wool rug with no debris in it will invariably be machine made. The smell is one of sheep..... again, if you buy heavily scoured, bleached wool the smell is not so strong. A good example of this that can be seen in most yarn stores is the Japanese-produced Noro yarn. It is moderately expensive but small twigs and grasses can still be found in the yarn.
You've been duped. There is no reason in this world why a rug should have twigs or seeds in it.
