The finest yarn comes from sheep that have been bred for centuries to produce lanolin rich wool. The wool is then carded and spun by hand, and eventually colored by master dyers. The wool is left in its natural form, retaining essential oils, which protect wool and keep it strong over time.
Most rugs on the market today are woven with highly processed New Zealand wool. The wool is bleached and stripped of its oils, and then machine spun into overly consistent yarn. Although these rugs are soft and can be woven with tighter knots, the yarn is dead and breaks down over time.
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Dyes are another important factor to consider. For centuries rugs were woven with natural dyes coming from organic sources, including indigo, madder root, milk weed, onion skins, pomegranate and henna. Natural dyes have a richness of color that synthetic dyes can never recreate. For more info on wool and dyes, click here.
Beginning in the 1930s, these traditional dyes became replaced by cheap, Western synthetic dyes. Most experts agree this began the steady decline of rug weaving, which has only recently recovered. Early synthetic dyes tend to bleed when they get wet, the colors lack the natural depth and beauty of natural "vegetable" dyes, and they fade over time. Over the past decade, new advances in synthetic dyes have played a huge role in the development of Tibetan carpets.
Over the last 15 years, a renaissance in carpet weaving has pushed many companies to return to natural materials. These dyes, along with hand-spun wool, are being used to weave rugs with the same quality and integrity of those woven 100 years ago.
