A New Antique Wool Rug

With being in the area rug cleaning business I try to educate our clients on rugs and what to check for when buying certain rugs and such. I spend my downtime at work cruising the Internet seeing what people are writing about and what rugs are popular to further my knowledge. That is all find and dandy, but sometimes I come across something that blows me away.
I came across this video on www.youtube.com that shows how to give an antiqued look to a new wool rug by using a blow torch.
Interesting technique. It shows how resilient wool is against fire.
In September of 2008 I wrote a blog about a rug that had a tea stained effect added to the rug to give it an antique finish. The tips of the fibers were the only part that was yellowed. When a manufacturer or designer wants a certain look they get it any way they can. With all the things that are done to rugs to make them look antique it can be very hard to trust that what you are buying is what you are getting.
We can't all be experts in area rug weaving, so what can we do to be sure we are not getting ripped off? I would suggest calling around to carpet or area rug cleaning companies or ask friends to see who they recommend for buying a rug from. If the same few companies keep getting mentioned then that is a good sign. Luv-A-Rug recommends a lot of the companies in Victoria and Langford. It depends on where you are using the rug, if you have children and/or pets and budget. Call us at 250-590-6210 or drop by 445 Beta St. Victoria, BC.
Thanks for reading RugloverMary