Have you ever purchased something you thought was 100% authentic but then months later you come to find you were sold a synthetic “look-a-like”? Use this guide to ensure that does not happen when purchasing your beautiful Moroccan Beni Ourain Berber Rug.
Moroccan rugs are a wonderful way to lighten up your living room and add that gorgeous upgrade you’ve been wanting. There are a few ways you can instantly know if you have yourself an authentic Moroccan Beni Ourain Berber rug or a synthetic look-a-like. Below you will find our tips on how to come to this conclusion to make sure you’ve got the real thing.
Burning Technique:
The most common way to know if you have an authentic rug is to cut off a small string from the material and take a lighter to it. If you have an authentic wool rug the material will be much harder to light and will have a slow and steady burn. The smell will smell similar to that of burning hair and it will leave a charred end. If you burn synthetic material it will ignite quickly and burn fast. The smell will be much more of a plastic stench and leave a melted glob at the end. This is a method that should be very carefully tested over a non-flammable surface.
Knotting Irregularity:
A very easy and simple way to know if you have an authentic rug is to simply flip it over! Underneath a machine-made, non-authentic rug, the knotting will be pristine, with every knot the same shape and size. An authentic product will have very irregular knots, all of their own shape and size. When a rug is handmade and authentic wool it is basically impossible to get every knot to be the same, but this is the beauty of handmade products, they all come with their unique imperfections!
Price:
Another easy and simple way to know if your rug is authentic, is the price! An authentic Moroccan Beni Ourain Berber rug is not an item for a budget! The real thing will be much pricier than its synthetic look-a-likes. If you are on a budget but wanting authenticity your best bet is to order a smaller sized rug. If you find one that claims it is authentic but the price is a killer deal, it is likely a Berber “styled” rug rather than a handmade authentic Berber rug.
Fringing:
Our final suggestion on how to know if your rug is authentic is the unique fringe that is used to complete its design! You will very obviously see that an authentic rug will be finished on two sides with a gorgeous, shaggy fringe. We are confident that our authentic Moroccan Beni Ourain Berber rugs will be the perfect touch to complete your living room!
Right now we have three sizes available for our rug; small, medium, and large.
