Overview of Rug dyes

Dyes used in making rugs fall into two general categories: natural or synthetic. “Organic” is a misleading term that often comes up and merely indicates that the dye is carbon based. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the dye is natural. To keep your rugs from fading it is best to have your rugs cleaned by a professional rug cleaning service.

Natural dyes come from a variety of sources found in nature. These include: tea, flowers, madder root, cochineal (insect) and coffee just to name a few.  These ingredients have been used in traditional methods and practices over time. The methods have been tried and true and are still present with rug making.

If you get a rug made with natural dye, it may be more expensive. Using natural dyes is a time consuming process. Ingredients must be gathered, dried and ground. The solutions must be steeped at the right temperature and dyeing the carpet fibers sometimes requires a few repetitions. Additionally, it is necessary to fix the dye to prevent bleeding, fading and discoloration.

It is possible to tell if a rug is naturally dyed by analyzing the carpet fibers. Natural dyes are less absorbed into the fibers and allow some transparency. On a positive note the fibers resist fading and bleeding. Overall you get a beautiful coloration

in your rug.

Synthetic dyes have come more into the rug making practice in the last century. Most dyes are chemically made not harmful. They are able to penetrate deep into rug fibers and generally wear well overtime. However, there is variation in the quality of the rug. If cheaply made, the dyes may bleed or fade. Some poorly made rugs even have dyes that were “painted” on to the rug fibers. This is why it is best to find a reputable rug dealer when buying a rug.