What is an Art Silk Oriental Rug?

Many rugs marketed today as “silk” are in fact, artificial silk rugs made of Viscose fibers.  Rugs made of Viscose are technically Viscose rayon and can present problems for those who own and have them cleaned.

If you own a Viscose rug, it’s important to know the advantages and disadvantages of owning this type of fiber.  Viscose is made of wood pulp and cotton byproducts.  Viscose is also called faux silk, art silk, man-made silk, fake silk, Rayon, banana silk, bamboo silk, lyocell, and raime.

Many “inexpensive” designers’ rugs found today labeled as any of the above, are designed to make consumers think they’re purchasing “real silk” rugs.  Viscose is shiny and soft, often mimicking silk fibers.  Viscose fibers are weak and break easily when walked on and can be damaged by aggressive vacuuming.

Another issue with Viscose fibers is that they “bleed easily” meaning if the rug gets wet due to a spill, pet accidents, etc. the colors of the rug may run together.

In our opinion, Viscose rugs are overpriced, problematic, and we’ve seen clients pay over $10,000 for a Viscose rug just to have to replace it within a couple of years due to staining and other quality issues.  Some in the industry consider Viscose area rugs as “throw away’s” after a couple of years.  In many staged and model homes, Viscose rugs are used to help enhance to feel and look of a room.

For more information, please watch our video on these designer rugs at https://orientalrugsalon.com/videos/understanding-viscose-rugs/

Oriental Rug Salon is a full-service Oriental, Persian, Turkish, wool, and silk area rug cleaning and restoration company serving all of SW Florida.  We are a Certified Partner with the prestigious Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and the International Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI).  In addition, we are A+ Rated by the Better Business Bureau, an eight-year-in-a-row-winner of the coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award and a WoolSafe Approved Service Provider.

For more information about Oriental Rug Salon please visit us online at www.OrientalRugSalon.com or call us “on the carpet” anytime at 239-424-8171.