about carpets

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A CARPET



What are you looking for? Do you have a color scheme in mind? What size carpet do you need? How much foot traffic and wear will the carpet be exposed to? Are you looking for a “practical” carpet or one that will be handed down for many generations? Are you looking for a carpet from a particular region of the world? It is helpful to think about such questions before you purchase your carpet.



At Al-Shahzadi HK, we will help you find a carpet that best suits your individual needs. At Al-Shahzadi HK, we understand the choices are numerous, and we want you to be satisfied with your decision.

Whether you are buying a carpet that will be passed down through your family for generations, or a carpet that is purchased for a temporary living situation, know at Al-Shahzadi HK you are getting good quality for your money. Al-Shahzadi HK has been successfully serving clients in Hong Kong for over fifty years.

Hand-made rugs should be vacuumed regularly to prevent dirt from settling into the pile of the carpet. Avoid vacuuming the tassels or fringes as they may get damaged. We recommend having your carpet professionally cleaned every 5 to 10 years depending on use. Never steam-clean, or wet-vacuum your carpet. Always have your carpet cleaned by someone specializing in hand-woven carpets. We offer professional carpet cleaning at Al-Shahzadi HK.

Dye
Our carpets are made with either vegetable or chemical (synthetic) dyes. It is a common misconception that one is better than the other. At Al-Shahzadi HK, we believe both types of carpets are valuable. One advantage of vegetable dyed carpets is they tend to fade with age, which some people find desirable and give a look called “abrash”.

Material
The three materials most commonly used in the manufacturing of carpets include wool, silk and cotton. At Al-Shahzadi HK, we carry a large selection of carpets using these various materials.

Size
Carpets come in many shapes and sizes, and our inventory ranges from carpets as small as 3′ x 2′, ranging up to 20′ X 14′. Our small, medium and large sized carpets are available in different shapes including rectangular, round, square, and runners.

Color
We stock a wide variety of colors of carpets.

Knot
Knot density (knots per square inch) is one way to determine quality of a carpet. It is calculated from looking at the back of the carpet, and by counting the number of knots per inch along the length of the carpet and the number of knots per inch across the width of the carpet, and multiplying to get the number of knots per square inch (KPSI)

Age
The age attribute specifies how old a carpet is. There are three major timelines: antique (75 years and older), semi-antique (25-75 years) and new (less than 20 years old).

Condition
Handmade carpets are classified according to their overall condition and may be considered fine, average or worn.

One of the most common ways to classify a carpet is from its country of origin.

Machine Made vs Hand Knotted

There are a lot of machine made carpets being made in Iran and people claim they are “Iranian silk” but they are made of viscose or bamboo silk. They look like the real carpets on the surface but are doctored in ways that the average person cannot tell. The photos show how to tell. We at Al-Shahzadi HK sell ONLY real hand-knotted carpets no matter the origin.

Our Certification of Authenticity

We provide a Certificate of Authenticity for every carpet, affirming its heritage, place of origin, and appraised value. This document serves as an appraisal certificate for insurance or resale purposes. The certificate will accompany your carpet shipment or be dispatched to your billing address via courier service within one week of your purchase.