ABC MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

This month's topics are:   

ORIENTAL RUGS

             MALAYER ORIENTAL RUGS

WALL-TO-WALL CARPET           

              US CARPET MANUFACTURE

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS 

               Home Health Hazards

SPECIALS FOR MAY

               3 Specials

               Don't Forget Mothers' Day!

If there is a topic you would like us to cover in one of our upcoming newsletters, please call us at 

607-272-1566 

or contact us by clicking here.

 MALAYER PERSIAN ORIENTAL RUGS

HISTORY

The weaving of Malayer oriental rugs has a long history. Rug production in the 19th and 20th centuries in Malayer and the surrounding smaller villages was of small rugs and runners all woven by individual weavers.

Larger and over-sized rugs were usually only woven on commission by families.

LOCATION

Malayer oriental rugs are woven in the Malayer area in NW Iran between the 2 major weaving areas of Sarouk and Hamadan. 

The close proximity to these areas gave the Malayer weavers the opportunity to choose characteristics of both for use in designing their own rugs. 

Two types of Malayer rugs were the result. One of these more closely resembled the Sarouk and the other the Hamadan.

The Malayer weavers were able to use classic Persian designs from both the Sarouks and the Hamadans in their art but the rugs they created were distinctly their own.

TWO DISTINCT TYPES OF MALAYER ORIENTAL RUGS

The rugs woven by the Malayer weavers in the SE area of the Malayer region more closely resemble Sarouk rugs while those from the NW area are more similar to Hamadan rugs.

MALAYER ORIENTAL RUGS SIMILAR TO SAROUK RUGS

The rugs in the SE (similar to Sarouk rugs) can be distinguished from the Sarouks by their intricate scrolling vine borders and their somewhat rectangular all-over medallion fields. 
Like the Sarouks, they are double-wefted with 2 cotton wefts (side-to-side cords) usually dyed blue. 

As with the Sarouks, they have depressed cotton warps (top to bottom cords). Depressed warps occur when the wefts are pulled tightly from either side rather than put in with minimal tension. This will displace the warps into 2 levels.
Another difference is the knot used. The Sarouks use the Persian asymmetric and the Malayers use the Turkish symmetric knot.

JOZAN or MALAYER SAROUK RUGS

The village of Jozan in the Iranian Malayer area produces Jozan rugs. They are rugs of the Sarouk type and may be labelled as Jozan Sarouk or Malayer Sarouk by rug dealers. 
Jozan Sarouks are the finer rugs with higher knot counts and the less fine knotted rugs are labelled Malayer Sarouks.

MALAYER ORIENTAL RUGS SIMILAR TO HAMADAN RUGS

The rugs in the NW area of Malayer similar to Hamadan rugs typically use the same single-wefted cotton construction but often are a much finer weave.
They also use the Turkish symmetric knot as do the Hamadan rugs.

THE FOUNDATION

Both areas of Malayer construct their foundations with cotton warps and wefts. 

As mentioned above, the SE (Sarouk-like) has a depressed warp and a double cotton weft. Like the Sarouks, the wefts are usually dyed blue.

The NW (Hamadan) has a non-depressed warp and single cotton weft like the Hamadans. 

THE KNOT

Since many of the weavers in the Malayer region were of ethnic Turkish stock, the Ghiordes or Turkish symmetric knot is used for both types of Malayer oriental rugs.

THE DESIGNS

To learn more about Malayer Persian oriental rugs with photos, please continue reading here.

US CARPET MANUFACTURE

The majority of US carpet manufacture today is highly concentrated within a 65-mile radius of Dalton, Georgia. 

The majority of the wall-to-wall carpet sold in the US market, as well as a large portion of the world's carpet production is located here.

US CARPET MANUFACTURE BEGINNINGS

But the early beginnings of US carpet manufacture did not occur in the South. In 1791, the US carpet industry saw the first woven carpet mill established in Philadelphia by William Sprague. 

Many other mills opened in the New England area in the following years.

LITTLE FALLS CARPET MILLS

Robert Beattie founded the Robert Beattie Co. in NYC in 1840. He moved the company to Little Falls, NJ. In 1843. The name of the company was changed several times from 1843-1882. These included the Little Falls Carpet Mills, Robert Beattie and Sons, and Beattie Manufacturing.

During the 20^th century, the carpet mill produced a variety of carpets and rugs including Axminsters, Wiltons, and tufted carpets. 

During the Civil, Spanish-American, and the 2 World Wars, it produced products for the military such as gun wadding, blankets, duck fabrics, and even flame-throwers. The company went out of business in 1979.

ERASTUS BIGELOW

1839 saw the introduction of the power loom invention by Erastus Bigelow. This loom was able to double and triple the production of carpets. The mill was located in Clinton, Massachusetts. Bigelow introduced the first broadloom carpet in 1877.

JACQUARD POWER LOOM and BIGELOW CARPET COMPANY

1849 saw the development of the power loom with Jacquard mechanism. The Brussels carpet was manufactured with this loom by the Clinton Company of Massachusetts. Later the Brussels loom was modified to make possible the manufacture of the Wilton carpet. 

Eventually, the Clinton Company joined with the Hartford Carpet Company to become the Bigelow Carpet Company.

ALEXANDER SMITH & SON

In 1845 Alexander Smith began manufacturing carpets in 1845 in West Farms, New York, His company was Alexander Smith & Sons. 

During World War I, as with many other carpet manufacturers, the carpet looms were converted to make tent duck and navy blankets. By 1929 this company was the largest manufacturer of carpets and rugs in the world.

SHUTTLEWORTH BROTHERS and MOHAWK CARPET MILLS

1878 in Amsterdam, New York saw the establishment of a carpet manufacturer known as the Shuttleworth Brothers Company. In 1920, the company introduced a new carpet called the Karnak Wilton, which became immediately successful. 

By 1920 the Shuttleworth Borthers Company merged with the McCleary Wallin & Crouse company, also located in Amsterdam. The new company was named the Mohawk Carpet Mills.

CARPET MILLS, THE DEPRESSION, and WWII

The US carpet manufacturing industry went through major changes as sales fell off during the mid-1920s and carpet firms such as Bigelow and Mohawk struggled. The Great Depression that followed only made matters worse. 

During World War II most of the US carpet manufacture mills converted to war production to help stay in business.

MARSHALL FIELD and KARASTAN

In 1928, Marshall Field had a traditional Axminster weaving loom modified to create a machine-made rug woven through the back, just like a handmade oriental rug, with intricate designs and an endless variety of color.

The result was the Karastan rug and the first Karastan rug mill opened in 1926 in North Carolina. The first Karastan rugs were introduced to the public in 1928. 

Alexander Smith, Bigelow and Karastan are today divisions of Mohawk Carpet Mills.

THE SHIFT TO THE SOUTH

The 1950s saw a shift from US carpet manufacture in the Northeast to the building of facilities in southern states such as Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi. 

There were many reasons for this move. Labor costs in the region were lower and the older firms could escape unionized work forces as well. There were also occasional incentives offered by state and local governments.

Unfortunately, this move to the South did not solve the seemingly insurmountable economic problems of the carpet industry. The majority of these companies used weaving technology to produce carpets. 

Even though the US carpet manufacture industry was using the most up-to-date methods, the wholesale price of carpets rose and the working class market could not afford the wall-to-wall carpet made by the carpet weaving producers. Woven carpets were just too expensive.

AN ACCIDENT OF HISTORY--TUFTED CARPETS AND RUGS

The ability to produce tufted carpets and rugs completely revolutionized the carpet industry. Find out how this happened  and more by continuing to read here.

HOME HEALTH HAZARDS and WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM

The dangers from some home health hazards such as food, fire, and carbon monoxide poisoning have been pretty well publicized, but there are many others that can creep up on you and cause you harm because they are not as noticeable at first. 

We will review 3 of these home health hazards in this article. They are dust mites, mold, and moths. 

DUST MITES

Dust mites are top home health hazards, especially because you can't see them with the naked eye. Yet they can be one of the most common causes of asthma and allergies.

WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE

Dust mites are microscopic, eight-legged creatures that are 0.3mm in length (7,000 can fit on a fingernail) and are invisible to the naked eye.

A male dust mite has an average life cycle of 10 to 19 days, while a mated female dust mite can last as much as 70 days. She may lay 60 to 100 eggs in the last 5 weeks of her life alone.

WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND

Dust mites can survive in any climate. They especially love the bedrooms and kitchens of our homes. 

Because they need moisture to live and they feed off the dead skin cells our bodies shed, their favorite hiding places are mattresses, sheets and pillows. 

In dry climates, the mites survive by deriving moisture from the humidity generated by human breathing, perspiration and saliva.

THE DUST MITE FECES CAUSE THE ALLERGY SYMPTOMS

It is the dust mite feces that is the main cause of the development and aggravation of allergies. A dust mite will produce 200 times its own body weight in feces during its short lifetime! 

Itchiness, sneezing, inflamed or infected eczema, watering/reddening eyes, sneezing repeatedly and frequently, runny nose, and clogging in the lungs are typical symptoms of dust mite allergy sufferers.

TIPS FOR LIVING WITH DUST MITES

There is no way to permanently get rid of dust mites. The only answer is to put a barrier between you and them. Here are some tips:

For more in-depth information on dust mites, please read our article here.

MOLD

Mold (as well as the type of mold known as mildew) is a form of fungus and is one of the top home health hazards. 

After a flood occurs, the removal of the resultant mold is a priority. Mold is fast-growing and the mold spores it produces will travel wherever there is moisture and a food source. It is very attracted to building materials such as drywall as well, and can start its damage behind the walls before you notice it. 

The ability to exist on just about any type of material (as long as there is organic material on it) gives these micro-organisms the dubious distinction of being called the chief agents of deterioration. 

Regardless of the particular organic material that may be present, neither mold nor mildew can resist surfaces where there is moisture. They both prosper in dark, humid, damp, and poorly ventilated environments.

It may surprise you to know that mold and mildew are invisible and odorless! What are those black, green, yellow, etc. spots then? And what about that moldy odor? What you are actually seeing and smelling is the end result of the digestive process of these micro-organisms as they eat through your organic possessions.

The mold spores can trigger asthma symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, as well as sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, itchy, watery eyes, and inflamed sinuses. They can also cause serious fatigue.

MOLD PREVENTION TIPS

To continue reading about mold and its prevention please continue reading here.

MOTHS

The presence of moths in the home would probably not correctly be considered home health hazards. That is, unless you consider the emotional stress caused by the permanent moth damage to your grandmother's valuable oriental rug or the severe home health hazards that can be caused by the use of mothballs!

HOW DOES MOTH DAMAGE HAPPEN?

It is not the moth itself but the larvae of the moth that cause the damage. The life cycle of the moth can last from 2 months to 2 ½ years. 

The adults lay eggs on products that the larvae will consume. Each female can lay from 100 to 150 eggs which hatch in about 5 days.  The small white caterpillars vary in size from 1/16" newly hatched to 1/3" fully grown.

The larval stage itself can last from 2 to 30 months.  The reason for this great variance in the life cycle is dependent on the availability of food. If gone unnoticed, the larvae on a wool rug can feed for almost 2 ½ years. An infestation of only several weeks can result in pile loss the size of a fist.

The moth larvae can feed on a mixture of natural and synthetic fabrics.  They cannot, however, feed on materials made entirely of synthetic fibers.  But if the synthetic fibers have pollen, hair, dead insects or dried animal remains on them, they will hide and feed on items with synthetic fibers as well.

Moth larvae thrive in dark, undisturbed areas where a rug or carpet gets little traffic and is not often vacuumed, especially such as a rug or carpet under furniture. 

They are particularly attracted to the keratin in animal hair. The wool alone in an oriental rug is susceptible, but just imagine a dirty rug covered in dog and cat hair.  That would be like a smorgasbord to this creature!

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A MOTH PROBLEM?

Be on the lookout for the following:

• Flying Adults Moths. 
• Loose carpet or rug fibers resting on top of the pile. This means the larvae have actually eaten the knots off the foundation of the rug. 
• Cocoons, approximately 1/8 inch diameter x ½ inch long. They will be lightly fuzzy cylinders, usually the same color as the pile of the rug. Larvae camouflage their cocoons to blend in with the color of the wool that surrounds them. 
• The actual larvae squirming along the pile surface and underneath the rug.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE FOUND EVIDENCE OF A MOTH INFESTATION?

To find out what to do if you have a moth infestation, as well as how to prevent further problems with a special note about the Dangers of Mothballs, please continue reading here.

STUMPED FOR THAT SPECIAL GIFT IDEA?

GIVE MOM or GRAM A GIFT CARD for 

MOTHERS' DAY
SUNDAY, MAY 13th

Gift Cards can be used for any of our Carpet, Rug, Furniture, or Tile & Grout cleaning services

Gift Cards do not expire until December 2018

CALL TODAY TO ORDER A GIFT CARD 

607-272-1566

Limit of 1 gift card per visit/work order.
Some services may not be available in all areas.

SPECIALS FOR MAY...  

#1 Spring Cleaning Special:  

MATS CLEANED FOR FREE DURING MAY!

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CARPET CLEANING

Schedule a cleaning and we will

clean your entry mat for free.

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TILE & GROUT CLEANING

Schedule a kitchen tile floor cleaning

and we will clean your kitchen mats for free.

OR

Schedule a bathroom tile floor cleaning

and we will clean your bath mat for free.

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#2 Rug Cleaning Special

WITH ANY RUG CLEANING IN OUR PLANT DURING MAY:

 15% off Urine Decontamination of rugs 

15% off Moth Repel applied to rugs washed in our plant  

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#3 ABC IS PARTICIPATING IN

THE SPCA OF TOMPKINS COUNTY

$50,000 MATCHING GIFT CHALLENGE

We will donate a portion of the sale of any pet urine decontamination treatment applied to any rug washed in our plant during the month of May.

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607-272-1566

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