Oriental Carpet Brokers
Handmade Carpets for Today
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
About carpets
- How thick is the pile of a carpet?
- When should I use under-padding?
- What is a fringe?
- Why do the fringes of a carpet vary?
- Why do handmade carpets have some imperfections?
- My carpet has different shades/nuances, is there a fault or defect in the carpet?
- Are the photos of your carpets close to reality and how can I be sure that the colour I see on the screen is the real colour of the carpet?
- Are your carpets manufactured using child labour?
Purchasing
- Do you have a store or exhibition that I could visit and view a carpet?
- Do you have a catalogue for your carpets?
- How do I search and purchase a carpet from your website?
- How does your pricing work?
- Can I borrow a carpet to see if it fits in my home?
Payment and Security
Orders
Shipping and deliveries
- How much does the shipping cost?
- How long does the shipping take?
- Do I need to be home to receive my carpet?
- How do I track my order and shipment?
- Do you ship to P.O. Boxes?
Returns
- If I don't like the carpet can I return it?
- How do I make a return?
- What do I do if my carpet is damaged on arrival?
- How do you package the carpets and ensure that they are safe to ship?
- Do I have to pay for the shipping when I return my carpet?
Carpet Maintenance
About carpets
How thick is the pile of a carpet?
The thickness of the pile varies depending on the style of the carpet, and the way it has been knotted by its weavers. While carpets with very thick/deep pile feel very luxurious underfoot, there is an old Persian saying "The richer the owner, the thinner his carpets" - referring to the fact that the finest and most precious silk carpets have the shortest pile of all.
When should I use under-padding?
We recommend under-padding for thinner carpets since it prevents the carpet from slipping and helps it stay in place. It also provides more cushioning, thus prolonging the life of your carpet by preventing pile crush, and protects the carpet from the effects of sharp objects like heels.
What is a fringe?
A fringe is the extension of warp strands; they are knotted together in various ways at the ends to help ensure that the wefts and the knots do not unravel.
Why do the fringes of a carpet vary?
The exact length of the fringes depends on the weaving of the carpet and who made it. Fringes are sometimes trimmed short, sometimes long, and in older carpets they may be braided or non-existent. In certain carpet types, they are entirely different in construction at each end, and in some cases only appear at one end, a woven web at the other. The type or length of the fringe of a carpet has little or no relation to its value or quality.All our measurements are taken excluding the fringes.
Why do handmade carpets have some imperfections?
Handmade carpets have variations (not regarded as imperfections) because they are made by hand, and this adds to the value, interest and character of the carpet, an essential part of its unique appeal.. In nomadic carpets, such variations are largely unintentional, a natural result of the fact that it is much more challenging for nomadic weavers to create their carpets, than it is for the weavers in town workshops. The looms used in rural and desert areas are usually very basic traditional horizontal looms placed flat on the floor, making it much more difficult to knot a perfectly symmetrical rug. Nomad and village weavers also knot their designs and colours entirely from memory and imagination, without the help of the design charts used in the workshops - it is this which makes their rugs so exciting and original.
My carpet has different shades/nuances, is there a fault or defect in the carpet?
This is not a fault in the carpet. What you see is known as an Abrash. An Abrash is a Turkish word meaning partly coloured. This difference in nuances is commonly found in nomadic and some village carpets, and it occurs when a weaver uses yarn dyed in a slighly different way, or under different conditions, from the yarn used until then - the almost random variations within a single shade which occur because of this are one of the main reasons for the uniquely beautiful appearance of handmade carpets, for their indefinable magic. Colour Abrash, therefore, generally adds great character and charm to a carpet and also reminds us of the working conditions of the carpet weaver.
Are the photos of your carpets close to reality and how can I be sure that the colour I see on the screen is the real colour of the carpet?
The photos of our carpets are taken professionally with a high resolution digital camera in a colour-temperature controlled environment and the photos are then processed using Adobe Photoshop. The photos of the carpets are therefore as close to the reality of the real carpets as possible. However, it also depends on the type, quality and age of the monitor screen one uses to view the carpets and this can affect how the photos and colours are displayed on your screen.
Are your carpets manufactured using child labour?
We have buyers who continuously visit and inspect the villages, workshops and resident nomads where some of our carpets are produced. They monitor the production of these carpets and also check the working conditions and that no children are involved in the production. It had previously been common that child labour was part of the culture in the making of hand knotted carpets, but this has since changed over the years due to the pressure and awareness that has been raised on the issue of child labour worldwide. Oriental Carpet Brokers Ltd are actively involved in a number of schemes and initiatives dedicated to the eradication of child labour in the manufacture of handmade Oriental carpets.
Purchasing
Do you have a store or exhibition that I could visit and view a carpet?
Oriental Carpet Brokers Ltd have a large warehouse facility located in Vauxhall Cross, London, UK where private customers can view our carpets, by appointment. To arrange a viewing appointment, call or otherwise contact our offices as detailed in the 'footer' section of most pages on our website, or use one of our website contact forms.
Do you have a catalogue for your carpets?
No, we do not have a catalogue since all our carpets can be viewed on our website. By having all our carpets on the website it is easier for us to constantly update the information on our carpets, therefore providing more accurate and current information to our customers.
How do I search and purchase a carpet from your website?
To search for a carpet you first look up and select the carpet you want to buy from our main Carpets Gallery page, or from one of the category, age, price etc search options accessed from the navigation sidebars. Basic details of each item, including price and size, are included on all listing pages.
Shopping Cart process:
- Click on the image of any carpet you like for more detailed information. If the carpet is not sold or reserved, you will see a button below the photograph of the carpet on a detail page with the text: "Add to Cart". When you click the button, you will be taken to the Shopping Cart page where the carpet you selected is detailed with its price and other details.
- To add further items to your order, click the 'Continue Shopping' link beneath your Shopping Cart listing and repeat the above search & selection process.
- Item(s) already added to your Shopping Cart can be seen in the small shopping cart box at the top of the left side navigation column - this also contains a link back to the Shopping Cart itself.
- You can repeat this procedure as many times as you want if you wish to buy a number of carpets.
- The 'Add to Cart' button can be also be seen for all available items in the various age, origin, size, price category search listings accessible from the sidebars on most pages.
- When you are happy with your order, go to your Shopping Cart ( if necessary, by clicking the 'Go to Shopping Cart' link at the bottom of your 'mini' shopping cart in left column) and, after checking details of your order, click the 'Proceed to Checkout' link/button.
- You are then taken to a simple 2-step process where you provide delivery details for your order, choose your payment method, have shipping costs (if any) automatically calculated and then check and confirm all the details of your order.
- You can choose to pay by credit/debit card or by advance payment. Select the alternative you wish to use and follow the instructions given.
How does your pricing work?
Putting a price on a handmade carpet is very difficult. The price can be decided depending on the quality of the wool, the colours used, the design of the pattern, and the quality of the knotting. Old and antique carpets, and a few more recent examples, also carry a degree of rarity value depending on their current availability. Nomadic carpets for example are becoming much harder to find nowadays, making their prices gradually higher (as well as increasing their future value of course).
Can I borrow a carpet to see if it fits in my home?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to borrow a carpet, but you can purchase a carpet and try it at home. You then have the possibility to return it if you don't like it, within 30 days only paying the shipping costs. This does not apply for countries outside the EU.
Payment and Security
How secure are the transactions I make?
The transactions on our website are very secure and we co-operate with Paypal which handles all our Internet payments. All payments are made on a safe encrypted connection for your security and to protect and prevent our customers from fraud. All payments are also controlled manually for your safety.
What payment methods do you accept?
We offer two methods of payment, either immediate online payment by credit/debit card via PayPal, or through advance payment or payment on collection from our premises, which are made with transactions directly from your bank account to our bank account and by cleared cheques.
Orders
How can I review my orders?
Once you have successfully paid for your item you will receive a confirmation email by us and contact details on how to track your current shipments.
How do I cancel an order?
In the unlikely event you want to cancel an order, please send an email to info@orientalcarpetberokers.com and we will cancel the order and confirm it for you.
How can I change my order?
If you want to change an order then send us an email to info@orientalcarpetbrokers.com and let us know your Order No. and what carpet you would like instead of the one ordered.
Please note that we can only change orders that have not been sent out and those placed with the option "Payment in advance" meaning that they have not been handled or sent from our warehouse!
Shipping and deliveries
How much does the shipping cost?
Shipping costs vary from country to country and detailed costs can be found in our "Terms and Conditions". Delivery costs are calculated per item depending on where you live and on the size of your order. All deliveries within the United Kingdom are free of charge.
How long does the shipping take?
The normal delivery-time is 7-14 workdays within the EU and up to 28 workdays to other parts of the world.
Do I need to be home to receive my carpet?
Yes, you or someone needs to be home when the delivery arrives. However, if delivering to your home is inconvenient, you can contact Parcelforce/UPS for further information about the delivery-time or change to another address.
How do I track my order and shipment?
After you have placed your order and it has been packed you will receive a confirmation email from Oriental Carpet Brokers Ltd.. This email contains shipping information and tracking information. You can use this information to track your order through the UPS website at www.ups.com or through ParcelForce at www.parcelforce.co.uk or via FedEX at www.fedex.com (as applicable)
Do you ship to P. O. Boxes?
Unfortunately we cannot ship to P.O. Boxes, since the package needs to be signed for.
Returns
If I don't like the carpet can I return it?
Yes, you can return your carpet if you do not like it. You have a 30 day purchase on approval. Returns only apply to countries within the EU, please read more about this on our Terms and Conditions.
How do I make a return?
To make a return you have to personally contact us either by phone +44 (0)207 – 091 9944 or email us at info@orientalcarpetbrokers.com and let us know that you want to make a return. We will then send you a return dispatch note by ordinary post which contains packing labels and instructions on how to deal with your return.
What do I do if my carpet is damaged on arrival?
If your carpet is damaged on arrival please contact UPS locally and report the damage to them and then let us know immediately by contacting us either by +44 (0)207 – 091 9944 or fax: +44 (0)207 – 091 7475 or email us at info@orientalcarpetbrokers.com
How do you package the carpets and ensure that they are safe to ship?
All our carpets are packed according to instructions from UPS and Parcelforce. The carpets are folded and packed inside thick plastic wrapping, runners are rolled. Each end is then sealed with a plastic strap and then taped to prevent leakage.
Do I have to pay for the shipping when I return my carpet?
Yes, you have to pay for the shipping when you return your carpet. This of course does not apply when a carpet is damaged - then we will pay for the shipping.
Carpet Maintenance
How do I get rid of fold and creases in my carpet?
Folds and creases can be remedied by simply placing something heavy (but safe) like a stack of books on the edge. After a few days it should lay flat on the floor. To get rid of creases on a carpet, ordinary use of the carpet will remedy this and the creases should disappear with time.