There are countless materials used, especially considering that two, three or even more materials may be used in a single rug, pillow, or throw. Below are some of the essential materials used. Each material has specific benefits and characteristics that are unique based on origin.

Handmade Rugs. May have slight variation in design, color, and size which are not considered defects. Shedding and/or sprouting are also considered normal, and will vary depending on the construction and content.

Machine Woven Rugs. May have slight variation in size which are not considered defects.

Textiles (Pillows, Poufs, Throws, Wall Hangings, Bedding). Handmade and may have slight variation in design, color, and size which are not considered defects.

Hardlines (Lighting, Accent Furniture, Art, Mirrors, Decorative Accents). May have slight variation in color and finish which are not considered defects. Techniques which are done by hand (including, but not limited to: wheel carved, painted, hand blown, or hand thrown) will show slight variations from piece to piece which are not considered defects.

Natural Materials. May have slight variations which are not considered defects.

Jute, Seagrass, Sisal, and Rattan. Cellulose fibers extracted from a plant then spun into yarn. This material is sustainable, biodegradable, durable and affordable. It is also moisture resilient and embodies natural color variation. It feels coarse and has high shedding if used in pile construction but minimal otherwise. Dyed and undyed colors will vary based on the time of year when the fibers are harvested.

Marble, Geodes, and Stone. Geological structures with distinctive veining/banding that result from thousands of years of natural formation. Any product made with these materials will be unique from piece to piece.

New Zealand Wool. Protein based fiber from New Zealand sheep’s fleece is spun into yarn. This wool is higher quality than normal Wool, and has more softness, natural sheen, and less shedding. Dyed and undyed wool products will vary in shade from piece to piece and will fade with exposure to sunlight. All wool sheds, however this varies depending on the quality and will reduce over time.

Polyester / Acrylic / Poly Acrylic / Nylon. Synthetic (man-made) made by extruding polymers or petrochemicals and yarn-dyed. It is highly durable, moisture and stain resistant with minimal-to-no shedding. This material may have a slight chemical odor which will fade over time.

Polypropylene / Olefin / Polyolefin. Synthetic (man-made) made by extruding polymers or petrochemicals and solution-dyed in a liquid state before it is formed into yarn. It is highly durable, moisture, fade and stain resistant, with minimal-to-no shedding or color variation. This material may have a slight chemical odor which will fade over time.

Recycled Silk / Sari Silk. Scraps of fabric (usually excess from the garment industry) which are sorted by color family. There will be significant color variation from piece to piece depending on the fabrics available at the time of manufacture.

Tencel. Cellulose pulp from wood is first extracted using recyclable solvents and then spun into yarn. Tencel imitates the look and texture of silk at a lower price and is sustainable and biodegradable. It is soft with a silky appearance and lustrous sheen. It is not recommended for high traffic areas due to high shedding since non-resilient fibers can mat and make stains difficult to clean. Tencel is more durable then viscose and will shed less than viscose. However, it is less durable that synthetic fibers and wool.

Undyed Wool. Varies in color from white to black in all shades of brown and grey. Wool is sorted by color before it is spun into yarn, but slight variation is unavoidable. This variation is most noticeable when the wool is undyed, but it also marginally effects the color of dyed yarn.

Viscose. Hybrid of natural cellulose pulp and synthetic fibers is regenerated through chemical processing and spun into yarn. This material imitates the look and texture of silk at a lower price. It is biodegradable with a soft appearance and has a silky feel with lustrous sheen. It is not recommended for high traffic areas due to high shedding since non-resilient fibers can mat and make stains difficult to clean.

Wood, Mother of Pearl, and Shell. Natural grains and coloration displays result from the growth patterns of each individual organism. Any product made with these materials will be unique from piece to piece.

Wool. Protein based fiber from sheep’s fleece is spun into yarn. Wool yarn is sustainable, biodegradable, highly durable and highly resilient with natural oils that provide softness. Dyed and undyed wool products will vary in shade from piece to piece and will fade with exposure to sunlight. All wool sheds, however this varies depending on the quality and will reduce over time.

Wool-Felted. Protein fiber from sheep’s fleece which is agitated, usually with water, at a high temperature so the fibers mat together. Wool yarn is sustainable, biodegradable, highly durable and highly resilient with natural oils that provide softness. Dyed and undyed wool products will vary in shade from piece to piece and will fade with exposure to sunlight. All wool sheds, however this varies depending on the quality and will reduce over time.