Sari silk in carpet construction is a recycled-fibre tradition that emerged in the late twentieth century in South Asian weaving studios. The fibre is reclaimed from the cutting waste of the sari trade, hand-cleaned, sometimes hand-respun, and used as pile in pieces that combine the lustre of silk with the slight irregularity that comes from a recycled material. The Tribal Ikat composition pulls the ikat tradition of resist-dyed weaving onto a hand-knotted format.

Two weavers shared this 5' x 8' (152 x 244 cm) loom in India for about four months. The pile is reclaimed sari silk, knotted on a cotton foundation. The ikat-style figures were drawn in advance and the silk dyed in batches to match the cartoon, the way a traditional ikat weaver dyes warp threads before mounting them on the loom. The rug was sheared close after weaving so the silk lustre reads at room scale.

The composition

A neutral ground, in soft cream and warm taupe, holds blurred ikat figures in deeper taupe and faint rust. The silk reflects light differently from wool, so the field flickers as you move around it. The figures themselves are deliberately blurred along their edges, the visual signature of resist-dyed work, where the dye does not respect a hard outline. The colour is quiet; this is a textural rug, not a colour event.

What you are buying

Sari silk hand-knotted rugs at this size price at two to four times this MSRP at Western design stores. The fibre is recycled, but the labour to clean, respin, and knot it is the same as for new silk. A silk-pile rug appreciates as the lustre develops with use; the surface gains depth rather than wearing flat.

The piece in a room

5' x 8' (152 x 244 cm) suits a primary bedroom against a queen bed, a small sitting room with a two-seat sofa and a low coffee table, or a study. The neutral palette is forgiving with most upholstery and wall colour. Pairs with linen in cream or oatmeal, with walnut and pale oak, with brass lamps. The silk lustre rewards a room with mixed natural light.

Conservation

Vacuum weekly on the lowest suction setting; silk pile is more delicate than wool. Blot spills immediately with a clean white cotton cloth, never rub. Avoid placing under furniture with hard sharp legs without a felt pad. Hand-wash by a silk-trained conservator every five years. With this care the silk holds its lustre and depth.

Reference

• Medium: hand-knotted reclaimed sari silk on cotton foundation
• Dimensions: 152 x 244 cm (5' x 8')
• Construction: asymmetric knot
• Hands: 2 weavers, ~4 months
• Pile: low, sari silk
• Origin: India

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