The widely held view is that nothing matches a fully handmade rug for quality and craftsmanship. Yet the very first Karastan creation, which came fresh off the loom at just past 2 P.M. on April 8, 1928, sought to challenge that notion. The rug, made by Marshall Field’s pioneering machine, looked every inch the kind of quality that one would expect from a handmade rug.
Karastan’s creations, nicknamed by the press as the ‘Mystery Rugs,’ were born of an advanced new manufacturing technique. The Mystery Rugs had all the intricacy and detail of handmade rug, yet the company boasted that their products were also among the toughest on the market. In 1933, just five years after the first piece was produced, the company invited the world to test its claim.
An enlarged version of the company’s classic Kirman pattern was made especially for the 1933 World’s Fair, which was hosted in Chicago. Items like rugs are usually put in display cases for all to see; Karastan laid out the rug for all to step on and soil. Over 5 million visitors to the 1933 World’s Fair left their mark one way or the other on the huge Karastan carpet. By the end of the event, it was virtually unrecognizable.
The Karastan’s quality, especially its durability and craftsmanship were seen by the people when it was cleaned. It looked brand new!
As if the display in Chicago wasn’t enough, the company did the same thing in New York for the 1939 World’s Fair. That time, over 9 million pairs of shoes trod in dirt, ground in food and sullied the company’s beautiful display carpet. Yet once again, the company just took the carpet, cleaned one half and showed the crowd how clean the clean side could get.
The following years only showed the innovation of this company. In the 90s, they produced Sisal Wool, a rug made of sisal material but with the lush comfort and durability of wool.
They also manufactured antique-looking rugs that celebrated the Asian style decorations. A technique called Tea Wash was used to make rugs look like they are antiques, heirloom pieces that bespoke of refinement and elegance.
In 2006, Shapura was introduced which was produced to equal that of handmade rugs. The traditional style and light colors made such pieces more casual but nevertheless, still of sturdy quality that boasts of longevity.
Karastan is a company that can certainly claim authority in rug-making. Their innovations and techniques in producing one of the best brands of rugs in the world have allowed us to indulge our homes and workplaces with fine decorations as their rugs. Until this day, theirs still match the reputation of handmade rugs.
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