Frequently Asked Questions with Elsa Barnard
Can my carpet be redyed?
No, the mohair and spun yarn is dyed before the carpet is woven. There are no facilities to dye an already woven carpet.
The hand knotted cotton tassels look grimy but my carpet still looks new...
The carpets are finished with hand knotted undyed cotton tassels which also knot off the warp threads. This enables the carpets to be turned and be used on both sides. Wash the tassels separately in a dish or bucket with warm water and washing powder. However, the carpets can also be be finished without tassels. The warp threads get knotted off and sewn into the carpets to leave a smooth woven edge.
How do I wash my carpet?
The carpets, being of natural hair, are best washed with soap and water. A large carpet can be put on a deck or patio, soaked wet with a hose pipe and washed with warm water, hair shampoo or Woolite and a soft scrubbing brush. Rinse well with a hose pipe and leave to dry over a railing, a wall or a garden table and some chairs.
Chose a warm and windy day and your carpet will be dry within 24 hours. After washing the carpet it looks a bit uneven on the floor but within a few days of walking on it it will look smooth and like new again.
Can you match a specific shade of my choice that is not on your colourchart?
Yes we can dye any colour if the quanity required is more than 10 kg (our minimum dye bath capacity). There is an extra charge of R100 per shade.
Can I make my own design?
Most of our carpets are made to order. Our customer usually refer to a carpet design from the website and adapt this to suit their colour scheme and size requirement. We often advise clients in their homes when we hold an exhibition in their area at no extra charge. On occasions customers have asked us to weave from their own patterns, we then have to evaluate if the design is suitable to our facility and have in this way gained some attractive new patterns. We also weave exclusive designs (one off's) but have to charge for the extra design work in implementing these special patterns. Orders from the website are submitted by e mail, this website is not an e commerce website. Please also refer to the section "Ordering". Of course prospective clients can also phone or fax or write to us, contact details can be found under "Contact Us".
Where can I see your carpets?
In our shop in the Rosehill Mall Port Alfred we display a wide variety of our rugs and carpets in all sizes and many colours. Our trained staff will assist you.The retail shop of Mohair South Africa in Walmer Port Elizabeth also displays and sells our handcrafted mohair carpets.In our factory in Dimbaza, on the R 63 between King Williamstown and Alice, you can see the process of spinning ,weaving and finishing of our unique carpets.Please also visit our facebook page Elsa Barnard Mohair Carpets.
Do you export?
In the US and Germany we supply retail shops and we weave and dispatch orders for individual clients all over the world. Our carpets compare very favourably in the global market because of good value and the exceptional properties of mohair.
