Beni Ouarain rugs

The classic Beni Ouarain rug is here to stay. This type of rug is there for anyone who loves Moroccan craftsmanship but is looking for something not too colorful. A Beni Ouarain is an atmospheric, yet peaceful basis for any interior. Usually the carpet has an ivory base with dark stripes or graphic basic patterns. Occasionally you will find one with light or colorful stripes in our collection. The carpets are named after the Berber village ‘Beni Ouarain’ in the Mid-Atlas mountains. You can’t really go wrong with this one.

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“The Beni Ouarain is the classic in The Souks collection. An ivory colored gem suited for any interior.”

These vintage Beni Ouarain rugs are carefully selected, only the most gorgeous varieties can be found in our online shop.

Almost all of these treasures are vintage with a soft ivory color due to the natural coloring of the wool used, and are accompanied by dark stripes.

These typical Beni Ouarain carpets are traditionally knotted with nothing but pure wool. In order to maintain its quality and softness, the rug is traditionally washed with soap and then dried in the sun. This process creates a pleasant and soft texture. Lovely to walk on with your bare feet! One copy of each Beni Ouarain rug is available and therefore unique.

The Beni Ouarain carpets are all handmade by Berber women in the eponymous Beni Ouarain village and the Mermoucha area in the province of Boulmane, in the Mid-Atlas mountains in the North-East of Morocco.

As the Beni Ouarain rug became more and more popular (we understand why) and sold more and more in the Moroccan markets, the women in places like M’rirt, Khenifra and Azilal -in the middle of the Atlas Mountains- also started making this type of rug. They have a different but equally beautiful knotting technique.

Carpet making is a big part of the local culture. The love for the culture and the craft is considered much more important than the trade mentality. That’s why the craftswomen don’t mind spending months on knotting a carpet. We at The Souks admire this mentality and are therefore just a little bit more in love with the Beni Ouarain rug.

Frequently asked questions

Is your question not listed? Feel free to contact us!

ARE THESE CARPETS USED?

A large part of the carpets at The Souks are vintage. This means that the carpets are pre-loved and therefore already used. We also have Beni Ouarain carpets woven in-house, so these are new. For each carpet it is indicated on the site whether it is a new or vintage copy.

ARE THE CARPETS CLEANED?

Yes! All carpets are cleaned before we send them to you.

HOW DO I CLEAN A BENI OUARAIN CARPET?

A Beni Ouarain carpet can be vacuum cleaned at home. Do this regularly so that waste, crumbs and residue do not get into the carpet. If you want to clean your carpet thoroughly, you can start with a special rug cleaner or rug shampoo after vacuuming. Follow the instructions supplied with the product. Never use cleaning products that are not specifically meant for (woolen) carpets.

We recommend having a professional company do the proper cleaning of your carpet. They often have a home service. We know a number of such companies, feel free to email us for tips.

In case of stains, it is best to act ASAP. Gently dab the stain with a damp cloth (not wet) with lukewarm water and vinegar. Do not scrub roughly.

For stubborn stains, for example wine, it is best to do it with lukewarm water instead of cold. In the case of fruit juice, sparkling water is a good idea. Then place a tea towel over this and let it absorb the stain completely. Always let the rug dry completely after cleaning.

I HAVE SEEN A RUG AND WANT A DIFFERENT / LARGER SIZE, IS THAT POSSIBLE?

Unfortunately we cannot deliver our vintage rugs in a different size due to their vintage character. However, we can always have new carpets woven. Have you seen a carpet you like or would you like to have our designer design a custom carpet? Please send us a message, we are happy to think along with you.

HOW DO I KNOW WHAT SIZE CARPET I NEED?

Tip of the trade! Stick painter’s tape on your floor to tape out the size. This way you can try and experience what size fits your interior. Our experience is that you often need a wider carpet than your sofa is wide, to create a feeling of space and bring the furniture together into a whole.

ARE THE RUGS MEASURED WITH OR WITHOUT FRINGES?

We measure the rugs without fringes.

APPROXIMATELY HOW THICK ARE THE RUGS?

This varies from rug to rug and depends on the material and manufacturing technique. Let’s say that they are minimum 1 and maximum 5 centimetres thick, but this really varies from style to style!

CAN I TRY OUT A RUG AT HOME?

Of course you can! We understand that you want to see if the rug of your dreams really fits your interior and matches your furniture. Order the rug in our online shop, and if it is not what you hoped for you can always return the rug.

HOW DO I RETURN A RUG TO YOU?

You can return a rug by placing it back in the box in which you received it. This may seem like a hassle because of the size of large rugs, but fortunately it is not that big a hassle. Our rugs almost always fit in a cardboard box. We recommend that you use the box in which the carpet was delivered to ensure that it fits (tip: keep the box until you are sure you want to keep the carpet). Deliver your package to a PostNL point or another postal provider of your choice.

Our return address is:

Pakkettenfabriek
The Souks
Turbineweg 21
2371 DV Roelofarendsveen

WHAT DOES IT COST TO RETURN A RUG?

You can check the costs of a return with the postal service with which you want to return the package. For a registered parcel with PostNL it costs around €9 – €15, depending on the weight of your carpet.

WILL I GET MY MONEY BACK?

After the processing of your return by our warehouse, we will refund the purchase price. This also applies to sale carpets.

CAN I SEE THE CARPETS IN REAL LIFE?

We do not have a physical store or showroom. However, we do have regular pop-up shops where you can view the carpets in real life. Please subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Instagram to be informed about pop-up shops.

Because we understand that you really want to see a rug in real life, we pay for shipping costs from €150 and up.

I HAVE SEEN A RUG ON THE SITE BUT NOW IT IS GONE, WILL IT BE BACK IN STOCK?

Our vintage rugs are one of a kind, so only one of each rug is available. If you have your eye on a vintage carpet that is no longer on the site, then it is sold and no longer available, unless it is returned; the carpet will then come back online.

The carpets that we design ourselves and have woven sometimes come back, especially if you let us know that you want it; then we have it made for you.

We can also always look with you for a similar vintage carpet in that color or size, or have one custom made for you.

HAVING A CUSTOM CARPET MADE, HOW DOES IT WORK?

We can have rugs made in all shapes and sizes. Our designer would love to take a look with you! Please contact us at info@thesouks.com

Do you already have something specific in mind or have you seen a nice example? Be sure to send a photo along with your mail, it will help us with the design process.

Prices of custom rugs vary by size.

WHAT CAN BE THE SIGNS OF USE?

These include fringes that are not all the same length or are missing, a small color difference in the wool, etc. For larger blemishes that are clearly visible, we will always mention this on the product page.

WHICH CARPET SUITS ME?

We understand you, there is so much beauty out there! Feel free to browse our different rug categories and to try any rug at home to see if it fits your interior. Having a hard time deciding? We would like to take a closer look at your interior and your carpet needs, so that you receive exactly the carpet that suits you. Mail to info@thesouks.com

I WOULD LIKE A CARPET IN THE BATHROOM OR TOILET ROOM, IS THAT POSSIBLE?

We do not recommend this in the first instance. Wool remains at its best when it is dry. In addition, you would rather not have any residue or splashes from care products ending up on your carpet.

Of course it is possible, but make sure that your carpet stays as dry as possible and that the room can ventilate. In any case, do not use the carpet as a bath mat.

If you still want a carpet in a wet room, then a cotton carpet might be a good solution, go for a Boucherouite rug.

CAN A CARPET BE PLACED UNDER THE DINING TABLE?

In principle it can, but it varies from rug to rug whether this is comfortable. You want to be able to slide your chair forwards and backwards, and that doesn’t work as well with a high-pile carpet. Always make sure you have a good foundation and work with a carpet pad to prevent slipping and curling up.

CAN I HANG A RUG ON THE WALL?

Many of our rugs look like true works of art. We can imagine that you would love to hang one of these carpets on the wall. Not only does it look good, it is also good for the acoustics. Just make sure you secure it properly and use the right plugs for your type of wall.

Of course you can just hang the rug on the wall with nails, but that’s not the only option for hanging up your new gem.

For example, you can also hang a wooden beam on the wall and hang the Moroccan tapestry on it. In addition, you can sew a piece of fabric to the tapestry through which you can slide a stick. Then you can hang that stick on the wall. If you want to hang the rug nice and tight, it’s best to make two strings in the corners of the rug and hang them on the wall.