Zebra pelts are now very popular. People from all over the world are buying these rugs because of the sheer beauty and value they come with. Zebras are the animals of the jungle and as such they bring the jungle aura right into the room you are seated. When you decide to buy a rug for decoration in your home, it is important to investigate and know some basic things about them. By knowing these things, you present yourself with a very good chance of not only getting a high quality rug but also of learning a great deal about these animals in general.
The first thing to know is whether the rug you are buying is legal or not. It would be unfortunate if you buy something that is illegal thereby making you be on the wrong side of the law. The zebra skin rugs sold in the world should only come from two African countries; South Africa and Tanzania. These skins are obtained via a legal process of culling. There are millions of animals in these countries and at times the population even surpasses that of humans. You should establish if the zebra hide rug that you are buying is of a Burchelli one. If it is not, don’t bother buying it.
The other thing that you must know about the zebra skin rugs is whether the vendors are licensed. There are many more countries that have zebras almost equal to the number in South Africa and Tanzania. In countries such as Namibia, Kenya and Zambia among others, culling is not allowed and any killing of a zebra is considered to be poaching. A vendor should be licensed to be trading in legal skins and from countries that culling of these animals is legal. The grade of the zebra skin rugs is the other thing that you should be well aware of. Generally, skins are graded as Trophy, Grade A, Grade B and Grade C.
The Trophy Grade is the skin that has no blemish or any other flaw. They are simply impeccable in quality. They are followed by Grade A which are still of great quality but they have one or two small spec. They are pricey because the flaw they have is not even identifiable easily. Grade B is the category that many people go for because the even though the flows are several, the price tags are quite affordable.
Finally there is the Grade C. This grade is the lowest in the skin classification because there are more than obvious flaws. You will need to also know what you will use the zebra skin rugs for. For the floor mats, you will need high quality rugs and possibly those that are felted. For the pillows, cushions, footstools and wall hangings, Grade B or C rugs will do just fine. You will also need to know how your pets will react to the rugs when you buy.