FAQ
Product
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The top layer of our Ducks is made of our titular cotton duck, a heavy and sturdy 100 % cotton canvas with a double fill weave structure (warp and weft consist of plied yarns for extra strength) that is primed for print processing. The backing consists of premium 80 % wool blended felt. Each Duck is finished with classic rug binding using polyamide yarns in matching colors. We use eco-certified premium inks. For wipeability as well as water and abrasion resistance, the prints are sealed with a premium polyurethane varnish (think outdoor jackets and vegan leather).
Our product is free from PVC or vinyl. The inks used are certified according to ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX®. Tested for harmful substances following Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex® , Love a Duck rugs are free from phtalates, formaldehyde, fluorine and lead.
The patented construction of our Love-a-Ducks consists of responsibly-sourced materials and can be delaminated for partial recycling. It is manufactured in Germany at STeP by OEKO–TEX® certified production facilities. Small runs avoid overstock and allow us to fill custom orders.
About 3 to 3.5 millimeters excluding rug binding, which adds about 1.5 mm of thickness around the perimeter. We keep the Ducks flat to fit them underneath doors and minimize the danger of tripping.
We would describe the coated surface as a mix between the structured texture typical of classic baby swaddling blankets (made of cotton muslin), and grained or embossed leather surfaces with an added degree of strength found in varnished parquet flooring. Using Ducks barefoot, users have described the textured surface as invigorating to the soles and the varnish as silky to the touch.
Users who walk on the Ducks barefoot describe the coating as silky. The surface roughness can vary slightly depending on the production run and turn out a little smoother (in that case as on a freshly sealed parquet floor, please be careful if you are wearing slippery socks).
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We try to represent the colors of our Ducks on our website as close as technically possible to the actual product. Nevertheless, deviations between the colors displayed on your screen and the actual product are possible and cannot be claimed as a defect.
For technical reasons, slight color variations between production runs are possible and can also not be claimed as a defect. Changes in our collection colors are possible and will be made at our discretion. Of course we will inform you if your product selection is affected.
Please contact us if you require a custom color range, format or size. We are happy to accommodate your whenever possible. Please note that a design fee may apply depending on the scale of alterations required. We will of course inform you about this in advance.
Our standard product does not feature anti-slip backing for several reasons:
1) the anti-slip dots on polyester felt are routinely made of PVC, which we do not use at all;
2) anti-slip dots might leave marks on flooring;
3) it depends on individual rug use if anti-slip protection is required or desired;
4) a separate anti-slip fleece is more environmentally sound because it can be reused and recycled.
We recommend a thin anti-slip underlayer, preferrably made of polyester fleece, if the floor underneath the Duck is smooth and if the Duck is located in a traffic area and not held in place, for instance, by a piece of furniture (like a dining table).
Experience teaches us that an anti-slip fleece can be useful in areas that generally experience a lot of movement, such as the hallway or the kitchen. It is lovely in the kitchen if you are an enthusiastic chef and spend a lot of time standing at the stove!
A play area, on the other hand, might benefit from a Duck with a smooth back so it can still be carefully pulled to a different location. This way you can relocate entire Lego cities and other constructions quickly and with little risk of collapse.
We recommend a thin polyester fleece or a flat latex grid mat. Don’t use soft foam versions or heavy grids. They tend to be too thick and uneven. You might already have a suitable fleece or mat left over from a previous rug that can be cut to size and re-used after washing.
If you need a new anti-slip product, we offer two great choices seperately. We carry an awesome Öko-Tex certified fleece made of 100 % polyester and a natural latex grid mat. Both come cut to size to fit your Duck (we tailor them to the rugs’ circumference).
The fleece is slightly sticky to the touch and can be washed at 30°C (we use the delicate cycle with a little mild detergent). It dries quickly and once completely dry any stickiness lost to dust over time is restored. You best install an anti-slip product prior to the Duck and then unroll the Duck into position on top of it.
USES
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Yes, Love-a-Ducks have been designed to work with hard flooring. They are ideal for hardwood flooring, tiled floors, concrete, laminate, terrazzo and more.
No,we do not recommend Love-a-Ducks for carpeted surfaces. They might be used on a very flat carpet in a low traffic area (where the carpeting might fulfil the role of an anti-slip under-layer) at the buyer’s discretion. However, they are solely made to lay on hard surfaces, such as hardwood flooring, tile or concrete, especially in high-usage areas.
Yes. Fluff balls won’t get trapped and small accidents can be removed through routine cleaning. Experience shows that dogs rather like to lie on the Ducks because they add a little softness while not overheating them. Cats find they are useless as scratch toys. Only the binding has been of initial interest to cats in one or two trial cases and we recommend to watch out for that and offer the cats a suitable toy in this case.
Yes, the Ducks are ideal play surfaces. The felt backing adds a bit of softness but also enough resistance for babies and toddlers to practice muscle strength. The flat-weave surface is great to play on. Wooden building-block-towers, Lego forts and marble runs all stand up straight and safe on Duck surfaces. Art projects get ideal support. Just make sure you provide proper protection if you work with sharp utensils, glue, and non-water-soluble paints and colors (such as permanent markers or standard water colors with permanently staining pigments). These can damage or permanently stain the Duck.
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Yes, the Ducks are impenetrable to dust and mites because of their surface coating. We suffer from dustmite allergies in our family and and we love the Ducks because we finally have a beautiful and comfortable floor covering that is super easy to clean and doesn’t make us sneeze.
Yes, underfloor heating is absolutely fine. The Ducks will transmit the warmth to your feet.
No, the Ducks are intended for indoor use only.
No, our Ducks have a felt back and therefore should not be used in wet environments.
Installation
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Your Love-a-Duck arrives rolled with the printed design side facing you. It is wrapped in protective foil, bubble wrap and additionally protected by a cardboard. Prior to removing your new rug from its packaging make sure it has time to adjust to room temperature.
Prepare the floor by clearing it of any dust or protruding elements to which the felt might cling (such as nails in floor boards), vacuum and, if required, mop the surface and let it dry thoroughly. Then unpack the Duck carefully and position the rolled rug for installation. It is easiest to place the roll lengthwise along the width of where the rug is supposed to go. Depending on the size, you might want to get help to unroll it slowly and evenly until it lies flat in its intended location. It should ly flat right away. If corners curl under slightly you can carefully roll them up just a bit. Don’t bend or fold the edges or any other area of the rug. Let it adjust slowly.
Yes, you can. The Ducks are made specifically to lie underneath dining tables so that they can catch spills and other typical accidents that regularly occur. Please use felt pads on furniture feet and note that the weight of furniture will cause feet to leave marks on the Ducks. Marks ususally disappear in about 24 hours. However, if heavy furniture stands in the same spot for a long period of time, the impression might continue to be visible at least for some time. Due to the material construction, permanent marks and the development of patina are considered normal and cannot be claimed as a defect.
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No. In order to maintain the overall look of our product we have chosen a surface finish suitable for domestic application and advise against the use of chairs on casters at this time as we cannot guarantee longterm heavy-use (including home office) abrasion resistance.
Please store your Duck flat or rolled on a tube securing it with kitchen cling foil. You can store it upright on the tube, just make sure the edges are flush and don’t get squished against the floor. If you store it flat, don’t stack anything on top.
CARE
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- Vacuum regularly using a soft parquet brush attachment (avoid attachments with rotating rollers to protect the binding from premature fraying).
- If necessary, wipe the coated surface with a slightly damp cloth or floor wiper. If heavily soiled, add a splash of mild dish soap.
- Wipe off liquids, leftover food, acids, oils, etc. immediately with a dry cloth, wipe with a damp cloth if necessary.
- Add a small amount of a quality parquet care product suitable for varnished hardwood flooring to your cleaning routine at regular intervals to protect the top coat from premature aging.
- Spot clean edging.
- Avoid harsh, abrasive cleaning products.
- Avoid sharp edges.
- Do not launder in the washing machine.
- Do not immerse in water.
- Not suitable for dry cleaning.
- Not suitable for professional carpet cleaning.
- Do not fold or crease.
- Use felt gliders or pads on furniture feet and do not drag furniture across the Duck.
- Regularly lift the carpet at the edges and vacuum underneath.
- If objects, such as Lego bricks or coarser crumbs, slip under the Duck, remove them immediately to avoid marks from underneath.
- Once or twice a year (depending on your circumstances), carefully turn your Duck over and thoroughly vacuum the felt backing.
- If the felt backing gets wet quickly blot excess fluid with a cloth or paper towels before it gets absorbed and keep it raised up to let it dry thoroughly.
- Spot-treat the felt if necessary by applying a PH-neutral spot cleaner or a small amount of baking soda and white vinegar. Leave the back raised or turned over to dry. Make sure the floor underneath is clean and dry.
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If it is a small cut you can order a repair kit from us to seal the cut and heal your Duck.
If glass breaks on a Duck, please carefully soak up liquids first, then carefully pick up and brush off glass shards. Don’t scrub glass shards across the rug as they might scratch the varnished surface.
SHIPPING AND RETURNS
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Please refer to the list below for current shipping prices. These prices include Austrian VAT.
Additional products (sample folder and anti-slip layers) ship for free.
| Shipping Address | Flat Rate |
|---|---|
| Austria & Germany | 25 € |
| Other EU Member States | 35 € |
| Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, UK | 49 € |
Stock orders usually ship in 5 – 7 days. Out-of-stock orders can take up to 12 – 14 weeks to ship depending on the next scheduled production run.
Due to the technically challenging nature of the multi-step manufacturing process involved in creating each premium Love a Duck rug, individual production runs can run late and parts of a production might have to be repeated. We will immediately inform you of a delay of more than 2 weeks. Should delivery be delayed by an entire production cycle (12 – 14 weeks), we offer a special right of withdrawal.
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We want you to be 100 % satisfied with your product and grant you the right to return a purchased and intact item with proof of purchase for a full refund within 30 days of delivery.
You are requested to inform us immediately at hello@love-a-duck.com and to return your purchased item to our address as a prepaid package (insured, in the original packaging) and keep the proof of delivery. Should any other suitable packaging be used, adequate protection against transport damage must be provided.
Please note that you are responsible for the postage costs for the return shipment.
Please note that the original shipping costs will not be refunded.
Damage or contamination of the goods must be avoided.
We do not accept returns for custom merchandise, except for manufacturing defects. All special sales are final.
For more information, please consult our General Terms and Conditions.
There is a 24-month limited warranty for manufacturing defects, when our handling and care guidelines have been followed.
Please check the received order/goods for correctness and completeness immediately and especially before use. Later notifications of defects can otherwise no longer be accepted and completely exclude the customer’s right to return.
...In The Wild
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