There are five main methods of rug production with variations within each technique. Here we will give a very brief overview of each rug making method.
The production method is only a small part of the story. The quality of the fibre, the expertise of the weaver, the knot count or stitch rate of the rug, and with handmade rugs, the quality of the shearing and washing process will all affect the quality and price. Ultimately you should buy what you like, most rugs sold today have no real provenance, they are mass produced and suit most buyers’ needs. By explaining the differences in rug production methods we hope to help you buy a rug that will perform to your expectations and give value for money.
Hand knotted Rugs
When we use the term Oriental rugs we mean a hand knotted rug, the oldest of all the rug making techniques, each tuft is tied onto the warp by hand with a knot at the base of the tuft, a weft (sometimes more than one) is inserted between the warp threads and hammered tight to form the pile of the rug .Two types of knot are commonly used; the Turkish knot and the Persian knot, although the Turkish knot is widely used in Iran especially in tribal and nomadic weavings. Most Oriental pieces are unique and not available in sizes other than the rug you see. An experienced adult weaver can tie between 6,000 and 9,000 knots per day. KPI or knots per inch is used as one of the quality indicators of this type of rug. Considered the only type of rug to buy by the true enthusiast, hand knotted rugs can be a very wise investment as the traditional art of village and tribal weaving is becoming less common and good pieces are harder to source. Hand knotting is very time consuming and good quality pieces can command high prices. We stock small hand knotted rugs from £30.00 each to Fine Persian rugs up to £10,000 each.
Flat woven Rugs
Flat woven rugs are usually known as kilims or kelims in Turkey, Gelims in Persia (Iran) or Dhurries in India. Kilim is a general name used for any non pile rug in the Middle East. More precisely a kilim is a tapestry. There are different production methods used, the best known being slit weave and Soumacs. Usually made from wool and used as floor coverings, throws and wall hangings.
Hand tufted Rugs
A cotton scrim is stretched across a vertical frame, the design of the rug is printed or drawn onto this. The pile fibre is inserted into the back of scrim with a tufting gun. The rug is then laid out flat and stretched onto another frame. Latex is applied to prevent the tufts from coming out and a second backing material is added. Most of the hand tufted rugs coming into Europe today are made in China or India. There is a huge selection of both contemporary and traditional designs to choose from. Generally prices are a fraction of a good quality hand knotted rug but like hand knotted rugs you get what you pay for, Our Nourison 2000 collections use high quality wool with the addition of top quality Chinese silk, each rug is then expertly hand carved. These rugs will be the same price as an average quality hand knotted rug.
Hand loomed Rugs
Usually Indian production, hand loomed rugs are quicker to produce than hand tufted rugs .This reflects in the price of the rug, various pile textures can be used including loops to create a design in the rug. The looms are operated on the same type of treadle looms used in the UK over 300 years ago. Most of our current Multi stripe rug collections are made using this method. Available in both wool and synthetic fibres hand loomed rugs can offer excellent value.
Wilton Rugs
The tradition of textile weaving in the Flemish region of Belgium goes back for hundreds of years. From a cottage industry the process has changed to the hugely mechanised industry it is today and Wilton rugs are produced all over the world. There are many types of Wilton construction, face to face is the most commonly used in rug production. The pile is woven sandwiched between two sets of backing material. The finished material is then split leaving two rugs, a mirror image of each other. This is a very fast method of production and the use of top quality materials and high stitch rates can produce a rug that compares favourably with a good quality hand knotted rug.
We will deal with each technique and their processes in more detail in future articles.
