How Our Rugs Are Made

Our rugs are hand-knotted, handwoven, flatwoven or hand-tufted. The construction affects the texture, thickness and care. Here’s a guide to choosing between them.

Construction	How it’s made	Feel & look	Lifespan	Best for
Hand-knotted	Each knot tied by hand on a vertical loom, then clipped to form the pile.	Dense, detailed, no backing; slight irregularities that show it’s handmade.	Long-lasting with appropriate care	Living rooms and detailed designs
Handwoven	Yarn interlaced on a hand-operated loom, sometimes with a looped or cut pile.	Textured, structured, often natural fibers.	Many years	Everyday living and bedrooms
Flatweave (kilim)	Woven with no pile at all.	Thin, light, often reversible.	Many years	Dining rooms, kitchens, hallways, layering
Hand-tufted	Yarn punched through a backing with a hand tool, then sheared even.	Soft, plush, bold designs.	Years, with care	Bedrooms, lower-traffic rooms

Materials

• Wool — a versatile rug fibre: springy, naturally stain- and flame-resistant, long-lasting. New wool rugs shed for the first weeks; that’s normal.
• Wool & silk — silk adds sheen and fine detail. Best in lower-traffic rooms.
• Jute & hemp — strong, earthy plant fibers. Keep away from water and damp floors.
• Cotton & recycled cotton — light, soft, easy-care flatweaves.

Frequently asked

How can I tell a hand-knotted rug from a machine-made one?

Turn it over. On a hand-knotted rug the pattern shows clearly on the back, knots are slightly uneven, and the fringe is the end of the warp threads, not sewn on.

Why do handmade rugs cost more?

Time. A hand-knotted 8x10 ft rug can take weeks to months of skilled work; a machine makes one in hours.

Hand-knotted rugs · Handwoven rugs · Flatweave rugs