Hand Knotted Rugs may be the most respected rug construction most people think of, but the majority of rugs in peoples homes are less expensive construction like hand tufted or machine made. Understanding more about the different types of rug constructions will help you understand there durability, characteristics, and how they are made!
--HAND KNOTTED--
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| HAND KNOTTED- Durability 20+ years, Manufacturing Time 5-7 months, Price $$$$ Characteristics, Most prestigious, high quality rug constriction. Great durability Minimal shedding compared to hand-tufted rugs. Most common fiber used is wool | INSIDER TIP: The back side of a rug is the easiest way to distinguish construction. The back side of a hand-knotted rug shows individual knots and the overall design and color of the rugs surface. |
Process-
A weaver sits behind a loom and hand ties individual knots onto the vertical strings seen on the backside of a rug.
A weaver sits behind a loom and hand ties individual knots onto the vertical strings seen on the backside of a rug.
--HAND TUFTED--
| HAND TUFTED- Durability 3-10 years, Manufacturing Time 3-5 months, Price $$ Characteristics, More affordable alternative to hand-knotted rugs Quality and price depends mainly on what fiver is used. Life span ranges from 3-10 years. A nearly unlimited variety of patterns, color, and textures can be used in a hand-tufted rug. | INSIDER TIP: The back side of the rug is the easiest way to distinguish its construction. A canvas backing is applied to hand-tufted rugs with an adhesive to hold the yarns together. |
Process-
Hand-tufted rugs are made using a "gun", a hand operated tool that punches strands of fiber into a canvas that is stretched on a frame. The design of the rug is drawn on the canvas, and the worker fills in the pattern with the appropriate color fiber. When the rug design is fully piled, the rug is removed from frame and the scrim fabric is glued to the back of the rug. Once the glue has settled the scrim backing helps to hold the fiber in place.
Hand-tufted rugs are made using a "gun", a hand operated tool that punches strands of fiber into a canvas that is stretched on a frame. The design of the rug is drawn on the canvas, and the worker fills in the pattern with the appropriate color fiber. When the rug design is fully piled, the rug is removed from frame and the scrim fabric is glued to the back of the rug. Once the glue has settled the scrim backing helps to hold the fiber in place.
--HAND HOOKED--
| HAND HOOKED- Durability 3-10 years, Manufacturing Time 3-5 months, Price $$ Characteristic, More affordable alternative to hand-knotted rugs. Larger looped rugs create a plush, heavily textured rug while smaller loops allow for greater detail in pattern and interesting texture. A nearly unlimited variety of patterns, colors, and textures can be used in a hand-hooked rug. | INSIDER TIP: The back side of the rug is the easiest way to distinguish its construction. A canvas backing is applied to hand hooked rugs with an adhesive to hold yarns together-similar to hand-tufted rugs. |
Process,
Hooked rugs are made by tufting loops of yarn or fabric through a stiff woven base such as burlap, linen, or rug warp which has been stretched over a frame. The design is printed on the base fabric, and the loops of yarn are pushed through the fabric (similar to the process for hand-tufting).
Hooked rugs are made by tufting loops of yarn or fabric through a stiff woven base such as burlap, linen, or rug warp which has been stretched over a frame. The design is printed on the base fabric, and the loops of yarn are pushed through the fabric (similar to the process for hand-tufting).
--POWER LOOMED--
| POWER LOOMED- Durability 3-10 years, Manufacturing time 2-3 months, Price $$ Characteristics, Usually the most affordable rug construction. Common fibers in power loomed rugs include synthetic yarns like polyester, polypropylene, and nylon. A computer dictates texture, design, and color so there is little chance of error in production. Unlike all other constructions, power loomed rugs have distinctive production, rugs are restricted to a particular set of colors once in production. | INSIDER TIP- The back side of a rug is the easiest way to distinguish its construction. Like hand-knotted rugs, you can see the design/colors on the back of the machine made rug, but has a course latex backing that secures it in place. |
Process,
Large machines have hundreds of spindles of fiber that are mechanically woven into thin mesh backing. The machine is computer-drive and runs continuously to maximize efficiency.
Large machines have hundreds of spindles of fiber that are mechanically woven into thin mesh backing. The machine is computer-drive and runs continuously to maximize efficiency.
--FLAT WEAVE--
| Flat Weave- Durability 20+ years, Manufacturing time 3-4 months, Price $$ Characteristics, A flat weave's most defining characteristic is their lack of base material (hence the term "flat"=weave). Common fibers in flat-weaves include wool, jute, and cotton. Great durability and toughness. A nearly unlimited variety of patterns and colors, but not textures. | INSIDER TIP- The back of the rug is the easiest way to distinguish its construction. Being reversible, a flat-weave's "backside" will appear the same as its "front". |
Process,
The fabric itself is a braided or woven onto a loom to create the structure of the rug-no base material is used so the pile is thin (hence the same "flat"-weave).
The fabric itself is a braided or woven onto a loom to create the structure of the rug-no base material is used so the pile is thin (hence the same "flat"-weave).
