The word 'handmade' does a lot of work in rug advertising. Construction is the single biggest factor in what a rug costs, how long it lasts, and whether it can be repaired — and it takes about a minute to identify.
Look at the back
- On a hand-knotted rug the pattern is as clear on the back as on the front, and you can see individual knots. Slight irregularity is a good sign — a person made it.
- A hand-tufted rug has a fabric backing glued on, hiding the construction entirely. Peel back a corner and you may find canvas and latex.
- A machine-made rug shows a perfectly regular, mechanical grid, often with a stiff backing.
Check the fringe
- On a hand-knotted rug the fringe is the warp — the foundation the rug is built on — so it is part of the rug and cannot be removed.
- If the fringe is sewn or glued on as a separate strip, the rug is not hand-knotted.
Look at the edges
- Hand-knotted rugs are finished with selvedge wrapped by hand along the sides. It looks slightly uneven up close.
- Machine-made rugs have a serged or overlocked edge that is perfectly uniform.
Feel the weight and the pile
- Hand-knotted wool has body and drapes rather than folding stiffly.
- Part the pile with your fingers. On a hand-knotted rug you can see the knots at the base; on a tufted rug you reach glue.
What this means for you
- Hand-knotted rugs are built to be repaired. Fringes can be replaced, edges rebound, holes rewoven, and a good one outlives the room it was bought for. They are the only construction that reliably holds value.
- Hand-tufted rugs are a middle ground. They can be cleaned, but the latex backing eventually breaks down and they shed.
- Machine-made rugs have their place — a high-traffic entry, a child's room, a rental. Just do not pay hand-knotted prices for one.
- If you are unsure what you already own, bring it in. We will tell you what it is, whether or not you are buying anything.