Hand-Knotted Versus Machine Made Oriental Area Rugs – What’s The Difference?

To the untrained eye, it can be difficult to tell the difference between a hand knotted and a machine-made rug, but there are things to look out for and ways to find out how your rug was constructed.

Not only is it an important factor when purchasing an area rug that you know how it is made, but the construction also dictates how to best clean and maintain your newly acquired textile.

As the “cleaner of choice” to many rug collectors, interior designers, as well as lovers of “Oriental” rugs, we have seen our share of rugs coming to the shop that the owners “thought” were genuine hand-knotted rugs (and they paid good money for them). More than a few customers have been disappointed when we had to tell them their “hand-knotted” area rug was, in-fact, a machine made rug they overpaid for by thousands of dollars.

The best way to identify a hand knotted rug is that there will always be imperfections, no doubt about it! Some knots will be uneven, and patterns will not be completely perfect; lines may not be entirely straight, the area rug may have “freckles” present, and the colors can change slightly in one area. These imperfections and idiosyncrasies give hand-knotted carpets their charm. A machine-made rug will be completely uniform and have perfect stitching.

Machine-made rugs are significantly cheaper than their hand-knotted counterparts; they also lack the beauty, history, and appeal or an area rug someone spent part of his or her lives weaving.

Hand-knotted rugs can last for many decades and can take months or even years to produce, often with a team of people working on it at once. The materials are natural, and the wool or silk used can be very high quality and robust. Alternatively, synthetic materials such as nylon are used in the construction of machine made rugs. Hand-knotted rugs are made with the sweat and love of a weaver whereas machine-made area rugs are made purely for profit.

Another good tell-tale sign as to how a rug is made is to look at the fringe. Machine made rugs have a fringe which has been sewn onto the end of the rug, while hand knotted-knotted rugs have a fringe which is made up of the warp strings that extend from its foundation.

Oriental Rug Salon is a full-service Oriental, wool, and silk area rug cleaning, restoration, and repair facility serving clients nationwide. We are a Certified Partner with the prestigious Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and the International Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI). In addition, we are A+ rated with the Better Business Bureau and a four-year-in-a-row-winner of the coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award.

Hand-knotted area rugs are made with skill, and each weaver pours their heart and soul into weaving a one of a kind textile.

If you ever have any questions about cleaning, repair, or want to learn more about beautiful wool and silk area rugs, please do not hesitate to give us a call anytime.

For more information about Oriental Rug Salon, please visit us online at www.OrientalRugSalon.com or call us anytime at 239-424-8171.

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Hand-Knotted Versus Machine Made Oriental Area Rugs – What’s The Difference?

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