Made-to-Measure Rugs Compared: MAJLIS and the Big-Name Brands
A neutral way to compare made-to-order rug studios with large rug brands: size, shape, color, samples, timing and what each quote includes.
Stock rugs and made-to-order rugs solve different problems
Start with your room and put the same questions to every brand. If a standard size fits and you want the rug in your home soon, a large rug brand with ready stock is often the simplest choice. If the room needs an exact dimension, an unusual shape or a specific color, a made-to-order studio is usually the better fit.
We say this as a studio that makes rugs to order. Plenty of rooms are well served by a good stock rug, and as designers we would point a client that way when it makes sense. The comparison below is meant to help you work out which kind of rug your project calls for, so you can judge any brand, including ours, on the same terms.
One note before you begin. Policies, prices and lead times change, and every brand describes its own offer best. Treat anything general here as a starting point and check each brand's own site for current details.
Size and shape are the first test
Measure the furniture group, tape the outline on the floor, and write down the size you actually need. Then see who can make it. Large brands tend to work from a fixed list of sizes, sometimes with a custom option on selected designs. A made-to-order studio starts from your dimensions.
At MAJLIS our standard sizes are 6 x 9, 8 x 10 and 9 x 12 feet, and MAJLIS Studio designs any other size and shape online: rectangles, rounded corners, ovals, circles and faceted outlines, shown in 2D and 3D with the price as you design. If you are still working out the right footprint, our rug size guide walks through the clearances room by room.
Color, material and pile
A catalog shows the colors that were chosen for it. That works when one of them suits your room. When you are matching a sofa fabric, a stone or a paint color, ask how many colorways a design comes in and whether you can request others.
Ask the same about fiber and pile. Our rugs are hand-loomed in India in New Zealand wool or ECONYL regenerated nylon, with a standard 14 mm pile and custom heights from 10 to 70 mm by request. The Intense collection offers 17 single colors, Thick offers 7 two-color combinations, and the Studio carries a larger color book. Mohair, silk and hand-knotting are available by bespoke commission.
Samples, timing and the full price
Never approve a color from a screen. Ask every brand what kind of sample they offer, whether it is a cutting of the actual construction or a color pom, and whether there is a charge. We offer both samples and color poms through our sample request page.
Timing is where stock and made-to-order differ most. A rug that is woven for you takes longer. Ours typically arrive in the US 4 to 6 months from order confirmation, often sooner for Europe and Asia, and every quote includes a delivery estimate. Plan the order around your installation date.
For price, compare the total delivered cost for the same size and fiber. Our Intense rugs start at $2,160 for a 6 x 9 in 14 mm wool, ECONYL adds $5 per square foot, and shipping is free within the continental US.
Questions to put to any rug brand
- Can you make the exact size and shape on my plan, and what does it cost?
- Which fibers, pile heights and colors are available for this design?
- What does the sample show, and how long does it take to arrive?
- How is the rug made, and where?
- What is the delivery estimate from the date I confirm the order?
- What does the quote include, and what is extra?
- Is there a trade program if a designer or architect is ordering?
Write the answers side by side and the right choice is usually obvious. If our answers suit your room, start a design in the Studio or get in touch, and for anything about another brand, go to that brand's own site.
