Rug Weaving Methods and Construction Explained
How hand-knotted, hand-loomed, hand-tufted, flatwoven and machine-made rugs differ, and what to check on the back, edge and pile of a sample.
Most rugs are made in one of five ways: hand-knotted, hand-loomed, hand-tufted, flatwoven or machine-made. The method sets the price, the feel underfoot and how the rug ages, so it belongs on the specification next to color and size.
Two rugs in the same shade can behave very differently. Turn a sample over and you can usually tell which method was used within a few seconds. Here is what each one is and what to look for.
Hand-knotted
A weaver ties each knot of pile individually around the vertical warp threads of a loom, row by row, then beats it down and trims it. It is the slowest method and usually the most expensive. Quality is often described by knot density: more knots per square inch allow finer detail.
On the back you will see the pattern repeated almost as clearly as on the front, with small visible knots. The fringe is the ends of the warp threads, so it is part of the structure and not sewn on. At MAJLIS, hand-knotting is available by bespoke commission.
Hand-loomed
This is how our collection rugs are made, by skilled craftspeople in India. The weaver works on a hand-operated loom and builds the pile by passing yarn over a rod as each row is woven in. The loops are then cut to give an even, dense surface. Because the pile is locked into the weave as it is made, a hand-loomed rug has a firm hand and a very even surface, which suits solid color fields like our Intense collection.
It is faster than hand-knotting, so a hand-loomed rug generally costs less while still having a true woven structure.
Hand-tufted
A tufted rug starts with a fabric backing stretched on a frame. Yarn is punched through it with a hand-held tufting gun, then the back is coated with latex and covered with a secondary cloth backing. Tufting is quick and allows almost any shape or graphic.
The giveaway is the back: a flat canvas or cloth covering with no visible pattern. Fringe, if any, is usually sewn on afterward. Ask how the backing is attached and what adhesive is used, since that affects odor when new and how the rug can be cleaned.
Flatweave and machine-made
Flatweaves such as kilims and dhurries have no pile at all. The weft is woven straight through the warp, so they are thin, reversible in many cases and good under dining chairs or in layered rooms. They need a pad to stay put.
Machine-made rugs and broadloom are produced on powered looms or tufting machines. They are consistent and economical for large areas. For wall-to-wall carpet or very large contract quantities they are often the right tool, and in that case ask the maker about pile weight and backing for the specific use.
Checking a sample before you approve it
When a sample arrives, go past the color and check the build:
- Turn it over. Note whether the back shows the weave, knots or a cloth covering.
- Press the pile with your thumb. A dense pile springs back quickly and you should not feel the backing through it.
- Bend a corner. A woven rug folds with some resistance, and a tufted one tends to feel stiffer from the latex.
- Look at the edge. Check how it is finished (binding, serging or a woven selvage) and whether it lies flat.
- Confirm pile height in millimeters. Ours is 14 mm (0.55 in) as standard, and custom heights from 10 to 70 mm are possible by request.
Fiber matters alongside method. We weave in New Zealand wool or ECONYL regenerated nylon, and our fiber comparison explains how they differ. If you would like to handle the construction yourself, ask for a sample and turn it over first.
