Introduction

Not all people are well aware of the rugs, it can be a daunting task for each one to spot the differences between all of them. Some rugs are expensive, some have low prices, and each one has a price tag. Well, differentiating according to the price and value is mandatory before making a final purchase. If you are interested and want comprehensive and in-depth information,then keep reading!

What is a Hand-Knotted Rug?

A hand-knoted rug, also known as Oriental Rug, is woven with great care and hard work, in a specialized room. This intricate process involves weaving individual knots into the fabric and  trying each one by hand, which definitely requires years of experience and constant struggle. Even though this method is painstaking, yet the results are considerably different. 

Each hand-knoted rug is the masterpiece of the weaver and shows his craftsmanship which makes them a more valuable and durable piece of rug as compared to the machine-made rugs. These rugs are known for their durability and strengths and have the ability to last for years if one is taking care of them. 

What is a Hand-Tufted Rug?

A hand-tufted rug is made by humans but there is little interference from  mechanized tools for the construction. When preparing, a person uses a tool to thrust the pieces of wool through the pre-drawn canvas backing. In contrast to hand-knoted rugs, the wool strands in and-tufted rugs are not tied to knots, the fivers are secured in place with adhesive and often finished with a backing material for added stability. 

However, we can say that hand tufted copies the appearance of hand-knotted ones, there is no such thing as craftsmanship and durability linked with traditional knotting techniques. For example, creating a hand-knotted area rug takes up to 9 months while hand-tuffted rugs are completed in just one day. This faster production process makes hand-tufted rugs cheap and less durable 

What is a Machine-Made Rug?

Implementing industrial techniques into the rug industry allows the fabrication of power looms. A power loom refers to a large machine that weaves the Rug, eliminating the need for human intervention. The machine wraps fibers around the woven threads and compresses them together, making it easy to produce the rugs.

Some of the benefits include low costs and ease in accessibility of the rugs made using machines; however, the longevity and the quality of the rug are determined by the materials used. Generally, they have about 20 years or even less lifespans, unlike the hand-knotted scarfs or even the hand-tufted ones. This style of rugs is aimed at utility rather than aesthetics, as they do not usually possess the artistic skills and efforts that a handmade rug would showcase.

How Can You Tell the Differences?

Design

The symmetry and the Rug's design are another aspect to consider. Hand-knotted rugs are usually symmetrical on both sides to showcase the exquisite skill involved in crafting it. Every hand-knotted Rug is a masterpiece on its own, making it worth a lot. In contrast, machine-made rugs are particular and have a specific design; however, the back is blank. As a result, hand-knotted rugs have unique artistic value and originality, which cannot be found in hand-tufted or machine-made ones.

The back side of the Rug

The back side of the rugs are ideal areas to check the type of the Rug. Hand-knotted rugs are unique because they do not show any sign of backing . There is not such a noticeable difference between the front and back side of the Rug. Hand-knotted rugs are tied onto the foundation. On the other side, hand-tufted and machine-made rugs have a distinct fabric, often canvas. Machine-made rugs also have backing, but they show the sign of uniformity.

Fringe of the Rug

The fringe of any rug has significance in determining its authenticity. In such cases, the fringe is not part of the Rug’s construction and is actually sewn in after the last stage of production. In this way, it is simply for decoration and does not keep the Rug all together. In the case of a hand-knotted rug, the fringe is not only for decoration; it is made as part of the whole. In a hand-knotted rug, each knot is tied on to one or more of the warp threads that are naturally left out to form the fringe. Hence the fringe created here is important for the decorative and structural purposes of the Rug. If the fringe appears to be sewn onto the rug rather than extending naturally from the entire piece, it is an obvious indication that this is a machine-made rug.  

Knots

Another way to differentiate between hand-knotted and machine-made rugs is by examining the knots on the back of the Rug. In a hand-knotted rug, the ends of the knots are slightly uneven and not perfectly uniform, which is a hallmark of their handmade nature. 

On the other hand, the knots on a machine-made rug appear completely even. However, these are not proper knots. Instead, the fibers are secured to the Rug's base using power looms, which employ heat and high pressure to stick the fibers into the fabric. This method is much faster than tying individual knots by hand, but it significantly reduces durability. 

Final Thoughts

Machine-made rugs, as compared to other ones, are made from synthetic materials such as nylon or polyester. No doubt,  these materials are cost-effective but they are kind of plastic materials. While testing, synthetic fibers have been discovered to have the ability to bear only fewer jolts before breaking. 

The reasons why the hand-knoted rugs  are not because of their ability to interweave into each other but also for their natural and high quality material used in the construction. Overall, this is often considered because of durability, artistry, and ability to last longer.