For a layman, it is extremely difficult to differentiate between a Machine made rug and a Hand knotted/ Hand woven rug. It is like looking at a piece of art from an artist’s point of view as opposed to an amateur’s angle. A handmade rug is an epitome of fine craftsmanship that has been in continuous existence since thousands of year’s altogether.
A good quality rug is one of the most important foundations of any given space. It not only defines the interior of the room but also provides that extra panache with its stunning design and intricate workmanship. Hand Knotted Rugs are an ancient art and commands a lot of appreciation from rug enthusiasts and carpet connoisseur’s from all over the world. However, the main difference between the two lies in its manufacturing, edges, sides, material used and time taken to make each rug.
Hand Knotted/ Hand Woven Rugs
These types of rugs have a specialized weave and are woven on a loom where the weavers inserts the “knots” into the foundation of the rug which are tied by hand and makes up the “pile” of the rug. Each knot is made by hand which is an extremely laborious and time-consuming process. The quality of these rugs depends upon a number of factors like dyes, knots, quality of the yarn etc. The sides of these types of rugs are not usually perfect since they are constructed by hand. Material used to make these types of rugs is wool, silk or natural fibers like jute.
Since weaving a hand-knotted rug is a tedious process, these rugs take a longer duration to weave as compared to a machine made rug. However, they are more versatile, durable and are often collectibles for Art aficionados.
Machine Made Vs Handmade Rugs
Machine Made Rugs
As descriptive of its name, machine made rugs are manufactured on big power loom machines that are electrically automated and controlled by computers. They are quickly made and material used to make these rugs is polyester, nylon, polypropylene or synthetic fiber. The back and sides of these types of rugs look very uniform and perfect with a machine made stitching. The edges of these types of rugs also look perfect from every angle and the rug has a cloth backing.
Hand Tufted rugs are made using a modified drill gun which inserts the pile into a cloth creating a loop pile. The material is then glued to the back of the rug to hold the fibers in place.
Hence, it really is a personal choice whether one goes in for a handmade rug or a machine made rug. If one is looking for a good quality rug that is durable and can be passed on from generations to come, a handmade rug is the way to go. If budget is a constraint or one is looking for a short-term buy, a machine made rug is a perfect solution.