Originally, oriental rugs were hand-knotted with wool and silk fibers. Over time, newer and non-traditional constructions and fibers have been introduced and mixed, resulting in a larger category into which oriental rugs now fall, broadly referred to as area rugs. The variety of qualities proliferating the industry allows for versatility in function and design as trends come and go.

Handmade area rugs now include these popular qualities and constructions:

Hand-Knotted
A traditional hand-knotted rug is made with wool or silk. They are usually finished with a special luster wash for softness and shine and come with a fringe. Hand-knotted rugs take the longest time to make and therefore the most expensive, but allow for the most flexibility in design and color placement. To construct a hand-knotted rug, the weaver strings cotton threads, called warps, on a frame which becomes the foundation of the rug. The pile yarns, usually wool or silk, are looped around cotton threads one at a time to create a thick pile. Cotton yarns are then woven side to side through the warps to hold them together; the cotton threads are generally tied off into decorative fringes.

Hand-Tufted
A hand-tufted rug can be made with many types of fibers including wool, silk, acrylic or a combination. Hand-tufted rugs are generally less expensive than hand-knotted rugs and offer a tremendous value to the customer. To construct a hand-tufted rug, a cotton canvas is stretched on a frame to form the foundation of the rug. The design is drawn on the canvas in stencil or in outline form. Using a hooking tool, pile yarns are pushed through the foundation, making a loop, which is then cut giving the finished rug a plush or cut pile surface. The back of the foundation is given a latex coating to lock the pile yarns in place. A secondary canvas backing is applied to the rug to give it more stiffness and to cover the latex. In a Hi/Lo hand-tufted rug, the pile of the rug is a combination of cut and loop pile, which is used to create a three-dimensional effect.

Hand-Hooked
Hand-hooked rugs are made exactly the same way as hand-tufted rugs, except that the hand-hooked rug usually has a short, looped pile instead of a thick, cut pile. Also, the backing on a hand-hooked rug is often a light-weight mesh instead of a heavy canvas backing.

Machine-Made
Machine-made rugs can be made of various materials, including heat-set polypropylene, faux silk viscose and wool. Machine-made rugs are woven on power looms, where the pile yarns and the backing yarns are threaded into the machine ahead of time. A computer controls which colors are woven into certain parts of the fabric, creating the original design. Power loom weaving is very fast, but usually only allows for a limited number of colors at a time. Machine-made rugs can run a wide range of pricing from expensive, high-quality weaves to low, promotional rugs.

Flat Weave
Similar to hand-knotted rugs, flat-weaves are woven on a foundation typically made up of cotton warps strung on a frame called a loom. Instead of looping around and making a thicker pile, the yarns which form the pile are threaded back and forth, covering all the cotton thread like a blanket or a tapestry, creating a very flat pile. Usually, flat-weaves are the quickest hand-made rugs to produce and therefore, generally the least expensive. Flat-weaves can also be produced on power looms, making the production of these rugs even faster.

Bamboo Rugs
A bamboo rug is constructed of natural bamboo fibers. The bamboo is cut into narrow strands for woven geometric designs or cut into strips to create a hardwood floor effect. Bamboo has the tensile strength of hardwood trees and has a very casual yet elegant look.