Types of Wool Carpets

Hand-Knotted Carpets

• This type of wool carpet is valued highly because it is made of pure wool and created using a technique in which each knot is woven and tied by hand by an artisan. The organic quality of hand-knotted carpets is often preferred over the artificial appearance of machine-made wool rugs, especially over time when the knotted rug develops a luster. These rugs are made in Indian provinces like Bhadohi and Rajasthan and are available in both traditional and contemporary styles. Their price can range from under a hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending on their size.

Tufted Wool Carpets

• If you are looking for another type of wool carpet that is similar in appearance to a hand-knotted carpet but costs less, you may consider tufted wool carpets. Tufted rugs have a look and feel that are close to hand-knotted rugs, but are woven using machines called tufting guns. The tufting guns use stitching needles to produce weaves, and can include the use of other materials including nylon and silk to build the rug. These carpets also differ from other types of wool rugs in that they often possess more intricate designs and finer weaves.

Hand-Hooked Carpets

• Much like hand-knotted carpets, these hooked carpets are made from 100-percent wool and made by hand through a process in which it can take as much as six hours to complete just one square foot of carpet. The artisan begins with a drawn design on a backing made of linen or burlap. Then the wool is woven into crochet hooks that are placed into a kind of handle. Hand-hooked rugs are sometimes mistaken for machine-hooked versions that are mass-produced in China, either made of cotton or of a cotton-wool blend and of lesser quality. Always check with the manufacturer to make sure the hooked carpet is handmade and of pure wool. This type of wool carpet is available in popular designs such as floral, animal and geometric.