Area Rug Terms

Contemporary: Modern designs, can be "soft" or "hard" depending on the color.

Handmade: Constructed by hand- does not necessarily mean hand-knotted.

Hand-hooked/ Hand-tufted: Refers to rugs made by craftsmen who insert yarn into a backing according to a pattern, using a handheld tool. The pile of a hand-hooked rug is made up of loops. A hand tufted has a cut pile.

Hooked Rug: A rug made by using a hooking device to push and loop yarn through a canvas.

Machine-made: Constructed on an electric powered machine, now usually computer controlled.

Oriental Rugs: A hand woven rug of natural fiber made in geographic areas that include the Near East, Far East, and the Balkans.

Transitional:  A more casual style that falls between traditional and contemporary.

Traditional: A styling description that usually refers to traditional Oriental /Persian patterns or traditional European patterns.