Is a domesticated species of the South American Camelid. This animal looks like a small llama in its appearance and its wool is often used in some South American textiles.
A domesticated breed of goat that originated in the central region of Turkey and was later introduced into the United States. The dense wool of the Angora goat is often harvested and spun into soft wool known as mohair
A name used in carpet and rug trade to describe the artificial silk used in the production of carpets. Art silk could be composed of mercerized cotton, viscose rayon, polyester or other manmade materials with silk-like characteristics that are often substituted for silk in rugs to lower the cost of production.
Bamboo silk is a regenerated cellulose fiber, typically derived from bamboo pulp and processed into a viscose or rayon yarn. In rug weaving, it is used as a cost-effective alternative to natural silk, prized for its smooth hand and high sheen, which can create a lustrous, silk-like appearance.
Cashmere is a fiber procured from the underbelly and neck of the Capra Hircus breed of goat. The wool is highly valued for its soft, light and silky attributes. Cashmere goats are bread in the high altitude plateaus of the Himalayas at approximately 12000-14000 feet and because of this high altitude and climate, the goat’s genetics and their diet, they grow unbelievably soft wool called cashmere. The Persian word for this type of wool is pashmina and was a popularized during the height of shawl making in Cashmere.
Hemp fiber has been used in rug weaving for centuries, valued for its strength, durability, and natural resistance to mold and pests. Derived from the hemp plant’s bast fibers, it produces a coarse to medium-textured yarn with a matte, earthy appearance. In rugs, hemp is most often used in flatweaves or as a foundation fiber, where its tensile strength provides structural stability. Naturally absorbent and environmentally sustainable, hemp takes dye unevenly and remains relatively stiff compared to wool, lending rugs a more rustic character rather than a soft or lustrous finish.
Jute is a natural bast fiber derived from the stalks of the jute plant and is widely used in rug weaving for its affordability, strength, and biodegradable qualities. It produces a coarse, sturdy yarn with a dry hand and matte surface, making it well suited to flatwoven rugs, braided constructions, and foundations rather than dense pile.
Merino wool is harvested from a breed of sheep known as Merino. It is often imported from New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and South Africa, where they thrive in diverse climates. It is very soft and fine and closely resembles the texture of cashmere. Merino wool is exceptional at taking dyes and will not distort dye colors.
Mohair is a very soft, silk-like yarn that is made from the fleece of the Angora goat. As an Angora goat ages, the hair increases in diameter and coarseness and so most carpets are made with the coarse hair from the older goats while garments are made with the softer, smaller diameter fleece from the younger goats.
Produced from silkworm cocoons, silk fibers allow weavers to achieve very high knot densities and sharply articulated designs, particularly in curvilinear and pictorial compositions. When used in the pile, silk creates a luminous surface that reflects light and enhances color depth.
is a fiber that is derived principally from animals of the Caprinae family, particularly sheep. Other mammalian animals such as llamas, alpacas, camels and cashmere or angora goats can also produce wool, each of which having different characteristics and used in different forms of textile production.
A diverse range of weaving traditions reveals how geography, culture, and technique shape the character and identity of handwoven rugs.
Common assumptions overlook the complexity of handwoven rugs. Technique, condition, and context better define their significance and worth.
