Carpet glossary
20.8.2019
Translation: machine translated
As many interior styles as there are carpets. Each type has its own advantages, which I'd like to describe for you in this short guide.
First published on 31.01.2018There are a multitude of rugs whose characteristics - aesthetics, materials used or manufacturing methods - differ depending on the model. And every carpet needs its own maintenance. So please pay close attention to the instructions for the model you've bought.
Berber rugs
The Berber rugs, woven by hand, feature geometric and zigzag patterns most often found in the classic version, either in natural white or black.
- Material of choice: undyed virgin wool.
- Mode of manufacture: handmade, natural colour, one-sided pattern, fringes.
- Origin/production: Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Tunisia.
- Cleaning: shaking or vacuuming.
- Other features: indoor use, thermal insulation.
- Preferred rooms: living room and bedroom.
- Interior styles: bohemian, industrial, Scandinavian.
Felt rugs
High pile carpets in felt, the manufacture of which follows a mechanical treatment called fulling, are considered particularly robust, as they do not crease and are water repellent.
- Material of choice: felt from virgin New Zealand wool.
- Manufacturing method: hand felted then sewn, dyed using eco-friendly products.
- Origin/production: Nepal.
- Cleaning: shaking or vacuuming.
- Other features: indoor use.
- Preferred rooms: living room and children's bedroom.
- Interior styles: eclectic, contemporary.
Woven carpets
There are several manufacturing methods for woven carpets, so they come in all sizes, structures and colours.
- Materials of choice: cotton and wool.
- Manufacturing methods: hand or machine weaving.
- Origin/production: international.
- Cleaning: shaking or vacuuming. Maintenance by an expert.
- Other features: indoor use.
Kelim rug
The name "Kelim" comes from Turkish and means carpet. The characteristic feature of this short-haired carpet is that the weft threads form a pattern on both sides. There are all kinds: animals, graphic elements such as triangles...
- Material of choice: virgin wool.
- Manufacturing method: handmade, identical pattern on both sides, natural dyeing.
- Origin/production: Turkey.
- Cleaning: shaking or vacuuming.
- Other features: indoor use, ability to hang them, thermal insulation.
- Preferred rooms: living room and bedroom.
- Interior styles: industrial, rustic, oriental.
Gabbeh rugs
Long pile rugs Gabbeh, which fall into the Persian carpet category, features with a generally thicker pile and come in a wide range of designs such as flowers, animals and abstract shapes.
- Materials of choice: virgin wool and goat's wool.
- Manufacturing method: hand-knotted, hand-dyed.
- Origin/production: India, Iran, Pakistan.
- Cleaning: shaking, aeration.
- Other features: indoor use, thermal insulation.
- Preferred rooms: dining room and living room.
- Interior styles: rustic, oriental, contemporary.
Oriental rugs
The Oriental rugs, which fall into the low-pile carpet category, often feature highly detailed patterns. They are particularly valuable because of the high number of knots and their elaborate knotting technique.
- Materials of choice: wool, silk.
- Manufacturing methods: handmade, knotted.
- Origin/production: Morocco, North Africa, Middle East and Central Asia.
- Cleaning: shaking or vacuuming. Maintenance by an expert.
- Other features: indoor use.
- Preferred rooms: bedroom and living room.
- Interior styles: bohemian, oriental.
Shaggy rugs
Shaggy rugs - also known as "shaggy" in English - are particularly cosy.
- Materials of choice: wool and synthetic fibres.
- Manufacturing method: handmade.
- Origin/production: Europe, East Asia.
- Cleaning: shaking or vacuuming, machine wash possible for small models.
- Other features: indoor use, thermal insulation.
- Preferred rooms: living room and bedroom.
- Interior styles: bohemian, retro, Scandinavian, contemporary.
Vinyl rugs
Shaggy carpets made from plastic materials - available in a multitude of patterns such as imitation tiles or parquet flooring, for example - have traded in their softness for ease of maintenance.
- Material of choice: PVC, sometimes made from recycled PET bottles.
- Manufacturing method: machine printing.
- Origin/production: Europe.
- Cleaning: washable.
- Other features: indoor use, colourfast, anti-static and anti-allergic, suitable for children and pets.
- Preferred rooms: kitchen and bathroom.
- Interior styles: ethno, oriental, contemporary.
Sisal carpet
Available in a range of shapes, the sisal carpets - made from natural fibres derived from the leaves of the sisalana agave plant - are environmentally friendly, like their counterparts made from jute fibre or seaweed.
- Materials of choice: sisal, jute, seaweed.
- Manufacturing method: handmade.
- Origin/production: Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, China, India.
- Cleaning: shaking or vacuuming. Maintenance by an expert.
- Other features: indoor use, anti-allergic, resistant, washable.
- **Preferred rooms:** entrance hall and living room.
- Interior styles: Scandinavian, Mediterranean.
Fur rug
Like shaggy rugs, fur rugs are incomparably soft. They require more maintenance, but are, in return, more insulating than their shaggy counterparts. Available in a variety of shapes, they are unique, provided they are made from natural hair.
- Materials of choice: synthetic fibre, lambskin or sheepskin.
- Manufacturing method: medical, vegetable or synthetic treatment, aluminium or chrome salt tanning, dyeing.
- Origin/production: sheep and lamb skins are increasingly sourced from Iceland and New Zealand.
- Cleaning: regular brushing to remove dirt, shaking.
- Other features: suitable for indoor use, dyeing.
- **Preferred rooms:** entrance hall and living room.
- Interior styles: rustic, Scandinavian, contemporary.
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Pia Seidel
Senior Editor
Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.chLike a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.
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