What is an oriental rug?

Oriental rugs are hand-woven or hand-knotted rugs that are made in Asia. Some of the major producers include Iran, China, India, Russia, Turkey, Pakistan, Tibet and Nepal. Oriental rugs are commonly named after the village, town or district where they were woven or after the weaving tribe in the case of the nomadic or tribal rugs.

Persian rugs are also oriental rugs, but they are made exclusively in Iran (formerly Persia). Persian rugs are characterized by their unusually high number of knots per square inch, rich color combinations and unique design. The type of knot is also unique to the region, e.g. persian knots differ greatly from tibetan knots.

Oriental rugs can be utilitarian and ordinary or they can be unique works of art and coveted investment pieces. What separates one from the other includes the complexity of the design, the quality of the wool, the number of colors, and the quality of the weave not the knot count. The knot-count should be appropriate for the type of rug, but some priceless tribal rugs, for example, have relatively low knot-count as compared to some other rugs and this does not diminish their value.

Most oriental rugs are made from wool. Some of the more expensive pieces are made from silk. Without expert care, these masterpieces can be damaged beyond repair. Make sure the rug care company you choose is an IICRC Certified Firm and that their certifications include Rug Cleaning Technician (RCT) before you trust them with your valuable rug.

When choosing a rug as an investment piece, it is important to have knowledgeable rug dealer that you can trust. Doug Moerschbacher, owner of Doug's Rug Care, is passionate about rugs and he is continually educating himself about the care, provenance and value of these works of arts, so you can depend on his expertise when it comes to buying, selling, appraising or prolonging the life of your oriental rug.