What Does A ‘Fine’ Or ‘Good Quality’ Rug Actually Mean?

• 26 June 2020
• 9 Min Read
• By Jaipur Rugs

It’s a known fact that a hand-knotted rug can last for generations. Often fine handmade rugs are passed down as…

Rugs have played a significant role in human history for thousands of years, providing practical and decorative needs. But when talking about carpets, the adjectives "fine" and "good quality" are frequently discussed, leaving people wondering what distinguishes these objects. In the world of carpets, craftsmanship, materials, and design complexity all play crucial parts in defining their excellence, but for those who are unfamiliar, comprehending the finer points may be rather challenging.

So, how do fine or good quality handmade rugs last this long? What about their design qualifies them as "fine"? To help you choose wisely for your home or next project, we'll walk you through the small details of good-quality rugs. It is crafted by expert carpet weavers using ancient methods, one knot at a time. These carpets are works of art that you can walk on and are of exceptional quality. The number of knots per square inch at the carpet's back determines the quality of these carpets, which have a flatter pile. More knots per square inch are found in carpets of higher grade.

There may be up to two million knots in a typical hand knotted carpet from Jaipur Rugs. Depending on the complexity of the design, a hand-knotted carpet can take six to ten months to complete.
 

Let's Begin By Understanding How A Fine, Best Hand-knotted Rug Last A Lifetime If Care For Properly:

De-mystifying high-quality rugs

The words' delicate' and 'high-quality,' when used in terms of a hand-knotted carpet, consistently denote the carpet's knot count, which defines its quality.
Each hand-knotted carpet is made by tying millions of knots on a loom with a cotton or silk warp and a weft. The knots' density or proximity to each other in every square inch determines the carpet's knot count.
When you hear the numbers 8X8, 10X10, 11X11, or 14X14, you are told the knots' density per square inch in the carpet.
As a rule of thumb, the higher the knot count, the better the quality and the more the value.

Let's Understand Knot Density Better

To assess the knot density of a carpet, you can flip it over and count the number of knots per square inch (KPSI). A higher KPSI indicates a carpet in the 'fine' category, while a lower KPSI indicates a carpet with a coarse weave.
At Jaipur Rugs, our 40,000 weavers and artisans are educated to make fine carpets with a high knot count and delicate designs. Our weavers have been masters of the trade for decades in the hinterlands of Rajasthan and the tribal regions of Gujarat. They can create some of the finest KPSIs in the world.
 

Design and KPSI

How does a carpet's KPSI impact the design?
The simple answer is that more elaborate designs can be found in carpets with more knots. The intricacies can become slightly muffled at lower knot counts, while delicate curves and shading are better suited to larger knot counts.
But designs like larger-scale geometric patterns and straight lines can stand out in lower knots.
Also, more modern patterns can be altered to have larger or fewer knot counts.

The Duration And Life Of A Fine Carpet

It takes four to 10 months to weave and finish the right quality carpet. Finer woven quality carpets take longer to weave. An 8X10 with a KPSI of 196 takes six to eight months to complete.
The weavers at Jaipur Rugs work out of the comforts of their home on a loom, typing one knot at a time, day in and day out, over months. It is why most finer rugs come at a higher price point.

The Right Fabric

Another factor that defines the quality of the rug is the material used for its construction. A pure silk rug is usually the finest quality, followed by a combination of wool and silk. Wool that has been hand-carded and spun by hand is unique and belongs firmly in the "fine" rug category.
You will find a lot of vintage carpets made using this combination. And if you want to make an environmentally conscious choice, the blend of wool and bamboo silk is also a great choice when picking good quality rugs.
A Jaipur Rugs hand-knotted area carpet can last decades if properly looked after. You can buy one today and pass it on to the next generation as a piece of art handmade by weavers in rural India.

Choosing the Best Handmade Rugs

Each handwoven rug is a one-of-a-kind piece of art. Even if the design is similar, all handmade carpets may be unique. So, you are bringing home a home décor product and an art piece you can walk on.
Handmade ones, especially the best hand-knotted rugs, are the most durable of all kinds of rugs. Like the art form, these rugs can be passed down through generations. 
 

Most handmade rugs end up as family heirlooms that several generations cherish.

What Are The Different Types Of Handmade Rugs?

The world of handmade rugs is vast. To simplify things, one can put handmade rugs into four broad categories.

1. Hand-knotted

2. Hand-tufted

3. Flatweave

4. Handloom

You can get These four types of handmade rugs for your home. At Jaipur Rugs, a wide range of designs, from modern, traditional, contemporary, and eclectic, are available in handmade rugs.
For the artisans associated with Jaipur Rugs, handmade rugs are a source of sustainable livelihood at their doorstep.
These artisans can find dignified work in their villages, solving the migration problem. Each handmade rug tells the story of the artisan who made it. The artisan imbues his blessings in the rug's yarns, making it a source of positivity and prosperity for both the buyer and the weaver.

How To Clean Your Best Hand-Knotted Rugs?

Finding the perfect area rugs for your home can be a daunting task. But once you get that right piece for yourself, it's only a matter of maintaining it straight for it to last you decades, even generations.
No matter what style or pattern you choose, a wool, silk, or bamboo silk rug is an excellent choice for a modern home. Aside from decorative purposes, a rug fulfills many practical purposes as well. Wool rugs deter the growth of dust mites and bacteria, naturally stained repellent due to their lanolin.
  
But every rug needs maintenance to preserve beauty and prevent wear and tear. Getting your modern rug cleaned professionally at least once a year is advised. 
You can do several things to keep your carpets as good as new.

Dusting your good quality rugs

Your rug will inevitably catch some dirt and dust; the best way is to get rid of it by beating the carpet with a broom, a stick, or a racket.
 
Shaking a rug vigorously to remove dirt is another superb cleaning method. You can also hang it on a vital piece of furniture outside and beat it to get the muck out. Hair strands are one of the trickiest things to remove from a high-pile rug. 
Beating is generally ineffective in this regard, and the solution is to use a utility brush or a clothing brush with stiff bristles. However, don't be too rough. 

Using a vacuum on the best hand-knotted rugs

It is one of the best ways to clean your rug between professional cleanings. Vacuum cleaning your rug once a fortnight is an excellent way of keeping them sparkling clean. 
Vacuuming will remove any excess dust you couldn't get out with a broom or beating. During the initial shedding phase of the rug, vacuuming can be helpful. 

Customizing Best Hand-Knotted Rugs

The rug is one of the most impactful pieces of décor to grace your home. Choosing the right rug lays the foundation for the look and feel of your room. Despite numerous options, you might still not be able to find just what you are looking for. 
Sometimes, more color or size options are insufficient to fulfill your desire. It would be best if you are looking for a custom-designed rug. 
We at Jaipur Rugs provide rug customization services to help you make a custom rug from scratch. Many of you might be first-time buyers or doing it without professional help. 
So, we have curated a write-up to take you through the different facets of creating your custom carpets.
Once the weavers receive the final design input for custom carpets, they work on a small swatch. 
 

The swatch gives us an idea of the actual look and feel of the rug. The swatch is then shared with you, and if you have any questions about the color or material, they are resolved at this stage.
With everything as per your vision in your custom design rug, we get the go-ahead from you. 
We then sent the rug for weaving at our looms in a village in the Indian hinterland. Over the next couple of months, weavers bring to life the design of the rug one knot at a time. 
They bring your ideas to reality through the craftsmanship and art that they have learned over the years. 
Once the rug is woven and taken off the loom, it is sent to a finishing center. There are at least 18 steps involved in the finishing process of a rug. 
A single rug goes through at least 180 hands before it becomes a masterpiece that graces your space. That is why we say a rug is more than a piece of décor; it is an art piece you can walk on.

FAQs

What is the best quality of rug?

When referring to a hand-knotted carpet, the term "high-quality" refers to the knot count of the carpet, which determines its quality. Each hand-knotted carpet is created by individually tying over a million knots on a loom using a cotton or silk warp and weft. The density or closeness of the knots inside each square inch determines the knot count of a carpet. Generally speaking, the higher the knot count, the higher the value and the better the quality.

What makes a fine, high-quality rug?

A good, high-quality rug is characterized by knots per square inch, weaving method, and material. Of all the high-quality rugs for sale, hand-knotted wool rugs are considered the best. The quality and durability of rugs are enhanced by the hand knotting process and the wool's tenacity.

What type of rugs are most durable?

The best hand-knotted rugs, in particular, are the most durable of all types. These carpets are heirlooms that may be passed down through the years, just like the art form. Most hand-made carpets become cherished family treasures passed down through generations.

How can you tell if an area rug is good quality?

The number of knots or stitches per square inch is the line count. The quality improves as the quantity does.