Origin Guide
Nowadays, rugs are made in many different countries and in a number of different qualities.
Originating from Persia (modern Iran), rugs were prestigious status symbols made primarily for royalty as symbols of wealth and prosperity. Over the generations, artisans have been experimenting and improving their craft as well as finding new ways of making rugs more accessible to a larger market.
Rugs are now made in many countries, however the major regions and countries where rugs are a major industry are listed below:
Middle East:
- Persia (modern Iran) – specialists in hand-woven traditional rugs, high quality heirloom rugs are typically on display
- Turkey – specialists in low cost machine made modern, traditional and shag rugs in European, USA and Middle Eastern colours as well as low-medium quality traditional hand woven rugs
- Saudi Arabia – specialists in low cost machine made modern, traditional and shag rugs in colours suited to Middle-Eastern tastes
- Afghanistan – specialists in low to medium quality traditional hand-woven rugs
- Egypt – specialists in low cost machine made modern, traditional and shag rugs to suit USA and European tastes. Innovators in design, quality can be somewhat lacking.
Sub-Continent:
- India – specialists in hand-woven and tufted rugs from the highest quality to the lowest qualities, from modern to traditional. Innovators in modern rugs.
- Pakistan – specialists in low-medium quality handwoven traditional rugs.
Asia:
- China – specialists in hand-tufted modern and shag rugs. Typically fast-followers, they are also innovators in their own right
- Taiwan – specialists in hand-tufted acrylic rugs. Innovators
- Mongolia – specialists in low-quality traditional wool machine made rugs
Europe:
- Belgium – specialists in modern, traditional and shag machine made rugs suited to European tastes. Innovators, they have largely evolved and disappeared due to low-cost competition in Turkey and China
- Moldova – specialists in low-quality traditional wool machine made rugs
- Scandanavia – high end hand-made and machine made modern rugs suited to European and USA tastes.