Flat weave rugs: charmingly traditional in an increasingly modern world

You might have seen the term ‘flat weave’ in many of the product descriptions for rugs stocked on our website, but what does it actually mean? Basically, it means that the rugs have been made through being woven on a loom, instead of the more traditional method of being knotted. And this difference has more significance for the rugs than you might currently realise.

A dying art.. or is it?

In an age of factories that enable quick mass production, the more traditional craft of flat weaving has long been considered a dying art. However, flat weave rugs remain in abundant supply, not least from runrug.com. This is largely because there remain many people who are still attracted to the look and feel of these rugs. Some countries have even helped in preserving the craft of flat weaving by encouraging rug cooperatives that preserve traditional methods of rug-making.

Rugs that date back thousands of years

The traditional look and feel of these rugs is key to their enduring appeal. They lack the tufted pile of knotted rugs, and are also often a lot thinner. This makes them highly versatile, something which mankind seems to have been aware of for thousands of years – having, in that time, used flat weave rugs not only as flooring, but also for hanging on walls and during prayer. These peculiar rugs are still strongly associated with many Middle Eastern countries, making them especially appealing for people who are interested in those countries’ cultures.