What is the difference between handmade and machine made rugs?

Handmade carpet

With the purchase of a handmade rug, you bring a fine piece of craftsmanship and often a piece of history into your home. A hand-knotted or hand-woven rug is made using traditional methods, often incorporating natural dyes in specific colors. The origin of a hand-knotted rug can be traced by an expert through the materials used, knotting technique, color combinations, and patterns. These rugs are made on a specially designed loom. The entire manufacturing process is done by hand: from spinning and then dyeing the wool to weaving and finishing the rug. This is also why an average vintage rug takes months to make.

Machine-made carpet

The production of machine-made rugs is many times faster, usually taking only a few hours. This is because a computer-controlled loom is used, allowing them to produce rugs at a high pace. Hand-made rugs typically use wool, while machine-made carpets also use synthetic materials. This is why the price of a hand-knotted rug is higher than the price of a machine-made rug. The colors and patterns of hand-made rugs are also more vibrant, and they appear more natural. A high-quality handmade rug is a sustainable investment in your interior, as it often retains or even increases its value.

Fringed edge

Fringes are an essential part of a hand-knotted rug. You will find them on the two short sides of the rug. They are created by knotting two threads together and are intended to hold the knotted material of the rug together. You can see that the fringes are an attached extension of the material used for the rug. Sometimes the fringes have been removed. If fringes look unnatural, or have been subsequently attached to the rug, then you are dealing with a machine-made carpet.

Bottom of the rug

The underside of a rug clearly shows the difference between a handmade and machine-made rug. A handmade rug is not attached to an underlay. Therefore, the underside of the rug looks approximately the same as the top side, but the knots are not always in a straight line. The colors on the top and bottom are equally vibrant. In a machine-made rug, the weaving patterns and knots on the underside are practically always uniform and perfect. Additionally, the colors on the underside are often duller because machine-made rugs are attached to an underlay.

Perfectly imperfect

The hand-making of a rug is very labor-intensive. It is almost impossible for the knotter not to make a small error in the symmetry of the design during the many months or years they work on the rug. Therefore, small imperfections are an inseparable part of an authentic, hand-knotted carpet. In machine-made carpets, the pattern is very precise and completely symmetrical, making the whole look unnatural.

In short, the differences at a glance:

√ Handmade rugs often use natural materials such as wool, silk, and cotton.

√ A hand-knotted rug takes months to make. Machine-knotted rugs take only hours.

√ The quality of handmade rugs is much higher and can last for generations.

√ Handmade rugs are not perfect. Sometimes small deviations can be found, for example, in the pattern. Machine-made rugs do not have this, making them look too perfect and unnatural.

√ The underside of a handmade rug is a reflection of the top. You can also clearly see the knots. With machine-made carpets, this is less clear, and you often see that they are made on an underlay.

√ Handmade rugs generally retain their value. Machine-made rugs, on the other hand, do not.

√ That is also why we only sell handmade rugs.

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10 reasons to shop for a rug at Lavinta

√ We have high customer satisfaction, with many returning customers;

√ Shop safely with us, thanks to WebwinkelKeur (Dutch E-commerce certification);

√ Pay how you want, in advance or afterwards;

√ We always have more than 500 rugs in stock that are immediately available;

√ You have 14 days to change your mind, so take your time to see if you like the rug;

√ Every rug comes with a 6-month warranty;

√ Our rugs are all handmade. You can see it and feel it!

√ We offer free shipping within the EU;

√ We do a lot of business with professionals such as interior designers and furniture stores;

√ Last but not least: if you need help, we are here for you, feel free to call us!

Do you have a question about one of our products, an order, or about us?

Our telephone customer service is then available daily on weekdays from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at 085-060 8699. Of course, you can also email us at info@lavinta.nl.

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