Turkish carpets are highly sought after throughout the world. The beauty and artistry involved in making these rugs, along with their warm, rich colors, are much-enjoyed characteristics of the rugs. Highly versatile, they can be used as flooring coverings or wall hangings, depending entirely on how they are made and the materials used.



Because they are prized, they can be quite expensive and there are many forgeries on the market. As a result, anyone who is considering purchasing one needs to learn more about them first.

Traditionally, carpets make in Turkey are made by women and girls using wool pile, warps and wefts, as well as natural dyes. Of course, the traditional method of making these carpets is not always the most convenient or cost-effective.

Some variations include weaving with wool pile on cotton warps and wefts, as well as using silk pile, warp and wefts. Chemical dyes and machine weaving have also become common production methods for custom carpets that are meant to be sold.

The different types of Turkish carpets do have different characteristics. Wool on wool carpets, for example, tends to have a low knot count and non-intricate patterns, like geometric shapes, while wool on cotton has a higher knot count and more intricate patterns, including floral designs. Silk on silk rugs have the highest knot count and usually have very intricate patterns.

In addition to materials used, you can determine whether the rug is hand-or machine-spun by looking at the back of it. If the squares are all the same size, then the rug has been machine-spun. You can also tell whether the dyes used are natural or the less expensive chemical versions by wiping a spot of the rug with a damp white cloth.

If color bleeds off, then chemical dyes have been used. Keep in mind that bleeding off on the cloth also means they will bleed onto each other if the carpet is washed.

Weavers of Turkish carpets make them to sell, but they are also used by the weavers as floor coverings, wall hangings, floor mats, and even protective covers during severe changes in temperature. Since they are not all made to sell, and they are only made in a few areas within Turkey, the rugs can be difficult to find.

Although hand weaving has declined because of the increase in machine weaving, the rugs are still made with the kind of quality that allows them to become family heirlooms. Before buying, however, it is important to know enough about the custom carpets to be certain of what you're being sold.