Why handmade rugs are better than machine-made rugs

When bringing your dream interior space to life, you want it to reflect the vision you had in your mind exactly. Therefore all the elements that make up space have to be perfect, from the floor to the ceiling, displaying the craftsmanship behind them and as an expression of your personal style.

Rugs tend to be the best way to exhibit your creativity in the room, anchoring all the other decor, adds personality and gives the space a presence. But choosing a rug can sometimes be overwhelming, considering how many options are out there, and the differences between them all.

Well, that’s why we’ve written this blog to try to answer one of the most asked questions: why are handmade rugs better than machine-made, and hopefully show you why it serves everyone’s best interests to choose handmade over machine-made.

Handmade rugs tell a story

Each rug goes through a lengthy process before the finished product reaches your home. From the initial stage of sourcing the key materials, the dyeing, weaving and drying, each artisan pours their personality and creativity into their work, taken from their interpretations of life and the generational skills they’ve learnt, which is why each handmade rug is unique. The design and pattern of one handmade rug will never be copied onto another.

Machine-made rugs on the other hand tell another story, a cold and empty tale, devoid of any personality. Mass-produced, these rugs do not offer any unique factor and you can be sure that your neighbour might have the exact same rug as yours! There is no love and care in a machine-made rug. Think about your mom’s delicious lasagna, made with love, compared to a standard burger and chips from the local fast-food restaurant. There is no comparison to be made, one is made with a lifetime of experience and skill, while the other is thrown onto a grill for 2 minutes by a random person.

Recognise the art.

Legacy pieces

Every handmade rug is woven with the intention for it to last generations. The intricately detailed method used by the weavers to tie the knots ensure they are much more durable than machine-made rugs where the fibres are prone to being pulled out from the foundation.

Another factor that contributes to these legacy pieces is the materials used, natural materials like wool and silk are responsibly sourced and used in all our handmade rugs. Unlike machine-made rugs, where synthetic materials like polyester and nylon are used and although these materials are inexpensive, they offer very little durability and are prone to breaking. Wool and silk are organic materials, last a lot longer, are extremely durable and ridiculously luxurious. A fun fact to know: certain types of silks are as strong as bulletproof kevlar!

Green, green, green

Sustainability. A factor epitomised by handmade rugs. All our key materials used in our area rugs are eco-friendly, biodegradable and natural. We have dedicated our Outdoor collection to help support this by using recycled materials for its rug construction.

We use 100% vegetable dyes in all our rugs as these contain no harmful chemicals or components which are found in synthetic dyes which are sometimes used for machine-made rugs. This is because plant-based dyes do not go through the heavy production process to create synthetic dyes, which creates a great environmental-friendly alternative.

Machine-made rugs have a cheap beginning so it’s not a surprise when they fall apart not long after. This rug has to be replaced which results in more rugs being made, more wastage, more dyes and more synthetic materials being used. True sustainability is creating a rug that lasts, and handmade rugs offer just that.

Strong economy

Rug making in India and Nepal dates back to the Mughal era. During the reign of Emperor Akbar, the rug-making industry flourished. The skill has been passed down within families for years, an evolution of the highest standard, and now the industry flourishes on.

With the introduction of industrialisation over the years and mass production of machine-made rugs, it’s not a coincidence that has had a drastic effect on the handmade rug industry.

It is no secret that this skill is dying, almost on the verge of extinction.

With every handmade rug produced, this accounts for hundreds of jobs from multiple positions; sourcing, weaving, dyeing, tufting, drying and more. This boosts the economy in these local areas and allows the skilled artisans to display their generational skills.

We have partnered with Goodweave to ensure no child or forced labour is used in the making of any certified products, as well as all decent working conditions are respected, including workplace safety and health, wages and working hours. We take further responsibility in providing Rug Artisan weavers with bonuses, medical insurance and contributions to their children’s education through what we call the Rug Artisan Initiative.

Value for money

Due to its unique nature, personality and intricate design, a handmade rug rarely depreciate in value, generally retaining or even in some cases, increasing in value. Every rug has a story and is an extension of the artisan who wove it from the beginning. They last considerably longer than their machine-made counterparts which again adds to the value There is something enchanting about a handmade product over a machine-made and the sheer difference in price shows this.

Choosing a rug takes a lot of consideration. We believe every rug is individual and unique. Not to mention, the strength and quality of the materials used all add to the reasons why handmade rugs are the better choice when looking for a beautiful generational piece of art.