FAQ's

1) What makes KNOTTED | Couture Rugs unique in the world of fine rugs?

Nearly 2 decades ago, we began designing and producing original works of art on 3rd generation looms in Pakistan. Believe us when we say, the opportunity to do this was unbelievable and unusual. The product was overwhelmingly well received and several years later we were able to secure the looms and began exclusive production. At the time this was extremely rare, and still is.

Most companies contract out looms to produce their designs - or choose from the designs that the weaving facility offers from their catalog and apply their choice of colors that are offered - but do not own the actual production. This means they have no stake in the quality control, no creative control of the patterns, yarns, or dyes, no idea of the caliber of weaver employed, no control over timeline of shipping, etc. We made the intentional decision to build a completely vertical company that we fully control and have our hands on every single process. We draw our own patterns, formulate our own natural dyes, and employ weavers that work solely for us. We oversee the raising of sheep in the mountains of Afghanistan to ensure that we have access to the finest Ghazni wool available (for our Proprietary Patterns collection).

Over the years, we have expanded our production capabilities to include one-of-a-kind finds that we either weave ourselves or procure for our clients. We pride ourselves on curating the best, most valuable, and unique pieces.

KNOTTED | Couture Rugs is the most recent expansion of our market reach, into the online sector. We are excited and grateful for the opportunity to bring our products to more clients.

2) What is the difference between a hand-knotted rug and other types of rugs (machine made/powerloomed, handcrafted, handloomed, handtufted,etc)?

This is a "Rugs 101" style quick recap of the different types of rugs. It isn't meant to be extensive or an exhaustive explanation, more of a starting point of knowledge into the world of rugs. We encourage you to do your own research, there is no substitute for an educated purchase!

Machine made/power loomed rugs are made by large machines that are computer controlled. These powerlooms are capable of quickly producing multiples in the same size and pattern. Automating the process and eliminating human labor speeds up the production, produces large quantities that are ready to be pulled off the shelf and mass distributed, and reduces the quality and cost. Machine made rugs are typically composed of synthetic fibers and are intended to provide a starting price point product that will need to be replaced with wear.
Handcrafted/handloomed/handtufted rugs are products that have some part of the process done by hand, but there is no actual hand knotting. These are typically made of synthetic fibers, wool, or a blend of the two. Wool used is typically short strand, low quality wool that will keep the cost down. Shedding and pilling (often extensive) is typical of this type of rug.
Hand-knotted rugs are investment pieces that will last forever when properly cared for. They are made of long staple wool suitable for tying knots, and sometimes will have a mix of materials such as wool and silk. As with any product, there are different quality levels within the hand knotted sector that are dependent upon type of wool used (or materials), country of origin, type of dyes used, intricacy of pattern, and skill of the weaver. These differences should reflect in the cost of the product if the seller is upstanding. We cannot stress enough - get to know the person/company you are buying from! Educate yourself but also listen to what the seller is telling you. Evaluate it yourself. If it's too good to be true, it probably is. Hand-knotting a rug takes, on average, 4-6 months per piece from start to finish (for larger sizes). Dozens of hands touch the product and there are dedicated artisans at each point, whether they are shearing the sheep, dying the wool, tying the knots, or performing the finishing steps of cleansing and conditioning. Think about this when considering the price of the product.

3) What are the advantages of hand-knotted wool?

Please reference our informative document here.

4) How do I know what size rug I need?

A properly sized rug can make such a positive impact on the overall design and feel of a space. Here are our insider tips on how to ensure the proper size:

1) Tape off the area with painters tape, to give a visual of the floor space that needs to be covered.

2) Learn the standard sizes and try to use them. In many cases, a custom order truly isn't necessary. Using a standard size will save you both time and money! In the event that you do need a unique size, we offer made-to-order custom orders in our Proprietary Patterns Collection.

3) Often times, sizing will depend mainly upon the space and your preference. However, there are a few steadfast rules that you should know and consider:

dining room rugs should be a minimum of 24" larger than all sides of the table. I.e. if your table measures 36" x 72" you need at least an 8' x 10' rug. This is to ensure that the chair legs remain on the rug even when pulled away from the table while in use.
all legs of the main upholstery pieces in a living area should be touching the rug. There are exceptions, such as a chair nestled in the corner by a fireplace or ottomans/poufs/stools that serve as extra seating. The rug serves as the unifier and should not stand along in the middle of the furniture.
in a bedroom, generally speaking the rug should be placed perpendicular to the bed and extend at least 18-24" beyond the sides and foot of the bed. 8' x 10' is suitable for a queen size bed, 9' x 12' or larger for a king size bed.

For visual reference, please visit our Rug Placement Guide.

5) When will my rug ship?

We enjoy doing our best to make the rug buying process fun, easy, and as hassle-free as possible. We batch orders and ship weekly. If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent this (such as our offices being closed), we will communicate with you. If you need expedited shipping, please reach out and we will do our best to make that happen for you! That's one of the advantages of a small business - our hands touch every process and we are happy to do what we can to help you.

Custom orders are shipped within 48 hours of receiving them.

We are pleased to offer in person pick up. If you are local to our showroom in Greensboro, NC and would like to pick your purchase up, select that option at checkout. We will contact you to set up a suitable pick up time!

You can reference our Shipping Policy here.

6) What is your return policy?

Please reference our policy here.

7) How can I see more of your extensive inventory?

We have hundreds of rugs in stock and ready to ship at any time. It is a true task to try and have all pieces uploaded to our site because our inventory changes daily. We do our best to display as many as we can here, however there are always more! Here our ways to see more:

follow us on Instagram!
contact us with specific requests and we are happy to send options not shown on the website. A majority of our clients utilize this option!
contact us to discuss a Facetime call in our studio.
if you are a member of our Trade Partners program, contact us for a private showing in our studio.