Carpets and rugs

Hook Rugs

To a certain extent rug and carpet are interchangeable today, but carpet is a far broader term, for carpet is the fabric itself.

Most rugs are made of carpet by carpet manufacturers on carpet looms. A Persian rug is called also—and just as correctly—a Persian carpet; in fact the only rugs that are not carpets are animal skin, felt base or any other floorcovering that is not woven.

The term broadloom is widely used as a synonym for plain carpet. This is in error. In reality broadloom is any fabric woven on a broad or wide loom, as distinguished from the old standard twenty-seven inch width.

The first broad looms were perfected about 1900. Not only wide seamless plain carpet but seamless bordered rugs and carpets of many textures and patterns are made on broad looms today.