A
Abrash (Arbrush): Inadvertent changes in color found within a array of colors in a throw or throw rug. Abrash usually appears as stripes running horizontally across the throw rug. Subtle instances of abrash are caused by natural variations in yarn diameter caused by hand-spinning. Since abrash is a normal effect of hand-weaving, and is sometimes an intentional attempt by the weaver to add character to monotonous backgrounds, it is generally seen as a desirable feature of tribal throw rugs.
Acrylic Fabric: A man-made fiber that was originally invented for outdoor use. Solution dyed chemical colors along with acrylic fabric can withstand UV light, weather, and resists staining. Acrylic fabric in throw rugs is usually used as a less expensive alternative to the more popular wool. The most well known solution dyed acrylic fabric is Sunbrella made by Glen Raven Mills.
Antique Wash: A chemical wash used in throw rugs that reflects an antique or older look.
Anti-Static: Throw rug treatment that reduces the effects of static electricity that can build up on most throw rug material. Static electricity can relay from one person to another in a small shock from coming in contact with static electricity.
Arabesque: Intricate patterns of intertwining flowers, vines, and other natural plants.
Art Deco: A bold, geometric style of interior design that was made popular from around 1925 to 1940. Many throw rugs took on the art deco design during this time period.
Art Silk: Artificial silk yarn for weaving throw rugs that is made from cotton, rayon or polyester that resembles silk. Very similar to the 100% genuine silk - very soft to the touch but much more affordable.
Asymmetrical Knot: A type of Oriental pile throw rug knot where only one of the two warps is entirely encircled.
Aubusson (Aubuson): Style of throw rug that originated in France in the 15th century. Aubusson were originally flat-weave throw rugs, usually featuring a floral medallion and pastel colors, but today these throw rug patterns have been adapted for pile throw rugs.
Axminister Loom: A type of loom used for machine-made throw rugs that offers great flexibility (enabling up to 70 colors) in both colors and design.
Axminster Throw Rug: Throw rugs manufactured by a particular style of loom and weaving that originated in the town of Axminster, England during the industrial revolution. The Axminster loom offers great flexibility of color, enabling use of up to 70 colors, and design. These machine-made throw rugs are woven onto a flexible cotton frame, the pile is then cut level to one height and the pile tufts are anchored by strong wefts. Axminster throw rugs combine many colors in geometric or floral patterns.
B
Backing: The fabric that makes up the backside of the carpet.
Background Color: The color that appears to be "behind" the designs and borders of the throw rug. The background color is usually the dominant color of the throw rug.
Bamboo Throw rugs: Bamboo throw rugs or mats are woven from natural bamboo fibers. Bamboo is cut into strands for woven designs and into wide strips for a hardwood floor effect.
BCF Bulk Continuous Filament: Bulked continuous filament yarns are synthetic yarns processed by a mechanical means to fluff them out before tufting or weaving.
Berber Throw Rugs: Term popularly used to refer to a natural colored look of carpeting. This style has been developed commercially by carpet manufacturers. Berber is more accurately or traditionally defined as a group of North African tribes people who crafted throw rugs of handspun yarn from the undyed wool of local sheep.
Bessarabian: This particular style of kilim comes from Ukraine (formerly part of Romania) in southeast Europe. The designs usually feature arched floral patterns and are very formal, sophisticated and detailed.
Bidjar: A throw rug design that originated in the Bidjar region of Iranian Azerbaijan. Originally, the design was Kurdish and featured hundreds of trees. It was really accountable for earning this region its famous reputation. Commercial Bidjar throw rugs are machine made and feature a characteristic diamond-shaped medallion. They are considered the most durable carpets in history, because most are guaranteed to last over 300 years. This has earned the Bidjar the name: "The Iron Throw rug of Persia." Both types of Bidjar are still only made in limited quantities. Binding: Band or strip sewn over a area rug to protect, strengthen or decorate a throw rug.
Bleeding: Transfer of fiber dyes from carpet or other fabrics by a liquid, usually water, with subsequent re-depositing on other fibers.
Blend: Carpets composed of more than one kind of fiber.
Border Throw Rug: A throw rug with one or more outside borders of one carpet style and an inside area of another carpet type. Boucle: Heavy looped pile throw rugs.
Boteh: The original version of paisley, this motif is thought to represent the forms of pine cones, cypress trees or the flame of Zoroaster. Boteh is a very popular motif in many types of traditional Oriental throw rugs.
Braided Area Throw Rug: Braided throw rugs are constructed in several different ways- including tape, tubular, yarn and flat. In the tradition of early America from which braided throw rugs were created, these throw rugs may be woven with many different materials; such as wool, clothing, old blankets, nylon and blends. Often, braided throw rugs are made of "rag" or multi-colored fabric swatches, which are then sewn into concentric circles or ovals.
Brocade: Floating horizontal weave in throw rugs that is used to embellish throw rugs and other textiles. Brocade is sometimes used in kilim throw rugs.
Burn Test: The fiber of a quality throw rug that can be tested by burning a small tuft of the fiber. Cotton has a vegetable smell when burned, while wool and silk will smell like burning hair.
C
Carding: Process of arranging and smoothing out wool fibers by pulling them between two spiked paddles.
Cartouche: Design element that contains a date or inscription within the throw rug. A cartouche is most know on the top of the rug but some higher end throw rugs, it can be found on the back of the rug within the weave.
Chenille: A fabric with a deep luxurious pile that is often used in throw rugs.
Chrome dyes: Colorfast dyes that use potassium bichromate to bond the yarn to the dye before being used in a throw rug.
Classical Throw Rugs: Ornate court carpets that were originally designed before the turn of the 19th century.
Cloudband: Originally a Chinese design, this pattern resembles a swirling band of clouds. Cloudbands also appear frequently in Persian throw rug designs.
Color: An important attribute in a handmade throw rug. Colors are generally derived from natural dyes, or made from synthetic dyes. Throw rugs are generally attributed by their "primary color" which is the color that dominates the majority of the material.
Combing: Process that organizes carded wool fibers in a parallel arrangement by pulling them through spiked blocks or combs. This process prepares wool for spinning.
Contemporary: Non-traditional styles of throw rugs that range from shag and braided throw rugs to pile-weave throw rugs with geometric or modern patterns.
Cotton: Cotton is a natural fiber of great durability and strength. The soft and durable cotton fibers are formed within a boll or seedpod. Each fiber is made up of twenty to thirty layers of cellulose coiled in a neat series of natural springs. When the cotton coll (seed case) is opened, the fibers dry into flat, twisted, ribbon-like shapes and become kinked together. This interlocked form fiber is ideal for spinning and is often used in quality indoor throw rugs.
Cross-woven: Cross-woven throw rugs are made on the Wilton loom. This technique incorporates fringes into the throw rug rather than requiring them to be sewn on afterwards.
Cut Pile: Cut-pile is a smooth finish created by cutting off the tops of the wool loops. The cut loops are then twisted to make tufts of yarn that stand erect, creating a soft even surface. Also known as 'velour' or 'velvet' pile.
D
Denier: Measurement of linear density which is mass in grams of 9000 meters of the measured yarn or fiber. Large fibers or yarns have high deniers, thin yarns have low deniers.
Density: Refers to the amount of pile yarn in the carpet and the closeness of the tufts. The more densely or tightly packed the yarn is, the more luxurious the pile will feel and the better the throw rug will wear.
Dhurrie: Inexpensive flat-woven throw rugs from India, usually made of wool or cotton. Type of Kilim.
Dragon: Motif popular in Chinese throw rugs that symbolizes good fortune.
Duracord: Duracord fabric is constructed of man-made industrial yarn that has undergone improvements in the aesthetics and hand, has been augmented with ultraviolet inhibitors and further anti-microbial improvements to prevent degradation from outdoor exposure.
E
Embossed: Carved pile around a design or motif that augments the look of the pattern.
Embroidery: Needle-work designs on the fabric that decorate any type of textile.
F
Faux Silk: Sometimes called Art Silk, faux silk is a artificial silk or "false silk" is usually made up by polyester fibers like viscose, mercerized cotton, or rayon.
Fiber: Throw rugs may be from a variety of synthetic or natural materials which will help determine performance and appearance. Natural fibers provide soft, low luster colors and long performance. Synthetic fibers provide brilliant colors, softness, easy maintenance and good value.
Field: The center plain of an throw rug that is surrounded by the border and contains the central medallion or other motifs.
Flat Weave: Throw rugs without pile or knots. Flat weave throw rugs are made on a loom and threaded through the warps. Kilims, Dhurries and the original Aubusson are good examples of flat woven throw rugs.
Flattening: Carpets with pile flatten due to heavy traffic. Cleaning and vacuuming can restore the height of the pile.
Frames: The part of the loom that holds the spools of yarn. Every frame in a loom holds a different color of yarn. An eight-frame loom weaves an eight color throw rug.
Frieze: Heavily twisted yarn provides a coarse texture of cut pile.
Fringe: Warp threads that extend beyond the end of the throw rug.
G
Gabbeh: A fluffy long piled throw rug used by nomads as a mattress. They have only been sold commercially in the West since 1990. Gabbeh usually have simple colorful patterns, sometimes depicting a pastoral scene. Gauge: Ends of pile yarn per unit of length across the width of the carpet. Guard Stripes: Stripes of color that embellish the main border and separate it from the field.
Gul: Means "flower or rose," gul is a Persian word for flower which describes the popular ornaments found in Turkoman carpets. This is an octagonal motif, usually elongated and divided into four. Ground: Background color that accents the throw rug's design motif.
H
Hali: Word for 'throw rug' in Turkish.
Halicilik: The word for 'throw rug merchant' in Turkish.
Hand: The feel of a throw rug's texture. Qualities could include scratchiness, stiffness, roughness and softness.
Hand-Hooked: Throw rugs made in a manner similar to that of hand-tufted throw rugs, except that the pile is left looped rather than cut. Canvas backing is spread on a frame and a hooking implement is then used to pull the yarn through the fabric. Latex glue is then applied to the back of the throw rug to hold the loops in place. Another layer of cloth is added to the back of the throw rug and the throw rug is then finished by turning under the ends.
Hand-Knotted: The most expensive and longest to make, hand-knotted throw rugs are traditionally made with wool or silk. The weaver loops wool or silk around the warps one at a time, creating a thick pile. Cotton yarn is then woven through the warps to hold them together. Generally the cotton yarns are tied off to form a decorative fringe. Hand-Woven: Throw rugs woven on a hand loom either by machine or by hand.
Hand-Made Throw Rug: There are different types of hand-made throw rugs: knotted, tufted, hooked, looped and flat weave. These are generally more expensive than machine-made throw rugs.
Hand-Tufted: Hand-tufted throw rugs are made much like hand-hooked throw rugs, except that the loops are sheared to create a flat surface. Tufted throw rugs can be made with combinations of fibers, and offer a great value. Hi-Lo Tufted Throw rugs feature a combination of cut and looped pile, yielding a three dimensional effect.
Hard Twist/Cut Pile: Practical type of cut-pile carpet that minimizes flattening with its durable stiffness. The yarns are twisted and set at a high temperature.
Heat-Set: Process of using heat to treat twisted yarns to maintain their strength.
Herati Border: A throw rug pattern consisting of a rosette surrounded by four leaves. The rosette is often found inside a diamond shape.
Hereke: A style of throw rugs made in this Turkish city that are known for their factories where the most elaborate silk throw rugs are created. Although Hereke is in Turkey, they make use of the famous Persian Senneh knot in their throw rugs.
Hooked Throw Rug: Throw rug made by pushing loops of yarn through a canvas backing.
I
Indigo: A herb derived from a shrub tree that is in the pea family whose yellow juice oxidizes to blue when it comes into contact with air. Indigo became chemically synthesized in 1880 and is used in color designs within throw rugs.
Indoor Throw Rugs: throw rugs that are made with fibers that will not withstand adverse weather conditions including rain or high-humidity environments.
J
Jute Throw Rugs: Throw rugs woven of natural plant fibers that were originally used as doormats - very strong and is used in knotted throw rugs. Jute is grown in areas of southern Asia. The fibers are then stripped from their stalks and can be spun into yarn or rope and woven. Jute throw rugs are woven with loop or flat construction, and have become popular for use throughout the home.
K
Kashmir: Silk or mercerized cotton carpets from the Islamic region of India. Kashmir throw rugs are woven with Persian knots and have coloration and ornate patterns unique to India.
Kazak: The Turkish style of throw rugs are made by these people of Kazakhstan.
Kerman: A city located in Southeastern Iran. These throw rugs are known for their beautiful floral motifs, as well as their intricate patterns composed of medallions all over the area of the throw rug. Kilim: A flatwoven, two-sided throw rug for reversibility. These throw rugs are similar to a dhurrie but they are woven tighter. Most often, they are woven with wool.
Knot: Oriental throw rugs are made with two basic kinds of knots, Persian Senneh and Turkish Ghiordes. Persian Senneh are complex asymmetrical knots. Turkish Ghiordes are symmetrical knot. Both knots vary with different tribal and regional traditions.
Knot Count: Number of knots per square inch of any throw rug.
Knotted Pile: Weaving style that involves wrapping tufts of wool or pile around the warps. They wool or pile is then tied around each individual warp strand to erect the pile at a 90 degree angle to the floor. Kufic Script: Stylized calligraphic script used for decoration.
L
Lapis: A color that is derived from a gemstone bearing an opqaque and transclusent blue, violet-blue, or sometimes greenish-blue tone.
Latex: Emulsion of synthetic rubber or plastic, used in throw rug adhesives.
Line Count: Number of horizontal knots in a foot of throw rug. The greater the number of knots, the higher grade or quality of the throw rug.
Loom: Structure that holds warp strands taut for weaving and knotting. Looms can be vertical, horizontal, fixed or mobile.
Loop Pile: Loop pile is a hard-wearing surface, designed to minimize tracking. Loop pile is the same as cut pile before it is trimmed.
Luster: Brightness and sheen of the throw rug fibers or yarns.
M
Machine-Made: Throw rugs that are made on power loom by hand, machine or computer. The loom is strung with a cotton or jute warp and then woven using nylon, polypropylene, wool or other synthetic or natural material. Computer operated machines produce a number of contemporary designs in various sizes and colors from a predetermined design.
Medallion: Large design in the middle of some oriental and European throw rug styles.
Mahal: These throw rugs represent the combination of Persian and European design influences. These beautifully intricate throw rugs offer the best of both worlds in their floral and medallion-based patterns.
Make: An attribute that determines where a throw rug was made.
Motifs: Single or repeated elements of a throw rug pattern.
Multi-Level Loop Pile: Varied heights of yarn loops that create a three dimensional effect.
N
Nap: Surface or pile of a throw rug.
Natural Throw Rug: Throw rugs made of natural fibers that are usually ivory or neutral colored. Texture is the main feature of these throw rugs.
Natural Dyes: Dyes used for coloring weaving yarns that can be either plant dyes, animal dyes, or mineral dyes.
Needlepoint Throw Rug: A needlepoint throw rug making technique made with wool yarns worked on canvas using the same method as a needlepoint pillow.
Nylon: Nylon is a durable synthetic fiber which also has good dyeing characteristics. Nylon yarns can can be solution dyed, skin dyed and/or space dyed.
O
Oltenian: Considered to be the finest type of kilim throw rug, usually featuring ornate flower and leaf patterns.
Oriental: Out-of-date word for 'of the Eastern World', or the region of the world that was found by early European explorers who circled Africa.
P
Pattern: The design or form of lines on a throw rug. A pattern is usually curvilinear, geometric, or pictorial.
Pendant: A small, floral design that extends from the top and bottom of a medallion in the center of a throw rug.
Persian Knot: Knot that is tied onto two warp strands, wrapped around one and looped behind the other.
Pile: Surface of the throw rug formed by cut ends of the knots.
Pile Height: Height of the pile, measured by tenths of an inch from the top surface of the throw rug backing to the top of the pile's surface.
Pile Weight: Weight of pile yarn per square yard of the throw rug.
Plush: Cut pile throw rug in which the tuft ends blend together.
Ply: Number of yarns spun together to form a tuft of pile. Measurement of the yarn's thickness.
Point: One tuft of pile. Polyester: Synthetic fiber most often used in staple spun yarns.
Polypropylene: Polypropylene or Olefin fibers are petroleum-based synthetic materials derived from propylene and ethylene gases. The fiber is characterized by its resistance to moisture. It is often heat-set to guarantee vibrant color, long lasting beauty and easy maintenance. It is quick drying and mildew, soil and stain resistant. Its fibers have the lowest density of all manufactured fibers giving olefin textiles a very lightweight quality.
Power Loom: A loom operated by mechanical or electronic power.
Primary Backing: Backing in a tufted carpet into which the tufts are inserted. The backing is then bonded with latex on its back side to hold the tufts in place.
Q
Quatref: Round motif with four symmetrical lobes.
R
Raj: Knots per 7 centimeters or 2 3/4 inches.
Resilience: The durability of a throw rugs carpet pile or cushion under heavy use. Rhubarb An edible plant in the Rheum family, whose leaves bear a copper-red dye used in throw rugs of China, India, and Tibet.
Rosette: Motif that looks like a round flower.
Rug Pad: A throw rug pad helps to keep your throw rug in place, but it also helps to prolong the life of a throw rug by cushioning it from the floor by absorbing the weight of traffic.
Runner: Long, narrow interior throw rug used primarily for hallways and stairways.
S
Saffron: A plant with purple or white flowers and orange stigmas whos dye was used on some early throw rugs in China, India, and the Balkans.
Savonnerie: The name given to French piled carpets made until 1890 that look similar to Persian Kermans. These throw rugs were more foot friendly than their cousin the Aubusson and had an impressionist quality many find very appealing. This throw rug is the model for many of today's Indian and Persian throw rugs.
Sarouk (Serouk): Beautiful factory woven carpets from central Iran and Iranian Azerbaijan, manufactured for export.
Saxony: Cut pile throw rugs made with a dense cut pile and heavy yarns. Similar to shag throw rug, but with shorter pile.
Seagrass: A salt marsh grass that is grown in paddy-like fields and flooded with sea water during the crop cycle. The hard, almost inpenetrable seagrass is spun into tough strands which resist most stains and dirt. Material is anti-static and provides a low dust and allergy-free environment. Seagrass throw rugs have excellent durability, are non-toxic and colorfast and create healthy indoor humidity levels. These throw rugs are intended for indoor use only.
Secondary Backing: In tufted carpet, an additional backing is bonded onto the primary backing with latex.
Semi-Worsted: Combing process that removes shorter fibers, resulting in a more lustrous looking yarn.
Setting: For good tuft definition, yarns are twisted and then 'set' with heat to hold the twist's shape. Shag Throw rug: Contemporary throw rug style with long, typically synthetic, pile.
Shah Abbas: Design that features feather and lotus motifs. Popular pattern in many modern Persian throw rugs.
Shedding: New throw rugs sometimes lose loose fibers, but it is not harmful to the carpet. Sheen: The luster of a carpet that usually comes from having a special chemical wash. Silk: An expensive fiber that comes from the cocoon of silkworms.
Sisal: Plant of the genus Agave that yields a fiber often used for making natural rope. The name sisal is used for both the plant and for the fiber. Sometimes referred to as hemp, sisal is not actually hemp but a fiber that resembles it. Sisal throw rugs are natural throw rugs, woven from sisal fibers.
Spandrels: Corner designs in the field of a throw rug, often arc shaped.
Strapwork: Interlacing pattern resembling straps.
Soumak Weave: Complex reversible throw rugs that are woven with a weft-wrapping technique. Extra wefts of dyed wool are added to create a pattern, like a brocade.
Static: Build-up of electric charge when a person walks over a carpet. Occurs with both natural and synthetic fibers, and is effected by humidity.
Style: The way different motifs, colors, and patterns give a throw rug its character.
Sultanabad: Throw rug designs which originated in Northwestern Iran. Using intricate vine patterns and repeating floral motifs, these throw rugs were sculpted to give Persian designs a European flair.
Synthetic Fibers: Synthetic fibers are used exclusively in machine-made throw rugs. These fibers are non-porous, meaning that they are inherently stain proof. They resist staining from almost any chemical. They are very durable, yet they feel soft and are incredibly easy to maintain.
T
Tabriz: Originate from the city of Tabriz in Northwestern Iran. Designs feature knotted symmetrical patterns, usually with a floral motif.
Tapestry: In throw rug terminology tapestry refers to a weft face weave with complicated designs.
Tea Wash: Process used to antique the colors of the throw rug.
Textured Loop Pile: With loops of differing pile height, textured loop has a unique sculptured look. Like level loop pile, this hard wearing texture minimizes tracking.
Tibetan Knot: Distinctive knotting technique that originated in Tibet and has now spread to other regions. A rod is placed in front of the warp. A single strand of yarn is then wrapped around two warps and then around the rod. When the row is finished, the rod is removed and the resulting loops are cut, creating the pile.
Tip Shear: Cut pile throw rugs where some of the loops of yarn are left uncut. This finishing style is desirable since it minimizes tracking and flattening effects.
Tone-on-Tone: Two or more tones of the same color in a throw rug. This look is achieved either by mixing yarns of different tones or by using the same color of yarn in a throw rug with both cut and looped pile.
Tracking: A footprint effect on carpets. The effect is temporary and disappears after a vacuuming.
Traditional: Style name that refers to the characteristic designs of the European and Oriental/Persian schools of weaving. Modern traditional throw rugs replicate the classic patterns, colors, and styles of antique throw rugs.
Transitional: Broad style that falls between traditional European and Oriental throw rug designs and new contemporary styles. Floral and botanical patterns are good examples of throw rugs in this category.
Tribal Throw Rug: Style of throw rug woven by North American or Middle Eastern tribal peoples, or woven in the traditional styles or patterns of these groups.
Tufted Throw Rug: Technique of punching tufts of wool through the base fabric. Used to create inexpensive versionse of hand-knotted throw rugs.
Turret Gul: Octagonal motif with eight points and another small octagon in the center of the gul.
Turkish Knot: Symmetrical knot tied around two adjacent warp threads, each of which are encircled by the strand of wool; the ends of the woolen strand reappear between these two warp threads. The weft is then compressed against the row of knots with a heavy metal comb and a new row of knots is started. After the throw rug has been completely woven, the loops of wool are then clipped, creating the pile of the throw rug.
Twist: Winding of the yarn around itself to create a neat, well-defined strand. A yarn twist that is tighter provides added durability.
U
V
Vegetable Dyes: Dyes made of natural plant materials. These dyes contain no synthetic chemicals and tend to fade more rapidly than some synthetic alternatives.
Velour: Cut-pile fabric that has a velvety surface to the touch.
Verneh: Throw rug featuring a motif of interlocking birds - known very well in Europe.
Village Throw Rug: Throw rugs made by a group of people in shifts, working around the clock. Most large tribal carpets are made in this manner.
W
Warp: Vertical strands of weave that extend through the entire length of the throw rug. The warps are the yarns onto which the knots are tied and the wefts are woven.
Washing: Chemical treatment of wool throw rugs that tones down the colors and gives the throw rug a soft texture. Sometimes imitates the effects of aging. Some purists believe that throw rugs should be allowed to age without the wash.
Weft: Strands of yarn that run across the width of the throw rug between warp threads. The weft threads hold the pile knots in place.
William Morris Design: An English design firm that was named for its establisher. The firm specialized in creating hybrid throw rugs of Middle Eastern designs combined with western tastes. Most beautiful designs could be found in institutional locations, such as grand hotels and government buildings.
Wilton Throw Rug: Machine-loomed rugs with limited color palettes. Modern Wilton throw rugs were the first type to be made on a computerized machine that offers great flexibility in color placement and design.
Wool: Fiber acquired from sheep hair, goats and a selection of other domesticated animals.
Wilton Side Woven: The Wilton side woven throw rugs are woven in a fashion, but at a 90 degree angle to the above area occasion. Cotton backing is to give these throw rugs a softer feel.
Wool Sisal: Wool sisal-look throw rugs are popular alternatives to real sisal (coir and seagrass).
Worsted Wool: An extra step in wool processing that combs out shorter fibers resulting in durable and lustrous yarns.
Woven Carpets: Carpet made on a weaving loom where backing threads and pile are woven at the same time, creating strong anchors for the tufts. Axminster and Wilton are both well known woven carpets, offering a wider range of patterns.
X
Y
Yarn: Cord of twisted fibers.
Z
Zaronim Throw Rugs: Throw rug that measures about 3' x 5'
* Source: Designer Floors magazine, Wikipedia, Webster's Dictionary, Designers 101
