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Why Rugs Can be so expensive

Buying a rug can be a daunting task, since there are so many different options. Different materials, weaves, sizes, designs, and dying methods all impact the rug’s quality as well as the price. With all that, you may be finding that some rugs have a hefty price tag. To help you choose the best rug for your home, it’s best to know why rugs are priced the way they are, what elements impact the rug’s quality, and what specific rug types tend to be more expensive than others.

Learn More About Expensive Rugs

  1. What Makes a Rug so Expensive?
  2. What are High Quality Rugs?
  3. How to Identify a High Quality Rug
  4. Why are Persian Rugs so Expensive?

What Makes a Rug so Expensive?

In general, time and material are the two biggest factors in setting the rug’s price. Hand crafted rugs require a lot of time and expert craftsmanship to bring the rug to life. Large handcrafted rugs can take months -- even years -- to complete. In the meantime, machine-made rugs will take only a few hours to be crafted. Machine made rugs also use man-made synthetic materials like polyester and polypropylene, which are far cheaper assets than natural wools, silks, and cotton.

With those differences outlined, you may feel drawn towards the quicker, more affordable option of machine made rugs. While those rugs do have good functionality and many benefits, their overall quality, durability, and comfort are below those of natural, handcrafted rugs. Machine-made rugs often last 5 years in high traffic areas, but handcrafted rugs made with natural materials can last decades. That is a big reason why they are more expensive: they are a long-term investment.

What are High Quality Rugs?

High quality rugs are defined by the materials that they are made of, the construction of the rug, and where they are crafted. There are many different construction methods to crafting and weaving rugs, such as hand-tufting, hand-weaving, and hand-hooking. Each method requires a different amount of time and labor, so their prices range. The most high quality, expensive hand crafted rugs tend to be hand knotted. Also, rugs crafted in certain regions of the world tend to be higher quality thanks to their expert craftsmanship. Hand knotted rugs are also made with premium materials, so that impacts the quality of the rug along with the price. To help you determine the quality of your rug, consider the four areas identified below.

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Queen Size Runner Rug

How to Identify a High Quality Rug

The price tag alone shouldn’t be your sole resource for judging a rug’s quality; instead, these four areas will help you determine the rug’s quality. 

Knots Per Square Inch: The number of knots within a rug determine the overall density of the rug, its durability, and how detailed the pattern is. The more knots there are, the better quality the rug is. The tightly crafted rugs will be able to stand up to heavier traffic thanks to their expert craftsmanship. From a design standpoint, these rugs also feature much more intricate patterns and designs because of how many knots there are. 

Detailing: This facet ties into the knots per square inch (KPSI), but the amount of detailing also showcases how much time, labor, and artistry was used in the rug. More detailed, intricately crafted patterns are a sign that the rug was done by a highly skilled craftsman. Remember, the more detailed a rug is, the more time and expertise was required in crafting it. These facets are reflected in the rug’s price tag, but that price tag also takes into account how high quality the art, construction, and design of the rug are. 

How to Identify a High Quality Rug (continued)

Material: Persian wool is one of the most luxurious materials available for high quality rugs. Aside from Persian wool, Iranian wool rugs are also becoming popular because the sheep are fed a diet that optimizes their wool to create soft, strong wool to be used in rugs. Wool and silk are two luxurious materials that are commonly used in high quality area rugs thanks to their durability and quality.


Colors: The types of dye used in your rug also impact the quality of the rug and the longevity of the colors. Organic vegetable dyes are popularly used with wool rugs, as are dyes derived from high grade pigments. These dyes are able to create bolder, vibrant pigments that showcase bold style statements.

Round rug for queen size bed

Why are Persian Rugs so Expensive?

In short, Persian rugs are so expensive because of all the details listed above. They are crafted out of the highest quality materials like silk and Kurk wool. They also take years to craft thanks to their tight weave, knots per square inch, and level of detailing. Persian rugs have a rich, long history that makes them a large part of the culture as well. Because of that, Persian area rugs serve as unique, authentic works of art in whatever home they are used in. All of these features tend to make Persian rugs more expensive, to the point where the most expensive persian rug was sold for 33 million dollars! Fortunately, not every Persian rug demands such a price.


Expensive rugs have a higher price for several reasons. It mainly comes down to the quality of the rug’s materials, the method of craftsmanship, and the legacy behind the rug. Persian rugs and others handcrafted by specific cultures are often more expensive, but their beauty and the story behind them are monumental for creating impactful and beautiful rugs fitting for luxurious modern homes.

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