Berber area rugs – get to know them better

Berber area rugs get their name from the traditional hand woven rugs by the Berber people of North Africa. Berber is an ethnic group in the region of North Africa. This type of rug has an ancient origin to it and this could be very well seen in the construction of a traditional hand woven rug. Due to their early origins, an authentic Berber area rug is still deemed as priceless possession and just like the oriental rugs, they also find demand amidst the auctioneers and collectors. Even with arise of technology, the traditionally hand woven rugs are still found in the market today. In fact many people of the tribe still consider the weaving as their main source of income. The best part about these hand woven rugs are, each of them is unique.

Let’s get a deeper insight in to the details of Berber area rugs.

Construction

The unique thing about the Berber area rug, which strikes one immediately, in terms of appearance and feel is the construction of the rug itself. Unlike the oriental rugs, which have knot type of construction, this rug has loop-pile construction, where the yarns are woven to form loops up to a certain height on the rug. This gives a very comfortable feel to the rug itself. The loops are varied in thickness, colors and sometimes even materials to give a unique feel of the rug. Through this variation they form a different pattern on the rugs which is quite distinct from the other rugs.

Material

Traditional Berber area rugs are woven with wool, giving out the soft plush feel. This is the most favored fabric for this kind of rug. The loop pile construction goes well with the wool and gives one the cushion feel. The modern rugs are woven with synthetic fibers which typically include nylon, polypropylene, etc. They are woven with the yarns of single or multiple fibers which improves the appearance of the rug itself. The synthetic fibers are best for high traffic areas as they are resistant to dirt and stains and the cleaning process is much easier compared to the natural fibers. The polyester fiber especially has a great dying property, making the rug look quite bright in appearance.

Loop size

Berber area rugs are unique due to their loop pile construction, which makes its loop size critical. The rugs come in big loop or smaller loop construction. Both of these have the same appearance and feel, the only difference here lies in the durability of the loops matting down. The bigger loops here are known to mat down quicker than the small loops, which makes them a great choice from the longevity point of view.