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About
Berber rugs

Abo
ut
Berb
er
rugs

About berber rugs

Abo
ut
Berb
er
rugs

Hangin berber rugs
Klasszikus Beni Ourain

Berber rugs are hand-knotted by the artisan weavers of the Amazigh (Berber) tribes in and around the Atlas Mountains. The tribes have their own weaving traditions: the colors and patterns used, and the knotting techniques were passed down from generation to generation. These rural communities produce surprisingly modern-looking rugs, and, despite many shared style cues, each rug is completely unique. For Amazigh women, weaving is a means of self-expression, so the rugs reflect their individual personality, life story and are rich in symbolism.

Moroccan tribal culture is extremely diverse. The Atlas is home to countless Amazigh tribes, each having its own weaving tradition and style. The different styles of rugs were originally unique to a geographical area, and in many cases they are named after this region. We have the following styles in our collection:

Klasszikus Beni Ourain

Berber rugs are hand-knotted by the artisan weavers of the Amazigh (Berber) tribes in and around the Atlas Mountains. The tribes have their own weaving traditions: the colors and patterns used, and the knotting techniques were passed down from generation to generation. These rural communities produce surprisingly modern-looking rugs, and, despite many shared style cues, each rug is completely unique. For Amazigh women, weaving is a means of self-expression, so the rugs reflect their individual personality, life story and are rich in symbolism.

Moroccan tribal culture is extremely diverse. The Atlas is home to countless Amazigh tribes, each having its own weaving tradition and style. The different styles of rugs were originally unique to a geographical area, and in many cases they are named after this region. We have the following styles in our collection:

Beni Ourains are the most well-known and popular style of the Berber rugs globally. They are characterized by their shaggy texture and the traditional geometric pattern on a natural, ivory wool base. With their minimalistic design and soft wooly surface, they suit almost any interior. Beni Ourains were “discovered” by the early Bauhaus movement and have been a feature of modern interior design around the world ever since.

Enterior with beni

Azilal rugs are colourful, medium pile pieces that are more loosely knotted than Beni Ourains. They take their name from the Azilal province of Morocco. Their most characteristic motifs are decorative, colorful diamond patterns, symbolising female fertility, and irregular, sometimes abstract, line “drawings.” The patterns are made with a cotton or wool yarn often on a natural wool base – though it’s also common for vivid base colors to be used.

Enterior with Azilal

Boujaads are low-pile carpets with a characteristic, felted texture. Vintage Boujaad rugs feature an elaborate, symmetrical pattern made from plant-dyed wool in natural, warm earth colors. In contrast, contemporary Boujaads are often bold in color with spontaneous patterns and rich details.

Boujaad szőyneg lengetve
Boujaad with rainbow lozenges

Boucherouite rugs are the pioneers of sustainable home textiles. They have been made since the 60s using upcycled textiles and yarn waste from around the household. Without the constraints of centuries-old weaving traditions, the weavers have maximum freedom, so Boucherouites are totally free-spirited rugs with vibrant colors, a mix of materials and lots of exciting personality. Bonus these knotted rag rugs are very durable, so they can be used in the kitchen, kids room or other high traffic areas.

Enterior with Boucherouite

Making a Berber rug is an extremely laborious and time-consuming process.

The raw material is most often wool, which is widely available among the tribes of the Atlas Mountains, who were traditionally engaged in shepherding. Wool processing is done by hand, from shearing the sheep to washing, carding, and spinning the wool into yarn. The colors are often created using plant-based dyes and other natural pigments. Alternatively, ready-made colored yarns are bought at the local markets.

Knotting a rug can take weeks or months. The technique itself is very slow going as the weaver has to tie each knot one-at-a-time and then fix a row of knots with a few rows of weft. This is why larger pieces are often woven by several artisans at once, running side by side.

Berber rugs were originally made for household use, not for sale. They functioned as bedspreads or blankets to protect against the cold of the Atlas Mountains. Both sides were used: The pile side was used during cold winters, and during the warmer months they turned the rugs to the flat woven side.

Making a Berber rug is an extremely laborious and time-consuming process.

The raw material is most often wool, which is widely available among the tribes of the Atlas Mountains, who were traditionally engaged in shepherding. Wool processing is done by hand, from shearing the sheep to washing, carding, and spinning the wool into yarn. The colors are often created using plant-based dyes and other natural pigments. Alternatively, ready-made colored yarns are bought at the local markets.

Knotting a rug can take weeks or months. The technique itself is very slow going as the weaver has to tie each knot one-at-a-time and then fix a row of knots with a few rows of weft. This is why larger pieces are often woven by several artisans at once, running side by side.

Berber rugs were originally made for household use, not for sale. They functioned as bedspreads or blankets to protect against the cold of the Atlas Mountains. Both sides were used: The pile side was used during cold winters, and during the warmer months they turned the rugs to the flat woven side.

The western world discovered tribal Moroccan rugs in the 1920s, when early modernist architects started to incorporate them into their own homes and projects. Globally, demand for these beautiful rugs increased significantly in the second half of the 20th century. Berber rugs are very popular in modern interior design as they fit very well into many different interior styles.

Though the traditional weaving techniques and motifs have been preserved, nowadays a significant proportion of new Moroccan rugs are woven for sale while the rugs that were originally made for the personal use of the weaver’s family are now considered vintage rugs.

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Christmas orders

Place your order by December 16 for guaranteed Christmas delivery.
Orders placed between 23 and 31 Dec. will be processed on January 2.

Christmas orders

Place your order by December 16 for guaranteed Christmas delivery.
Orders placed between 23 and 31 December will be processed on January 2.

Children’s Day special

Choose from our Colourful rugs section with 15% discount between 25 - 29 May

Code: kidsrugs15

Children’s Day special

Choose from our Colourful rugs section with 15% discount between 25 - 29 May

Code: kidsrugs15

Hello September Sale

10% off all our rugs between 4 - 17 September

Code: helloseptember

Hello September Sale

10% off all our rugs between 4 - 17 September

Code: helloseptember