Good House Keeping, in the featured article, relates several things to keep in mind when looking for an area rug. One feature to consider is the quality of the rug. Many of the terms that describe a quality area rug are basically jargin. The following portion of the article helps to decifer some of the rug terminology. You can also go to our Rugs 101 section for more help in understand some of the materials and weaving techniques used in today's area rugs.
"Quality Counts
Hand-knotted rugs are the gold standard — they’re the most durable, have the finest details, and should survive generations. And though the hand-knotted technique is ancient, originating in Persia, it’s still used on contemporary rugs. The more knots per square inch, the better (they can vary from 40 to 1,200). Next best thing? Hand-tufted rugs; they’re half man-made, half machine-made. (You’ll see the term “handmade,” but it’s essentially meaningless.) Check the underside of the rug — if you see the pattern in reverse, it’s a hand-knotted piece; if you see a backing, it’s
hand-tufted. And on any hand-knotted or hand-tufted rug, look for the RugMark
label, which means it was made without child labor. Machine-made rugs generally
cost less than a third of the price of hand-knotted versions, and range from loose shag to thick pile."
