Hand-Knotted 100% Wool Rugs

From the outset, James Tufenkian’s vision for Tufenkian Carpets was that it would revive in a new carpet production the much admired qualities of the great antique carpets of the past, and would weave into those carpets the best of modern design.

To realize that vision , we built our design catalog on exceptional quality wool rugs. Wool offers a uniquely magnificent texture—with resilient fibers far superior to any synthetics or blends. In its versatility, high-quality 100% wool is known to beautifully take up vibrant dyes, never losing the natural luster that makes it truly exceptional.

Tufenkian hand-knotted wool rugs are made from fantastic wool yarn, hand-spun and hand-carded from sheep raised in the Himalayas or Caucasus Mountains. They are offered in a wide range of patterns and styles, all crafted with ancient hand-weaving techniques. This pairing of the rare virtues of antique carpets with the best in modern design is a rarity in today’s world. Yet it’s precisely this masterful assembly that imbues the spirit and character that makes them so remarkable.

This is the way rugs were intended to be made—with reverence for the process and materials apparent within each of our hand-knotted wool rugs. Tufenkian upholds time-honored traditions and offers these artisan-crafted works of art for your home. 

Exceptional Wool

While we love our silk and other natural fibers, wool is still the premier material for luxury carpets, and our fiber of choice. James Tufenkian used to say that “none of our sheep speak English.” Whether from the mountains of Tibet, Afghanistan, Iran, or Armenia, they also aren’t bathed, or selectively bred for desirable characteristics. Our sheep are unruly, living in harsh environments pretty much the way they have for millennia, producing the wools that gave the historic carpets of each region their distinctive character. Not uniform in color or texture. Un-scoured and retaining their natural lanolin, they are the foundation for making rugs of outstanding integrity. Very different than their distant relatives — well-groomed and genetically engineered — living-large in the manicured pens of New Zealand and Australia. In the same way our carpets are a world apart from their more machine-made competitors and are famous among carpet-care professionals for cleaning beautifully and reliably, and for maturing elegantly with age.

Our hand-knotted wool rugs maintain integrity in their durability and design, yet we prize the beautiful variance and delicate ‘abrash’ that is one of the most endearing qualities of our wool. Wool, particularly our 100% Tibetan wool, is high in natural lanolin, making it stain-resistant and water-repellent while softening and strengthening its fibers. Wool rugs are prized for their longevity and ability to retain their vibrance in color and composition over generations with proper care. 

For all their strength and resilience, Tufenkian 100% wool rugs also add softness and comfort to your room, and is why people love to set their feet on them each day. They’re simple to care for, look great, and stand up to even the most high-traffic areas without compromise. 

are famous among carpet-care professionals for cleaning beautifully and reliably, and for maturing elegantly with age.

Hand-Knotted Construction

Meticulously crafted by passionate artisans, our hand-knotted wool rugs reflect the time, remarkable skill, and attention that goes into our production process. Eachhand-knotted rug contains an average of one million hand-tied knots, resulting in a piece that can last much more than a lifetime with adequate care. It is amazing to think that each piece is the accumulation of so many tiny, hand-tied points of color. Like approaching a pointillist painting and being amazed to discover that its perfectly detailed and coherent image is actually composed from so many meaningless dots so artfully assembled.

With hand-knotted rugs, you can inspect and see each carefully tied knot woven into its foundation. The individual knots represent the touch of the artist’s hand, resulting in finished pieces that are enchanting and charmingly imperfect, and impossible to replicate by machines or factory processes. With patterns ranging from bold and colorful to intricate and subtle, each is the result of thousands of hand-tied knots—skillfully completed one at a time. 

We choose to produce carpets this way not only for the beauty and character it imparts in every piece but because it creates a stronger, more durable carpet. Hand-knotted wool rugs are tightly woven, with individual knots that don’t fray or come undone. The time and effort spent hand-knotting a rug is showcased in its unmatched artistry throughout the carpet’s long lifespan.

Tufenkian Hand-Knotted Wool Rugs

Tufenkian’s hand-knotted wool rugs are among those rare items in the world that become more beautiful with age, and last for generations. Woven with magnificent wool and rare artisanship,they are as visually striking as they are artfully constructed. They stand above the rest, not just by virtue of their beauty, but also because of the artisanal processes by which they were made, and the character of their exceptionally fine materials. 

Now, these unique pieces can be yours.

Explore our collection of hand-knotted wool rugs, and talk to an expert to find the perfect carpet of your own today.