A smooth flat-woven Oriental rug, made much like Navajo rugs, without pile. Also know as “gelim” in Persia or “ durrie” in India. These hand woven rugs are generally made entirely from wool. Kilims have traditionally been woven in all the major rug weaving countries such as Turkey, Iran, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central Asia as well as North Africa. Kilims tend to have a more graphic and informal look. I personally really love kilims because they were often not woven for commercial export and as such, tend to retain the oldest and most traditional designs (although we carry kilims in modern designs too). Kilims generally do not last as long in floor use as the thicker knotted pile carpets (perhaps an average of about 25 years compared to 50-80 years of use for a hand knotted pile carpet). But they also cost a fraction the price of knotted pile carpets.
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