"Indo" & "Pak" Rugs: A Quick Read

When a rug dealer labels a rug with "Indo" or "Pak" he or she is informing you of two things.

• First, the dealer is letting you know that the rug has not been made in the same location as the rest of its name implies.
• Second, the dealer is letting you know the rug's actual origin.

Let's explain this further.

Say you found an "Indo Viss" rug that just knocks your socks off. First, you can assume that the design is representative of what is traditionally known in the industry as a Persian Viss Rug . This means the design likely has a hexagonal motif like the one you see below. Viss rugs became popular for exports in the 1960s when families in the West Persia regions of Arak and Isfahan cultivated a particularly high-quality style with the geometric and bordered design shown here.

However, because you see the preface "Indo," you can also assume that this rug was not made in West Persia, Iran. Instead, it was produced by rug weavers in India.

The Indian carpet weaving industry has become especially popular in recent decades. In fact, sales to the U.S. account for almost 90% of Indian rug exports. (http://cepc.co.in) Just as in Persia, there are special regions in India that are most well-known for rug weaving. You can see in the image below the important carpet clusters.

Indian handmade carpets are known for high-quality materials and dyes. These rugs last and can be passed down from generation to generation. Likewise, the preface "Pak" indicates that a rug was actually made in Pakistan but carries the traditional design of another location. Given the current restrictions on Iranian rug imports , we are especially grateful for the excellent productions found around the world.

We carry an especially large collection of Indian handmade rugs . To learn more about how to tell the quality and value of a rug, visit our blog post with tips on how to buy Indian handmade rugs .