Technique
Hand-Knotted Rugs
Definition: individually tied pile knots on a warp
A hand-knotted rug is constructed by skilled artisans who tie each pile knot individually around the warp threads of a traditional loom — a technique that has remained structurally unchanged for over a thousand years. Quality is measured in KPSI (knots per square inch): a tribal rug may have 30–80 KPSI; a premium luxury rug, 100–400 KPSI or higher.
Higher KPSI produces finer pattern resolution, greater structural integrity, and longer lifespan. Premium hand-knotted rugs are considered heirloom objects — with proper care, they may endure for a century or more. Planet Arts manufactures hand-knotted rugs across all three collections: Aura, Magna, and Impact.
Technique
Hand-Tufted Rugs
Definition: hand-guided yarn insertion through a backing
In hand-tufting, an artisan guides a tufting gun — a handheld device that pushes yarn through a primary backing fabric stretched on a frame. The loops are then secured with a latex adhesive and a secondary backing applied. Unlike hand-knotting, tufting does not involve individual knots: the pile is held collectively by the backing system.
Hand-tufted rugs offer significant flexibility in surface design — three-dimensional pile effects, sculptural relief, and complex colour transitions are all achievable. Lead times are typically shorter than hand-knotted production, making tufted rugs suitable for projects with defined timelines. Planet Arts manufactures hand-tufted rugs primarily within the Aura and Impact collections.
Technique
Flatweave Rugs
Definition: pile-free woven textile with interlaced warp and weft
Flatweave rugs are constructed entirely by interlacing warp and weft threads — with no pile element. The result is a flat, dense textile surface with crisp geometric pattern definition, full reversibility, and a lighter weight than pile rugs. Flatweave construction demands precise weft placement: every thread contributes to pattern accuracy.
The flatweave category encompasses multiple regional traditions including kilims, dhurries, soumaks, and tapestry-woven textiles. Planet Arts manufactures flatweave rugs in cotton, wool, linen, and blended materials across the Aura collection and as commissioned custom pieces.
Tradition
Kilim Rugs
Definition: Central/South Asian slit-weave flatweave textile
A kilim is a flatweave rug constructed using a slit-weave or interlocking weft technique, producing bold geometric patterns across a pile-free surface. The technique originates in Central Asian and Anatolian weaving traditions, with strong roots in South Asian textile culture. Kilims are fully reversible and typically lighter than pile rugs of comparable size.
The geometric vocabulary of kilim weaving — stepped motifs, diamond forms, chevron patterns — has deep historical and cultural significance. Planet Arts manufactures kilims in both traditional geometric interpretations and contemporary design adaptations developed for modern interior applications, using wool and natural dye processes.
Tradition
Dhurrie Rugs
Definition: traditional Indian cotton or wool flatweave
The dhurrie is a distinctly Indian flatweave textile tradition, practiced across Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab for centuries. Dhurries are typically woven on pit looms from cotton or wool, producing a flat, lightweight, reversible textile with a soft, pliable hand and clean graphic pattern resolution. The dhurrie's flat construction makes it well-suited to warm climates and indoor-outdoor transitions.
Planet Arts manufactures dhurries in contemporary interpretations of the traditional form — clean geometric compositions, muted palettes, and refined pattern structures that position the dhurrie within modern luxury interiors without erasing its cultural origins.
Material
Wool Rugs
Definition: pile or flatweave rug constructed from natural wool fibre
Wool is the most widely used material in luxury handmade rug production, prized for its natural resilience, excellent colour absorption, tactile warmth, and durability under traffic. New Zealand wool — with its long staple length and natural lustre — is considered the premium grade for pile rug manufacturing. Tibetan highland wool is valued for its dense, matte texture and organic character.
Hand-spun wool, produced using traditional spinning methods, creates yarn with natural thickness variation — generating subtle tonal surface movement known as abrash, considered a mark of authentic handmade production. Planet Arts uses New Zealand wool, Tibetan wool, and hand-spun wool across all three collections.
Material
Silk Rugs
Definition: handmade rug with pure silk pile construction
Pure silk rugs represent the pinnacle of handmade rug production. Silk's fine filament diameter allows for the highest achievable knot density, producing extraordinary pattern resolution and a characteristic luminosity — a surface that appears to change colour with shifts in viewing angle and light direction. Silk pile rugs are among the most technically demanding products in the handmade rug industry.
Silk rugs require specialist artisans with extensive experience working with the delicate fibre. They are primarily suited to formal living spaces, display environments, and low-traffic luxury interiors. Planet Arts manufactures pure silk rugs within the Magna collection and as bespoke commissioned pieces.
Material
Bamboo Silk Rugs
Definition: plant-derived fibre with silk-like visual and tactile properties
Bamboo silk is a regenerated plant fibre produced from bamboo cellulose through a wet-spinning process. The resulting yarn has visual and tactile characteristics comparable to pure silk — including a characteristic surface sheen and smooth, cool hand — but with greater resilience under residential use conditions and lower sensitivity to maintenance than pure silk.
In luxury rug manufacturing, bamboo silk is used as both a primary pile fibre and as a surface highlight material in combination with wool — creating sheen contrast that emphasises pattern definition. Planet Arts uses bamboo silk primarily in the Aura collection for contemporary soft luxury applications.