Why Are Rugs So Expensive? What Drives the Price of a Rug
Rugs get expensive for four reasons: what the yarn is made of, how it was made, how much of it is packed into each square metre, and how big the rug is. A wool rug tufted by hand will usually cost more than a power-loomed polypropylene rug of the same size, because the fibre costs more and the work takes longer. Size then multiplies everything.
The good news is that you can read most of this straight off a product page. Here is what each factor means, using rugs from our own range as examples.
Fibre: why wool rugs cost more
Wool is the main reason one rug costs more than another that looks similar in a photo. As a raw fibre it costs more than polypropylene, which is a plastic yarn spun in a factory.
Wool earns that price in rooms where a rug takes real traffic. It resists crushing, it holds dye well, and it is naturally flame resistant. Expect it to shed at first; that settles down over time.
Our wool rugs show how wide the spread is inside one fibre. The Highlands range is table tufted by hand from New Zealand wool with a 20mm pile, and it is machine washable, which is rare for wool. Eco Breeze is handcrafted in India from 100% organic wool with a 20mm cut and loop pile. Natura Black is a flat 7mm rug handwoven from recycled wool.
Synthetics sit lower on price. Heat-set polypropylene is the workhorse of modern rugs: as a general rule it resists stains and holds its colour, and it is cheap to produce. Polyester is softer and is used for fluffy and printed rugs. Many rugs blend the two to get a softer feel at a lower cost.
Construction: how it was made matters most
Two rugs in the same fibre can be worlds apart on price because of how long they took to make. A power loom can produce a rug in a fraction of the time it takes a person with a tufting gun, and a hand-knotted rug can take months.
| Construction | How it is made | Example | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power loomed | A machine weaves the pile into a backing at speed | Aura 776, Paradise 400 | Machine |
| Printed | The design is printed onto a short polyester pile | Peri 100 machine washable | Machine |
| Machine flatweave | Yarn woven flat with no pile | Sunset 608 outdoor rug | Machine |
| Hand or table tufted | Yarn punched through a backing with a tufting gun, then sealed | Highlands wool | Hand, with a tufting gun |
| Handwoven | Woven on a loom by hand | Natura Black | Hand, on a loom |
| Hand knotted | Every knot tied around the warp threads by hand | Traditional Persian rugs | Hand, knot by knot |
The more of the work done by hand, the more hours go into each rug, which is why hand-knotted pieces sit at the top of the market. We cover the last two rows in more depth in hand-tufted vs hand-knotted rugs.
Machine-made does not mean poorly made. The Aura 776 is power loomed in Turkey from a blend of heat-set polypropylene, acrylic and polyester, with metal yarn details and a jute backing. It looks detailed because the loom can place colour precisely.
Density: read the weight per square metre
Pile height tells you how tall the yarn is. Weight per square metre tells you roughly how much material went into it. The second number is the better guide to quality and price.
Here is how a few rugs from our range compare:
| Rug | Fibre | Pile or thickness | Weight per m2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amigo 331 kids rug | 100% heat-set polypropylene | 13mm | 2.85kg |
| Aura 776 | Polypropylene, acrylic and polyester blend | 12mm | 2.2kg |
| Paradise 400 fluffy rug | 100% polyester | 23mm | 1.7kg |
| Sunset 608 outdoor rug | 100% polypropylene flatweave | Flat | 1.65kg |
| Peri 100 washable rug | 100% polyester, printed | 8mm | 1.1kg |
Notice the Paradise 400. Its pile is nearly twice as tall as the Amigo's, yet it carries less yarn per square metre. Tall and fluffy is a different thing from dense.
A denser rug costs more to make because it uses more yarn. As a rule it also holds its shape longer under foot traffic, so the extra cost often comes back as years of use.
Size: the price grows with the floor area
This one is easy to underestimate. A rug's cost tracks its area, and area climbs fast as both sides grow.
Take the three Highlands sizes. A 160x230cm rug covers 3.68m2. A 200x290cm rug covers 5.8m2. A 240x330cm rug covers 7.92m2, which is more than twice the first.
So a large rug in a modest fibre can cost more than a small rug in wool. If the budget is tight, measure the room before you shop and buy the size it needs rather than the next one up.
Origin, design and brand
Where a rug is made changes its price. Labour costs differ between countries, and some regions carry a reputation that adds value on its own. Antique hand-knotted Persian rugs are the extreme case.
Design adds cost too. More colours mean more yarn changes, and features like the carved 3D effect on the Amigo range or shrink yarns that stand proud of the pile add steps on the loom.
A designer name adds a premium on top. That premium buys the design and the label, and it does not always buy a denser or longer-lasting rug.
Is an expensive rug worth it?
It depends on the room. In a hallway, a family room or under a dining table, a dense wool rug or a heavy heat-set polypropylene rug will outlast a cheaper, lighter one. Spending more there usually pays off.
In a bedroom or a spare room where nobody wears shoes, a lighter rug does the job. Spend the money on size and look instead.
Households with kids or pets have a third option. Our machine washable rugs go in the washing machine, so a spill costs you a wash cycle. The Peri 100 rugs are rated for a cold wash up to five times.
How to get a good rug for less
- Compare weight per square metre between rugs of the same size, and pick the heavier one.
- Choose heat-set polypropylene for busy rooms if wool is out of budget.
- Buy the size the room needs. Every step up in size adds floor area, and the price follows.
- Put an anti-slip underlay under it so it stays flat and does not ruck up.
- Check the clearance collection before paying full price.
Our clearance rugs are a good place to start, with free delivery on rugs over $50 and 21-day returns.
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