What Is a Kilim Rug? Types, Materials, and How to Spot a Handwoven One
A kilim is not simply a thin rug. It is a different way of weaving a floor covering, with no pile at all, and that one difference explains how it looks, how it feels underfoot and how you should judge one before you buy.
A kilim is a handwoven rug with no pile. Instead of knots that stand up like fuzz, colored weft threads are woven tightly through the warp, so the pattern is part of the structure. That makes most kilims flat, fairly light and nearly the same on both sides, usually with bold geometric patterns.
- Kilims are flatwoven: no knots, no raised pile, a low profile of roughly 4 to 6 mm in our collection.
- Most plain kilims can be used on either side. Cicim kilims are the main exception, because their raised motifs leave loose yarn on the back.
- Names like goat hair, Oushak, cicim or söküntü describe different things: a fiber, a place, a technique or reused material.
- A handwoven kilim shows the same pattern on the back, and its fringe is usually the end of the warp rather than a strip sewn on.
- Age, material, condition and repairs matter more to value than a label alone.
What Is a Kilim Rug?
A kilim (pronounced kuh-LEEM) is a flatwoven textile made on a loom without pile. The word is usually traced to the Persian gelim; kilim is the Turkish form, and it is the name most English speakers know.
Kilims were not made only for floors. In village and nomadic households they also served as covers, wall hangings, cushions and storage bags, which is one reason they tend to be light and easy to fold. Today most people buy them as rugs, and many of the kilims in our handmade kilim rugs collection are vintage Anatolian pieces with decades of use behind them.
Kilims are one branch of a wider flatweave family. If you want to see where they sit among Turkish weaving traditions as a whole, our guide to types of Turkish rugs covers that bigger picture.
How a Kilim Is Woven, and What That Means for You
Every kilim starts with warp threads stretched on a loom. The weaver passes colored weft threads over and under them and packs each row down tightly, so the weft covers the warp and forms the pattern. There are no knots and nothing stands up from the surface. For a side-by-side look at how this compares with knotted rugs, see our guide to flatweave vs pile rugs.
Many kilims use a slit weave. Where two colors meet, each weft turns back around its own warp instead of linking to its neighbor, which leaves a small vertical slit along the color line. Museum collections describe kilims by this technique; this Ottoman-era kilim at The Met is one example. Not every kilim is slit-woven, but in those that are, the slits are why patterns favor diagonals, steps and diamonds over long vertical lines.
Three things follow from this structure:
- Two usable sides. Because the pattern is the weave itself, most kilims look nearly the same on the back. You can turn one over to spread wear.
- A low, flexible profile. A kilim lies close to the floor and folds easily, which helps near doors and under chairs.
- Handle the slits with care. On older slit-woven pieces, long slits are the places to check for loose or split yarn.
What Kilims Are Made Of, and How They Feel Underfoot
Warp and weft fibers vary from piece to piece. Most of the kilims in our collection are wool woven on a cotton warp, but the fiber changes the feel a great deal. Here is what you will find with us and what each one is like to live with. The thickness and age ranges in this guide come from the listed details of the kilims currently in our collection.
| Material | How it feels | Typical thickness in our collection | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wool on cotton warp | Firm but pleasant underfoot; the most familiar kilim feel | About 5–6 mm | Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms |
| Goat hair | Coarse and stiff; prickly on bare feet | About 4 mm | Entryways, hallways, rooms where people wear shoes |
| Hemp | Dry, firm and textured, often in natural undyed shades | About 5 mm | Calm, neutral rooms; offices; layered spaces |
| Cotton rag strips | Soft and slightly nubby; casual | About 5 mm | Bedrooms, kitchens, relaxed living spaces |
Goat hair weavings were traditionally used for hard-wearing pieces such as sacks and tent textiles, and that toughness is still the reason to choose one. If you want a kilim to sit on with children, wool or cotton is the kinder choice.
Kilims You'll See, and What Each Label Tells You
Kilim names are not a tidy classification. Some describe the fiber, some the place, some the technique and some the fact that old material was reused, so one rug can fit more than one label. Each card below says which kind of label it is.
Anatolian Kilims
Wool kilims woven in Anatolian villages, often with bold diamonds, stripes and stepped borders. Many in our collection are around 40 to 50 years old and about 6 mm thick.
Oushak Kilims
Flatweaves woven around Oushak (Uşak) in western Turkey, a region better known for its Oushak pile rugs. Ours are wool on cotton, mostly 20 to 30 years old and about 6 mm thick.
Raised-Pattern Kilims (Cicim)
A flat ground with extra yarn wrapped in to form small motifs that sit slightly above the surface. Because of that extra yarn, the back looks different from the front. Most of ours are 50 to 70 years old.
Goat Hair Kilims (Kıl)
Coarse, stiff and very hard-wearing, usually in dark natural tones with simple stripes. Most of ours are 30 to 40 years old and about 4 mm thick.
Hemp Kilims (Kendir)
Woven from hemp, often left in natural beige and ivory shades. Most of ours are 30 to 40 years old and about 5 mm thick.
Recycled Kilims (Söküntü)
Made from yarn taken out of older kilims, often 40 to 60 years old, then rewoven by hand into a new, usually modern design. See our recycled kilim rugs.
Rag Kilims (Chaput)
A traditional Anatolian rag weave, known in Turkish as çaput: worn clothing and fabric scraps are cut into strips, joined end to end and woven on a hand loom. Ours are cotton, most of them 30 to 40 years old.
Dhurries
India's own flatweave tradition. Most of the dhurries in our kilim collection are cotton, and most are 10 to 20 years old. More on the difference below.
You will also find floral Moldovan rose kilims and Aubusson and needlepoint rugs, a very different look from the geometric Anatolian pieces.
Kilim vs Rug: What's the Difference?
"Rug" is the general word; a kilim is one kind of rug. When people ask about the difference, they usually mean a kilim versus a knotted pile rug, such as a Persian or Oushak.
| Kilim | Knotted pile rug | |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Flat, no pile | Raised pile of cut knots |
| Back | Usually shows the same pattern | Shows the knot grid; not meant to be used |
| Weight | Light, folds easily | Heavier, stiffer |
| Underfoot | Firm, thin | Softer, more cushioned |
| Doors and chairs | Easy clearance | Depends on pile height |
Kilim vs Dhurrie
Both are flatwoven rugs with no pile, so they can look alike at first. The differences are tradition and fiber. A dhurrie is India's flatweave tradition and has traditionally been woven in cotton. Kilims come from a wider belt stretching from the Balkans through Anatolia and Iran to Central Asia, and are most often wool.
In practice, a cotton dhurrie tends to feel smoother and lighter, with crisp, often softer-toned patterns, while a wool kilim feels warmer and a little springier. Both sit low on the floor.
How to Spot a Handwoven Kilim
Kilim-style patterns are easy to copy by machine. The structure is harder to fake. These checks work in person and, with the right photos, online.
1. Turn over a corner
On a handwoven plain-weave kilim, the back shows the same pattern as the front. A printed rug usually has a plain or blurred back. A pattern that shows on both sides tells you the design is woven rather than printed; it does not prove hand weaving on its own.
2. Follow the fringe
On a handwoven kilim, the fringe is usually the end of the warp threads that run through the whole rug. Fringe sewn onto the edge is common on machine-made rugs, though an old kilim may also have had its fringe repaired.
3. Look at the color lines
Small slits where two colors meet and slightly uneven edges are typical of hand weaving. Very straight edges and identical repeats are not proof on their own, but they are worth a closer look.
4. Expect gentle color shifts
Handspun and hand-dyed yarn takes color unevenly, so bands of lighter and darker tone are normal. Our guide to abrash explains why.
No single sign proves a kilim is handwoven. Look at several of them together, and if a listing leaves you unsure, ask for photos of the back, the edges and the fringe.
If you are comparing construction across other handmade rugs as well, our guide to hand-knotted vs machine-made rugs covers the pile-rug side.
What to check in an online kilim listing
- A photo of the back. A folded corner is enough to show whether the pattern goes through. Most of our listings include one.
- Edge and fringe close-ups. They show whether the fringe is part of the warp and how worn the ends are.
- Condition close-ups. Look for thin areas, loose slits, moth damage and repairs.
- Exact size, and whether it includes fringe. Handmade kilims rarely match standard size names to the inch.
- Material. Wool, goat hair, hemp and cotton feel very different underfoot.
- What the age refers to. For a recycled kilim, the age may describe the yarn, not the weaving. Ask if it is unclear.
Are Kilim Rugs Valuable?
They can be, but value depends on the individual piece rather than on the word "kilim." Buyers and dealers usually weigh the same handful of factors:
- Age. Older pieces in good condition are harder to find.
- Material and dyes. Good wool and well-fixed, natural-looking color age better.
- Weave density. A tight, even weave lies flat and wears longer.
- Condition and repairs. Honest, well-done repairs are normal on vintage kilims; hidden or careless ones lower value.
- What is old and what is new. A recycled kilim can be woven recently from yarn that is decades old. Both facts are useful, but they are different facts.
If you are buying vintage, our checklist on what to look for when buying a vintage rug goes into condition in more detail.
Kilim Motifs, Briefly
Because slit weaving favors angles, kilim motifs tend to be sharp and geometric: diamonds, hooks, stars and stepped forms. Many of them carry traditional meanings in Anatolian weaving. We explain the best-known ones in our guide to kilim motifs and their meanings.
Living With a Kilim
A kilim's low profile is its practical advantage. It clears most doors, lets dining chairs slide, and works well as a hallway runner or under a bed where a thick rug would feel heavy.
Use a thin, non-slip rug pad: kilims are light and can slide or ripple on hard floors. Turn the rug over or around now and then to spread wear. For any cleaning, including spills, take it to a professional rug cleaner who handles handmade flatweaves.
Every kilim we sell is one of a kind and ships free worldwide. Before you order, check the exact size and the close-up photos. Unused rugs in their original condition can be returned within 14 days of delivery under our refund policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pronounce kilim?
Are kilims reversible?
Are kilims soft or scratchy?
What are the pros and cons of kilim rugs?
Do kilims need a rug pad?
Are kilims good for high-traffic areas?
How do you wash a kilim?
Is a kilim a Turkish rug?
Is a recycled kilim as old as its yarn?
Compare goat hair, hemp, cicim, Oushak and recycled pieces side by side, each one a single, one-of-a-kind rug.
Browse our kilim rugs
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