The story of Moroccan Rugs begins with the indigenous people of North Africa, the Imazighen (meaning free people). The origin of Moroccan rugs, also known as Amazigh rugs dates back several Millenia. The hand-spun cloth they created was named after the individual tribe. Each tribe their own style.
To understand Moroccan Amazigh rugs' uniqueness, it's essential to understand the process behind each rug.
1. Sourcing the material
Our rugs are made from premium live sheep wool. The sheeps live in the Atlas Mountains and are part of the family's livestock that they take care of, everyday. Once the sheep is sheared, the wool is then washed in the river to remove dirt and any derby.
2. Hand spinning of the wool
There are no machines involved. All our wool is 100% hand-spun.
3. Natural dying
Wool comes naturally in white or beige/brown. When dyeing the wool the women use indigenous dyeing methods. The natural dye is made from: Saffron flowers, Nila powder (Indigo mineral from the Sahara), walnuts hulls, pomegranate skin, Rubia (madder) and more. The wool has to soak, sometimes for days to soak the colors.
4. Drying the colors
5. Preparing the Loom
This step, marks the start of weaving the Rug after weeks of preparation.
6. Weaving on the loom
Moroccan rugs take two artisans to make, usually a combination of mother and daughters working together to create a rug based on the image and memory in their head. The freedom in design and patterns in each rug allows the artisans to unleash their full creativity in the Moroccan rug-making process. Each artisan will design rugs based on their intuition, feelings, and signature designs, allowing for a large diversity of colors, designs, and sizes. Learn more about our FREE ART collection.
7. Washing
Washing is done, using special techniques by only natural products to ensure a soft rug that can be passed down from generation to generation.
These processes are achieved with a strenuous washing procedure using fresh water and eco-friendly materials and natural herbs until the rugs are fully clean and take on a fluffy texture and an enhanced look.
Our Noble Rugs from the Soft & Classic and Abstract collection go through a very special washing process. These rugs are washed up to 5 times to reduce any shedding and shrinking one the rug arrives at your home. Do achieve this we make all our Noble Rugs 10% larger before washing and drying.
8. Drying
After washing and softening, your rug will be dried outdoors in the sun for up to 5 days until completely dry.
Making a Moroccan rug can take up to a year from sourcing the raw material to eventually drying the rug after it's been weaved. And while this is a long and extensive proces, it's the knowledge and heart, passed down from generation to generation that makes these rugs so special for generations to come.