The domestication of sheep and goats in Europe stimulated the use of skins and hides for a variety of purposes, including clothing, blankets, and other domestic uses. Around 1500 BC, the first wool fiber textile was introduced in Europe and gave rise to weaving crafts and the expanded use of wool in an even wider range of domestic uses, including rugs.

As domestic animal husbandry techniques improved and developed over the centuries, wool became a ever more important commercial and trade commodity. By the middle ages, wool was considered as a product favorable for business opportunities, and as time passed new ideas and techniques were developed to produce wool textile products in different configurations, colors and patterns. Wool rug and other wool product manufacturing became a major force in international trade.

Some of these very ancient hand crafted rug styles are still highly prized, like the very popular Persian Rugs. They have superior quality and unique and fine quality designs. Their intricate designs and vivid colors are hand made of superior quality with extraordinary designs. These Persian rugs are classic examples of traditional styles and designs of the wool rugs and are still hand made by expert craftsmen.

The specialty of Persian rugs is that they include single or multiple motifs. Motifs refer to the number of patterns used in the Persian and oriental rugs. They are basically used for different types of rugs. They use the hand woven technique to produce these rugs. The designs and patterns are carefully done with curvilinear and intricate designs and seem a complicated task but look stunning.

The allure and appreciation for wool rugs has continued over the centuries and today there are produced a wide range of contemporary and modern styled wool rugs. Many are still hand made, for classic construction; either hand woven, hand tufted or hand knotted, but the demand for economical wool rugs that can be mass produced has resulted in modern power looming technology and the machine made wool rug. These contemporary wool rugs are made in very bold modern designs, patterns and colors as well as an amazing variety of shapes.

Classical construction is still popular in contemporary and modern styled wool rugs. Hand tufting and hand knotted contemporary wool rugs are highly appealing for home which strive for an upscale and high style home decor.

Hand tufting has special features which have made it very popular. This technique can provided a desirable carved effect due to the different pile heights. The hand tufted techniques basically refers to the cutting actions which enable to produce a cut pile tufted rug, carpet or wall hanging. The hand tufting "gun" is a hand tool which has the ability to cut pile to loop pile or modify the height of pile in a short period of time. It can even switch from an even sided cut pile to a "J" tuft. These special features has made the hand tufted technique popular.

The Hand-knotting is another popular technique used by craftsmen. The rugs are produced in a manner which offers a pre-determined height to give the pile uniformity. The value of this technique is that a hand-knotted rug depends on the number of knots per square inch. The more knots per square inch the more valuable the rug.

The enduring popularity of wool rugs is primarily due to the fact that if properly cared for, they last for a lifetime and retain their softness, color and appeal. For a tremendous selection of both traditional and contemporary wool rugs, the best shopping today are reliable online rug sellers like Hollywood Love Rugs.

Frank Conn, the Hollywood Rug Man, has sold unique and exotic area rugs to the Entertainment Industry and it's many celebrities for over thirty years. For a personal consultation on your area rug and home decor needs, visit his online rug store at Area Rug and Home Decor