How Vintage Yarn Gives New Life to Beautiful Rugs

Every handmade rug has a story. Sometimes the yarn does too.

Most handmade rugs begin with newly spun wool. Vintage Yarn Kilims are different.

These beautiful rugs are handwoven in central Turkey using a unique process. Wool salvaged from antique and vintage kilims is meticulously sorted, washed and re-spun before being rewoven on traditional looms in Ushak.

It's a painstaking process that gives the finished rug an added sense of history while making thoughtful use of reclaimed materials – a wonderful example of traditional craftsmanship and sustainability working hand in hand.

It's a fascinating process and one that makes this collection particularly special.

Two handmade vintage yarn kilims rugs side by side

From one beautiful rug to another

Unlike most new rugs, Vintage Yarn Kilims begin their life as an older handmade kilim.

Rather than allowing beautiful wool to go to waste, the yarn is carefully reclaimed, cleaned, washed, re-spun and re-dyed before being woven into an entirely new rug. The result is a fresh design that still carries the character and history of the reclaimed wool.

Close-up showing the texture and detail of a handwoven Vintage Yarn Kilim.

Woven using traditional techniques

Once the yarn has been prepared, skilled weavers in Ushak use traditional looms to create entirely new kilims by hand.

Although the wool has lived a previous life, every rug is newly woven using techniques that have been passed down through generations.

Traditional hand weaving of a Turkish Vintage Yarn Kilim on a loom in Ushak

Why we love Vintage Yarn Kilims

There are many reasons Vintage Yarn Kilims have become one of our favourite collections. Their beautiful handwoven craftsmanship, thoughtful use of reclaimed natural materials, lightweight practicality and rich, characterful colours make them wonderfully versatile around the home. Most of all, every rug has its own unique story, making each piece completely individual.

If you'd like to learn more about handmade kilim rugs and where they work best in the home, we've covered them in more detail in our Guide to Flatweave Rugs.

See the collection for yourself

If you're visiting Sussex, we'd be delighted to show you our Vintage Yarn Kilim collection in our Petworth showroom. If you're browsing from home, you can explore our full range of handmade rugs online.