Vintage Hemp Rugs

Vintage hemp rugs from Anatolia: rare flat-woven pieces made from natural hemp fiber in the 1960s, each one of a kind.

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Vintage Hemp Rugs from Anatolia

A hemp rug is woven from the fiber of the hemp plant instead of wool. In Anatolian villages, hemp was grown for rope, sacks and textiles, and some weavers used it to make strong, flat-woven floor rugs. The pieces in this collection were handwoven in the 1960s, with both the surface and the foundation made of hemp. They are rare, and there is only one of each.

What Is Hemp?

Hemp is a natural bast fiber taken from the stalk of the industrial hemp plant. It is one of the oldest textile fibers in the world. Industrial hemp is grown for fiber and is not used as a drug. Hemp fiber is long, strong and naturally textured, and it softens with use.

Hemp vs. Wool vs. Jute

  • Hemp: strong, dry-handed and textured, with a natural, earthy look.
  • Wool: softer and springier, takes dye more deeply. See handmade wool rugs.
  • Jute: also a plant fiber, but coarser and less durable than hemp in high-traffic areas.

Caring for a Hemp Rug

  • Vacuum gently or shake out to remove dust.
  • Blot spills quickly and avoid soaking the rug.
  • Use a rug pad to keep a flat-woven rug from sliding.

Explore more natural, flat-woven pieces in vintage kilims and natural fiber rugs.

What is a hemp rug?

A rug woven from hemp fiber, which comes from the stalk of the industrial hemp plant. The rugs in this collection are vintage flat-weaves from Anatolia with a hemp surface and hemp foundation.
Is hemp the same as cannabis?

Industrial hemp is a variety grown for fiber. Its fiber has been used for rope and textiles for thousands of years and is not used as a drug.
Is a hemp rug soft?

Hemp has a drier, more textured feel than wool. Vintage hemp rugs have softened with decades of use, but they are still firmer underfoot than a wool pile rug.
Are hemp rugs durable?

Yes. Hemp is one of the strongest natural fibers, which is why it was traditionally used for rope and sacks.
Why are there so few hemp rugs?

Most Anatolian rugs were woven from wool. Hemp floor rugs were made in smaller numbers and fewer survive, so we add them as we find them.