Yarn punched, latexed, backed, sheared — rich pile, detailed design.
The most versatile construction in the catalogue: hand-tufted rugs deliver deep pile and intricate designs at accessible lead times, and they are how many retail and hospitality programmes get made.
How the construction works
The design is traced onto stretched primary canvas. Tufters punch coloured yarn through the canvas with a hand-held tufting gun, following the outlines. The rug is then coated with a controlled latex layer to lock the tufts, backed with a secondary cotton or synthetic backing, sheared to level the pile, carved for high-low relief where the design calls for it, and finished.
- 2000–3500 GSM
- Cut, loop or cut & loop
- Rich detail
- Faster than knotted
Where hand-tufted belongs
- Detailed contemporary designs with soft colour blends.
- Retail programmes at 2000–3500 GSM served at scale.
- Hospitality guest rooms where budget and lead time both matter.
- Custom sizes and shapes — the design is drawn to your canvas.
Quality gates
- Latex curing time strictly controlled — the single largest source of long-term quality issues in poorly-made tufted rugs.
- Full-piece GSM verification at final QC.
- Backing bond and edge binding checked on every rug.
Frequently asked
What is a hand-tufted rug?
A hand-tufted rug is made by punching yarn through a stretched primary-canvas backing with a hand-held tufting gun, following a design drawn on the canvas. The tufts are then secured on the back with latex, a secondary backing is applied, and the surface is sheared and finished. The result is a full-pile rug — often with intricate designs and richer colour placement — produced far faster than a hand-knotted piece.
Hand-tufted vs hand-knotted: which is better?
Different tools for different jobs. Hand-knotted rugs last generations and cost accordingly. Hand-tufted rugs achieve rich pile and detailed designs at accessible lead times and price points, typically serving 10–20 years depending on traffic and the quality of the latex backing. For retail programmes, hospitality guest rooms and detailed contemporary designs, tufted is often the honest answer.
How is GSM specified on a tufted rug?
GSM (grams of pile per square metre) is the number to specify for tufted work — typical ranges are 2000–3500 GSM for standard programmes and higher for showpieces. We verify GSM on every finished piece: actual pile weight ÷ actual pile area must match the specified GSM.
Further reading on pihue.com
Want a tufted range?
Send designs and GSM targets. We return quotation, material recommendation and sampling plan the same working day.