Did you know that a Kelim can, in principle, be used on both sides? This is due to the flat weaving technique: as there is no pile protruding on one side, the reverse side looks almost identical to the front. This means a Kelim is potentially reversible, although this is no guarantee for every individual piece after years of use. The broader difference compared to a hand-knotted rug, to which this does not apply, is set out in Hand-knotted versus flat-woven.
Reversibility in facts
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| What it is | Non-pile fabric; warp and weft threads cross at right angles |
| Consequence | The front and back look very similar |
| Practical limit | Wear and discolouration caused by use mean that, over time, the sides become less identical |
| Advantage | More even wear by using both sides in turn |
Flat weave makes both sides usable
Flat weave is a technique without a pile, in which the warp and weft threads interlace directly. As there is no layer on top of the fabric, as with a knotted pile, there is no distinct right side or wrong side to the fabric itself.
Three points to note regarding that reversibility:
- Fringing around the edge can help define the look of the rug, even without pile.
- Discolouration caused by sunlight or underfloor heating occurs on the side facing upwards, not on the other side.
- After years of use, one side may show more signs of wear than the other.
- Samira Kelim rug red: Without any frills, the focus here is entirely on the flat fabric itself, which makes the reversibility all the more apparent.
- Lily Kelim rug red: the fringe at the edge does not alter the flat, reversible nature of the fabric within that edge.
- Lena Kelim rug red: this rug, too, demonstrates how a flat-woven, fringe-less kilim looks almost identical on both sides.
- Ayoub Kelim rug red: even with fringing, the principle remains the same: the flat structure within the border can be used on both sides.
Use of reversibility
Turn a Kelim over from time to time if you want to ensure even wear, particularly in areas with heavy foot traffic or direct sunlight. This way, you spread the wear across both sides rather than always putting strain on the same side. Are you still undecided between a Kelim and a hand-knotted Berber rug in general? That broader distinction is explained in Berber or Kilim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily identical, but functionally usable on both sides due to the absence of a polarity. Minor differences due to manufacturing or use are possible.
Wear and discolouration may cause the sides to become less uniform after years of use, but the flat weave technique itself remains usable on both sides.
No, the pile on the front and the knot structure on the back mean that a hand-knotted rug cannot be turned over and used on both sides. See Hand-knotted versus flat-woven for that distinction.
