Over the centuries, Persian handknotted rugs have become cherished heirlooms that are passed from generation to generation. It was in the 16th Century Persian rug exports first began. During the 1850s, English, German and American companies established rug factories in Tabriz, Mashed, Sultanabad (now Arak) and Kerman, making sure that the art form's of hand weaving rugs continued expansion.

Persian rugs today still boast very high quality standards, commanding a very vigorous interest in world markets. Large city rug work shops were once an important factor of rugs production in the past, today's rug weaving is fashioned along the lines of a cottage industry in smaller towns and vilages. Handknotted rugs are ususally named after the reletive reagion, town or village village where they were origionaly designed and woven or in the case of Nomadic tribes by the name of the weaving tribe. Each rugs pattern, colour and weave are linked with the idividual culture.. Popular rug styles today include Abadeh, Bidjar, Gabbeh, Heriz, Keshan, Kirman (Kerman), Mashad (Mashhad), Meshed, Nain, Tabriz, Kazak, Khan, Nahzat and Zeigler.

Handknotted rugs do not come cheap they are expensive because they're made by hand taking days or weeks to make a single rug. Each rug is unique.