When you are shopping around for some comfy rugs for the house it’s important that you understand what the term pile refers to. You will probably come across the term pretty often and it’s easy to gloss over words that seem a little too specific to the textile industry. However, knowing what the word pile means will help you to find the ideal rug.

This is particularly the case if you are shopping online because descriptions and your understanding of them matter than little bit more. So, the word pile: what does it mean?

It actually refers to the thickness or depth of the weave. Rugs can be flat woven or they can have a deep or shallow pile. Instead of saying deep and shallow, others may differentiate between high and low pile. These terms are interchangeable. The important thing to remember is that a deep or high pile means that a rug is thick, while a shallow or low pile refers to a thinner rug.

When you are after comfort, you may be able to get away with a medium pile rug or a high quality low pile rug that is really soft to the touch, but the comfiest will be synthetic or wool rugs with a deeper pile.