Azilal Rugs

Azilal rugs come from the villages around Azilal, high in Morocco's central High Atlas, and they are the most expressive branch of Berber weaving. Unlike the restrained ivory of a Beni Ourain, an Azilal rug is a weaver's free drawing: scattered diamonds, stars, ladders, zigzags and abstract symbols in black, indigo, terracotta, saffron and soft neutrals, set on a wool ground. Each motif is improvised rather than copied, which is why no two Azilal rugs in this collection are alike.

Azilal rugs are traditionally woven by the women of the Aït Atta and related tribes, using hand-spun wool. The white and cream grounds are natural fleece, while the darker and colored motifs are dyed with plant-based colorants — indigo for blue, madder for red, saffron and wildflowers for yellow. The pile is soft and flat in feel but dense and hard-wearing, which makes Azilal rugs a popular choice for living rooms, studios and creative workspaces where the rug itself is the main design statement.

This collection gathers more than 30 Azilal rugs in a wide spread of palettes — from predominantly black-and-ivory pieces to rugs with bold indigo and rust accents. Sizes cover 8×10 and 6×9, with custom weaving available on most designs. If you want the character of a handmade Berber rug with more visual energy than a classic Beni Ourain, an Azilal is the natural choice.