Ushak rugs (alternative spellings: Oushak, Usak) are hand-knotted rugs produced in and around the city of Uşak in west-central Anatolia, Turkey. The Ushak weaving tradition is one of the oldest and most historically influential in all of Oriental rug history — Ushak rugs were exported to Europe in significant numbers starting in the 15th century, and their designs appear in numerous European Renaissance paintings.
Historical Ushak categories (15th–17th centuries):
- Medallion Ushak — featuring a large central medallion with floral pendants, set in a richly patterned field
- Star Ushak — characterized by repeating eight-pointed star medallions on a red ground
- Lotto rugs — named after the painter Lorenzo Lotto, who depicted them in his paintings; characterized by a yellow lattice pattern on a red ground, with stylized floral elements
- Holbein rugs — named after Hans Holbein the Younger; featuring small dense geometric medallions
- Bird Ushak — featuring stylized bird motifs around floral elements
- Prayer Ushak — featuring the characteristic mihrab niche design
Distinguishing features of antique Ushak rugs:
- Softer, more relaxed color palettes than most Anatolian production — soft red, terracotta, ivory, gold, soft blue
- Larger scale — Ushak production included many room-sized carpets, where other Anatolian regions typically produced smaller scatter and area rugs
- Symmetric (Turkish) knot
- All-wool construction with cotton wefts in some periods
- Distinctive design aesthetic that influenced both Eastern and Western design traditions
Modern Ushak production:
Contemporary Ushak rugs (often spelled "Oushak" in the trade) represent one of the largest categories in today's market. Modern Ushak rugs typically feature:
- Adapted classical designs — softer, less detailed interpretations of historical patterns aimed at contemporary interiors
- Larger room-sized formats — 9x12, 10x14, and oversize pieces are common
- Deliberately faded, "antique-look" finish — chemical washing produces the soft palette that has made modern Oushaks one of the most popular categories in interior design
- Vegetable-dye production in higher-end pieces; commercial dyes in lower price tiers
- Wool pile, cotton foundation
In the contemporary rug market, modern Oushak rugs are among the most widely used categories in transitional and traditional interior design — their soft palettes work especially well with neutral, earth-tone, and contemporary color schemes.