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.