| The designs of these silk carpets create a dilemma of choice. Marketing plays the most important role in the choice of design. Most carpets are machine made today. This increases productivity, allows manufacturers to change styles to suit the market, and produce much less expensive carpets for a wider audience.
A significant portion of the market is faux-silk. Polyester and nylon can be coaxed into creating a passable substitute for the real thing. The cheaper examples are have a glare rather than a sheen and the colors are just a bit too bright. Faux-silk is being improved all the time to provide a more affordable alternative for the mass market. Soon, only an expert will be able to tell the difference.
Wool carpets have a larger market share. Again, most are machine made. Patterns range from traditional Chinese designs, to Persian, Indian, and most recently the Afghan Chobi designs. While China produces more wool than any other country, it imports wool from New Zealand, Australia, the UK, the US, and the Mid-East. Different areas produce wool with different qualities. China's wool is mostly used in carpets.
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