Cotton, Wool and silk are the most important materials used in Indian carpets, the majority of which are woven with wool pile and cotton warp and weft threads. Both local Indian and imported New Zealand wool are used, with the best quality rugs woven with imported wool or a blend of imported and local wool. The majority of India rugs are custom-made with speechified designs, colors, sizes and quality grades. During the 1930s copies of Sarouks intended for North American markets were woven with a central Medallion and detached floral sprays on a red background. Currently patters such as medallion -and -corner repeated motifs, panels, and prayer designs reminiscent of Persian and Caucasian rugs are made. Agra rugs have wool pile and cotton warps and wefts. Silk occasionally is used to accentuate certain motifs.

The Mogul emperor Akbar brought the art of carpet weaving to India in the 16th century. He brought Persian weavers from Kashan, Isfahan, and Kerman to his imperial courts and established workshops for the weaving of carpets. These early Indian rugs were very similar to those of Persia in both design and weaving technique, unfortunately, royal patronage of the India rug industry ended as the Mogul Empire began to break apart in the early 18th century. In 1600, less than a hundred years after weaving was brought to India, British merchants established India’s first carpet-weaving firm in Lahore (Now in Pakistan). Other weaving workshops soon were established in Amritsar, Agra and Dehli. The city of Agra is situated 125 miles Southeast of New Delhi. Carpet weaving has been done here since the early 17th century and flourished under Mogul patronage