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Carpets and rugs (Teppiche) are used all over the world, and have a cultural and economic significance in many world cultures. Exotic carpets were initially spread along the early trade routes between Asia and Europe, with many countries in Asia and the Middle East still well known for their carpet design and manufacture.
Some of the many cultures who are most well known for their production of carpets and rugs include Persia, Morocco, Bulgaria, Turkey, France, England, India, China, Spain, and Pakistan. In many of these countries, the terms carpet and rug are used interchangeably, even though the majority of traditional carpets do not fulfil the modern definition of a “wall to wall” carpet.

The earliest carpets of them all are said to come from the region of Central Asia, with evidence of their production between the 3rd and 2nd BCE. However, there is evidence of goats and sheep being sheared for their wool as far back as 6000 BCE, with clothes and floor coverings two of the most likely uses of the wool produced. Along with some cultures like Morocco and Turkey who are well known for spreading their carpets around the world, there are also a number of other cultures who produced carpets almost exclusively for internal consumption. China is perhaps the best example of a culture with a strong tradition in carpets, where export did not begin until the 19th century.

Turkish carpets are perhaps the most famous carpets in the world, with examples first becoming known in a number of European paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries. Indian carpets are also famous around the world, with the art of weaving developed in India long before it was in many other cultures. A number of European countries are also famous for their carpets, although their history does not go back nearly as far. Oriental carpets were first introduced into Europe in the 11th century, and were mostly used on walls and tables until the 18th century. Since this time, there has been a strong growth in the manufacture of carpets in Europe, especially in France, Spain, and the United Kingdom.