Buying guide · 9 min

What is KPSI and does it matter?

Editorial team · updated 2026-10-03

How to count

Count knots along one inch horizontally and one inch vertically on the back, then multiply.

Typical ranges

  • Tribal and village rugs: often under 100 KPSI
  • Good city rugs: around 150–300 KPSI
  • Very fine silk rugs: can exceed 500 KPSI

Beyond density

Wool quality, dyes, design, condition and age matter just as much.

A note on this guide

This guide is general information from the CraftPersia editorial team and has not been reviewed by a specialist. Prices, workshop locations and practices change; check current details before travelling or buying.

Related photographs

Related photographs: Wikimedia Commons photograph
Author unconfirmed; Commons attributes Fabienkhan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Image source ↗

Representative photographs, not of any specific catalogued object. Sources on the credits page.