Mrirt, Beni Ourain or Azilal: what are the differences?

In short: the Mrirt stands out for very thick, dense, silky wool, often plain or with subtle patterns; the Beni Ourain for its ivory ground of natural wool and dark diamonds; the Azilal for a light ground covered in colourful, freely drawn motifs. The Boucherouite, made from recycled textiles, and the flat-woven kilim without pile complete the family. The right choice depends on the comfort you want, your interior and where the rug will go.

The Mrirt rug: the thickest wool

The Mrirt takes its name from a small town in the Middle Atlas. What sets it apart first is the material: dense wool with a tight pile, very soft and with a slight silky sheen. The rug is thick and springy underfoot and dampens noise.

Mrirt rugs are often plain, tone-on-tone or decorated with subtle geometric patterns, sometimes in bold colours. They look both traditional and very contemporary, which makes them easy to fit into a modern home.

This is the style TAKNAJ specialises in. The white, very thick Nuage Mrirt rug is a good example. See all Mrirt rugs.

The Beni Ourain rug: ivory and the diamond

The Beni Ourain is named after a group of tribes in the Middle Atlas. Its signature: an ivory or cream ground of undyed natural wool, brown or black patterns – usually a diamond grid – and a long, woolly pile.

Graphic and understated, it has become a classic of Scandinavian and minimalist interiors. Some pieces are completely plain, like the Mont Blanc Beni Ourain rug. See Beni Ourain rugs.

The Azilal rug: colour set free

The Azilal comes from the region of the same name in the High Atlas. On a usually light ground, weavers place very colourful motifs freely and often asymmetrically, almost like a drawing. The pile is generally shorter than a Beni Ourain’s.

It is the ideal rug to give character to a plain room. The Pixel Azilal rug brings together many colours and symbols. See Azilal rugs.

Boucherouite and kilim: two other families

• The Boucherouite is woven from strips of recycled, often very colourful textiles. Thinner and lighter, it has a cheerful, bohemian look.
• The kilim is flat-woven, without pile. Thin and sometimes reversible, it suits rooms where you want a low rug. It is very different from hand-knotted pile rugs such as the Mrirt or the Beni Ourain.

The comparison at a glance

• Pile height: Mrirt and Beni Ourain are the thickest, Azilal slightly less so, Boucherouite and kilim are thin.
• Feel: the Mrirt is the silkiest and densest, the Beni Ourain woollier, the Azilal shorter.
• Colours: Beni Ourain ivory and brown/black; Mrirt from white to bold colours; Azilal and Boucherouite very colourful.
• Patterns: a diamond grid for the Beni Ourain, free motifs for the Azilal, subtle or no patterns for many Mrirt rugs.
• Care: long, thick piles need regular vacuuming without a rotating brush; shorter rugs are slightly easier to clean. All our advice is in the guide how to clean a Berber rug.

Which style should you choose?

• For comfort and calm in a living room or bedroom: a Mrirt, for its thickness and softness.
• For a Scandinavian or minimalist interior: an ivory Beni Ourain or a white Mrirt.
• For a plain room that lacks life: an Azilal or a coloured Mrirt.
• For an entrance or hallway: a thinner rug that does not catch the doors.

Whatever the style, the patterns carry a story: our guide to Berber symbols helps you read them.

Why TAKNAJ chose the Mrirt

We specialise in the Mrirt because it brings together what we love about Berber rugs: natural wool of great density, rare softness and a look that suits a Paris apartment as well as a country house. French design, Berber soul: every piece remains a one-off, hand-made in the Middle Atlas.