The history of wool and silk woven together as rugs and carpets dates back centuries. Historic examples of rugs that include both wool and silk include Persian "city" rugs and Mughal India "three pass" wool rugs where every third weft is silk. Wool and silk rugs are the best of two worlds. Relative to the tensile qualities of wool, silk is stronger yet floppy, while wool is durable with an upright pile but without the luminosity of silk. The "floppiness" of silk is why pure silk rugs are traditionally cut with a very short pile. Fine silk creates a clearer pattern which is why in a combination fiber rug, wool is often the field or background while silk creates the pattern. Silk can also be used to highlight areas of a wool design which increases the affordability of this luxury process. Silk soaks up dye which gives it a richness unmatched by wool. Wool is warm both in tactile qualities and visual look while silk is elegant in both regards. Together they create a dimensionality that is unsurpassed because silk stands out while wool creates a "frame" for the silk pattern. These contrasting qualities of two natural fibers work in harmony when woven to create a truly outstanding category of rug no more difficult to maintain than an all-wool rug.