The main styles of Moroccan carpet
The Moroccan carpet is first and foremost a rural object, woven by women for the home, with each region having its own patterns, colours and technique. There are two broad families: knotted carpets, with a pile, thick and warm, and flatweave carpets, with no pile, lighter and cheaper.
Beni Ouarain
The most sought-after style today. It comes from a group of Amazigh tribes in the Middle Atlas, between Fez, Taza and Sefrou. You can spot it by its undyed ecru or cream wool and its brown or black diamonds, often irregular. Hand-knotted, it has a long pile, roughly 2 to 4 cm, and is very soft underfoot. Its popularity in contemporary interior design has led to a flood of copies, including machine-made ones.
Azilal
From the province of Azilal in the central High Atlas, it keeps a light background, but its patterns are drawn freehand in bright colours (pink, orange, blue), often asymmetrical. Knotted with a medium pile, it is a little cheaper than a Beni Ouarain of the same size.
Boucherouite
Born in the 20th century, when wool was in short supply, the boucherouite is made from strips of recycled fabric knotted onto a warp. Bright colours, free-form patterns: it is the cheapest carpet and the easiest to carry, and a favourite for a child's bedroom or an entrance hall.
Kilims and hanbels
The kilim, called hanbel in Morocco, is flatwoven with no pile, with geometric patterns of diamonds, zigzags and triangles. Light and reversible, it folds into a suitcase. It is the best option for a first purchase or a small budget.
Carpets from the Haouz and the South
Around Marrakech, carpets from the Haouz, such as those from Chichaoua or the Rehamna, are knotted from sheep's wool mixed with goat hair, often on a red background. Further south, the Taznakht and Ouarzazate area produces the so-called Glaoua carpets, which combine flatweave, knotted bands and embroidery, and Akhnif carpets, with very fine small repeated patterns. Sources do not always agree on the names: one seller may call the same carpet "zanafi" and another "glaoui".
| Style | Origin | Technique | Look |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beni Ouarain | Middle Atlas | Knotted, long pile | Ecru wool, brown or black diamonds |
| Azilal | Central High Atlas | Knotted, medium pile | Light background, colourful freehand patterns |
| Boucherouite | Nationwide | Knotted fabric strips | Bright colours, free-form patterns |
| Kilim (hanbel) | Nationwide | Flatweave | Geometric patterns, reversible |
| Chichaoua, Rehamna | Haouz, around Marrakech | Knotted, wool and goat hair | Often on a red background |
| Glaoua, Taznakht | Ouarzazate area | Mixed: woven, knotted, embroidered | Bands and geometric patterns |
How to spot a quality carpet
A few simple checks are enough to avoid unpleasant surprises:
- Turn the carpet over. On a hand-knotted carpet, the design on the back is as sharp as on the front, and you can see the rows of knots. A back covered in latex or a glued-on cloth means a machine-made carpet.
- Look at the colours. Slight bands of colour variation, called abrash, appear when the weaver switches to a new batch of dyed wool: this is rather a sign of handwork. A perfectly uniform colour across the whole surface suggests an industrial fibre or dye.
- Feel the wool. Good wool is supple, slightly oily, and does not shed fibres when you rub it. The seller may offer a lighter test on a thread: wool smells like burnt hair and leaves a crumbly ash, while synthetics melt into a hard bead.
- Be wary of "cactus silk". The shiny carpets and cushions sold as sabra or agave silk are generally viscose, an artificial fibre. That is not a flaw in itself, but it does not justify the price of a rare material.
- Do not pay for age on trust. A carpet presented as old or "grandmother's" costs far more, but age is hard to verify. Buy a carpet because you like it, at the price of a recent one.
How much does a carpet cost in Marrakech
Prices depend on the style, size, wool and fineness of the work. The first price quoted in the souks is often three to five times the final price. The ranges below are prices obtained after bargaining, reported by travellers and buyers in 2025 and 2026.
| Type of carpet | Price after bargaining | First price often quoted |
|---|---|---|
| New Beni Ouarain | 1,400 to 2,400 DH per m² | 4,000 to 7,000 DH per m² |
| Old Beni Ouarain | 2,500 to 5,000 DH per m² | 8,000 DH per m² and up |
| Azilal | 1,200 to 2,200 DH per m² | 3,500 to 6,000 DH per m² |
| Kilim | 600 to 1,200 DH per m² | 2,000 to 3,500 DH per m² |
| Boucherouite | 900 to 2,000 DH per piece | 3,000 to 5,000 DH per piece |
Prices seen in October 2026, a guide only; designer shops in Gueliz or Sidi Ghanem charge noticeably higher prices, but they are displayed.
Where to buy a carpet in Marrakech
The souks and the Criée Berbère
The widest choice is in the souks of Marrakech, especially around Spice Square and the Criée Berbère, the old carpet market next door. According to local guides, auctions between dealers are still held there around 4pm except on Fridays: you can watch carpets brought in from the villages parade past, but you buy in the surrounding shops. Take the time to visit three or four shops before making up your mind.
Fixed-price shops
To buy without haggling, or to get a reference price, several places display their prices:
- The Ensemble Artisanal, on Avenue Mohammed V, sells carpets at fixed prices, a little higher than a good souk price, but reliable. Open Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 7pm and on Sunday from 9am to 2pm.
- Mustapha Blaoui, Rue Arset Aouzal, near Bab Doukkala, a large unsigned home decor store where prices are marked.
- The Sidi Ghanem district, a workshop area in the north-west of the city, brings together designers and carpet dealers who work with weavers from the Atlas, at displayed prices. Allow for a taxi ride from the centre.
The flea market
Souk el-Khemis, north of the medina, sells worn or old carpets amid the bric-a-brac. Prices can be low, but check the condition closely: stains, holes, moths.
Before you buy: see carpets in a museum
The Dar Si Said Museum, the national museum of weaving and carpets, showcases Morocco's regional styles. It has been closed for works since the 2023 earthquake, with no reopening date announced at the time of writing: check before you go.
Bargaining without getting caught out
Buying a carpet follows a ritual: mint tea, carpets unrolled one after another at your feet, a price written on a scrap of paper. None of this commits you to anything. A few pointers:
- Set your budget before you walk in, and do not name a price until you are ready to buy.
- Start at around 30 to 40% of the asking price and expect to settle at around half; politely walking away often brings the price down.
- Turn down "guides" who lead you to a "Berber cooperative", a "carpet museum" or a "Berber festival that is only on today": these are shops, and their commission is added to your price. Our guide to scams to avoid in Marrakech describes these tricks in detail.
- Be wary of the investment pitch: a recent carpet does not gain value.
- Pay cash if you can; if you pay by card, check the amount and the currency before confirming.
Getting your carpet home
In your luggage
A kilim or a boucherouite folds into a suitcase. A knotted carpet can be rolled tight, tied with string and travel as checked baggage; shops know how to wrap it in plastic. Check your airline's weight allowance: a large wool carpet easily weighs more than 10 kg.
Shipping
Most shops offer delivery to Europe, at a cost of around €150 to €350 depending on weight, as seen in 2026. The main risk is receiving a different carpet from the one you chose. Before it is packed, photograph the carpet including its flaws, sign the back with a marker and insist on a detailed invoice: dimensions, material, price, shipping costs and delivery time.
Customs when returning to France
By air, each traveller aged 15 and over has a duty-free allowance of €430 of goods. Above that, the carpet must be declared and 20% VAT is due. Customs duties are in principle zero for a carpet made in Morocco, thanks to the association agreement between the European Union and Morocco, provided you can prove its origin: keep the invoice. For a large purchase, a refund of Moroccan VAT is possible in participating shops, from 2,000 DH of purchases on the same day: the procedure is explained in our guide what to buy in Marrakech.
Antiques of heritage interest can only leave Morocco with authorisation from the Ministry of Culture. For a carpet sold as genuinely old, ask the seller for the necessary documents.
Further reading
To locate the Criée Berbère and the city's other markets, read our guide to the markets of Marrakech. For other souvenirs and their prices, see what to buy in Marrakech, and to plan your spending, our guide to the travel budget for Marrakech.
