There are broadly two categories Workshop and Tribal Carpets.

Workshop carpets are made in big towns and cities and sometimes are even made for resale by master weavers. These are generally floral in design and are called curvilinear patterns. They are woven in high knots counts and are extremely ornate. The best known Persian carpet workshops are Isfahan, Keshan, Kerman, Tabrez, Heriz, Joshagaan, Qum etc.

Tribal rugs are woven by illiterate tribal nomads who move from place to place on horses and camels, making these carpets for their own tribal tents. These rugs are generally rectilinear designs or have abstract geometrical designs. They are woven on portable looms in which the width of the loom is restricted and hence tribal rugs are generally small in size. The best-known Tribal workshops are Malayar, Senneh, Shiraz, Quashgai, Abadeh, Afshar etc.