You might notice that some rugs have fringe on the ends, while others do not. Whether you prefer to have it or not is a matter of personal preference. On antique rugs, sometimes the fringe is short, not because it was intended that way, but because it has been worn away over the years. Some newer rugs have fringe that can be as much as five or 6-inches long.
Long fringe can give the rug a tribal or Boho chic look, but it also tends to show dirt more quickly than the rest of the rug, too. It is difficult to clean and often gets caught up in the vacuum. Fringe is a functional part of the rug that is necessary for the weaving process.
The fringe or tassels are the remnants of the warp threads that form the foundation upon which the knots or weaving are placed. They originally run from one end of the loom to the other and are tied to the loom. There are two basic ways to end the weaving so that it does not unravel once the work is complete. You can use a technique called hemstitching or overcast stitch or tie the fringe. However, hemstitching is not a technique used in Persian and other types of Oriental rugs. Knotted fringe is used almost exclusively.
Whether the rug has fringe or not does not have an impact on the value of the rug, but if the knots become untied, or you cut them off, the ends of the rug will begin to unravel, and this will devalue the rug. On a hand-knotted rug, the fringe is an important part of the foundation of the rug.