Every rug's raw edge needs finishing to stop it unravelling. Overcasting wraps yarn tightly and repeatedly around the edge by hand, usually matching or complementing the rug's main colours. Binding instead sews a separate strip of fabric tape over the edge, which is faster and more common on hand-tufted rugs, especially shaped or scalloped designs where a continuous hand-overcast edge would be harder to execute cleanly.
Why it matters to a buyer
Edge finishing is a practical durability point, not just decoration — a well-finished edge is what keeps a rug's shape and prevents pile loss from the perimeter inward over years of use. It is worth specifying edge treatment explicitly on a custom order, particularly for non-rectangular shapes.