For generations, Tibetans have hand knotted wool from their native animals into colorful rugs. First, raw wool is brought into Nepal from Tibet. Tibetan sheep live at high altitudes in extreme conditions and are known for producing some of the finest wool in the world. In Nepal, the wool is hand-carded, washed and hand-spun. Hand-carding and spinning is much more expensive and time consuming than machine processes but achieves two important results: It breaks down less fibers of the wool to create stronger, longer-wearing wool, and Its irregular diameter creates a more desirable, interesting texture in the final weave. The wool is then pot-dyed and hand-knotted on looms with a cotton warp. Next, the rugs must be hand-clipped and carved. The final step is to wash and block the rugs. This is a lengthy process. To put it in perspective, a 4 x 6 rug requires approximately 250 man-hours to produce! The hand-knotting process combined with the high quality of the wool produces a rug that, under normal circumstances, will last for generations.

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Because these rugs are hand-knotted, each piece will vary from the next. Sizes will not be exact, circles will not be perfectly round, and borders will not be perfectly straight. In this day of "cookie cutter" manufacturing, these imperfections become valuable indications that a product is truly hand-crafted. In addition, the hand-knotting process enables us to produce a much denser pile than the finest quality machine-made rug. The rug will wear longer, be much more soil- and stain-resistant, and, once soiled, will clean up better than any machine-made counterparts.

Rugs can be made in any size up to 20 x 20 feet in a multitude of colors. Some designs translate to larger or smaller sizes better than others. We will advise you on this point before your order is processed.

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