A fascinating look at handmade rug production in the Himalayas

When seeing a finished product, it’s often difficult to envision the chain of events that occurred in order to achieve the result. Can you visualize the sheep that grew the wool for your rug? Looking closely at the production process behind The Rug Company’s handmade products, we can see the steps between idea and reality. Founded in 1997, The Rug Company touts its products as a mix of Tibetan construction and Western design.

Beginning with a sketch, this hummingbird pattern of the rug featured below was designed by Alexander McQueen. The wool is sourced from Tibetan sheep and the fibers are teased into long strands. The fiber is then spun into yarn and dyed to specifications. The rugs are woven on a loom using a traditional Tibetan knot technique. The finished product is then cut off the loom for cleaning and detailing.

Alexander McQueen designed hummingbird rug

Sketch

Choosing colors

Laying the wool out to dry

Hand carding

Spinning

Pigments Weighed to Create Dyes

Dyes

Weavers Finish the Line of Knots With a Thowa

Weavers Use a Panja to Move the Weft Thread

Washing the Rug

The Finished Product

Source

Source: designfaves.com