Rugsville Tibeten Stripes Ivory Multi Wool and Jute Carpet 5' x 8'

The Tibetan tradition is one of the few weaves where the technique itself, rather than the design vocabulary, defines the form. The rod method allows for a longer, looser pile and accepts the high-twist mountain wool that has been the staple fibre of the region for centuries. Contemporary design vocabularies translate easily onto the technique. The piece carried into a contemporary room here is part of that long line.

2 weavers, 4 months of weaving. The cartoon was prepared by a designer working in scale on graph paper, then transferred to the loom one column of knots at a time. The wool was hand-spun on a charkha to keep the lustre that mill-spun yarn loses in the carding. The piece is offered at 5' x 8' (152 × 244 cm) in an ivory and multi register, made in India.

The composition

Ivory and multi dominates the composition. The composition resolves at room scale rather than under close inspection. From across a sitting area the pattern reads as a unified field, and only at conversational distance does the individual motif declare itself. That two-stage reading is what holds a viewer's attention across years of use rather than one season. The pattern photographs differently than it reads in person, which is true of every wool surface and one reason rugs of this calibre are ideally seen in the room they will live in before purchase.

What you are buying

Hand-knotted wool in this density is increasingly rare at this price point. The Indian workshops that still keep the weave alive are running on margins that have not moved in two decades, while the equivalent antique at a Western dealer trades at three to four times this number. The rug appreciates with use rather than depreciating, the property no machine production can claim.

The piece in a room

5' x 8' (152 × 244 cm) suits a study, a guest bedroom, or a dining nook for four. The rug grounds a small composition without overwhelming it, and the pattern reads from above when the dining chairs are pulled out. Pair with mid-tone walls, simple wooden furniture, and a single piece of art that responds to one of the colours in the field.

Conservation

Rotate end-for-end every six months so the foot traffic and the sunlight age the field evenly. Vacuum weekly on the lowest setting with the beater off. Address spills immediately with a clean white cotton cloth and cool water. Schedule a hand-wash with a textile conservator every five years. The rug is built to outlive several rooms. Direct sunlight on the field is acceptable and even helpful, since UV restores the dye depth that filtered indoor light slowly dulls.

Reference

• Medium: hand-knotted jute, sisal and wool on cotton foundation
• Dimensions: 152 × 244 cm (5' x 8')
• Construction: Persian asymmetric knot
• Knot density: ~80 KPSI
• Total knot count: ~460,800
• Hands: 2 weavers, 4 months
• Pile: 8-10 mm hand-spun wool
• Origin: India

Ships free across India. Cash on delivery available. Returns and exchanges within seven days.