How a made-to-measure rug moves from your floor plan to the loom

A custom order begins with a sketch or floor plan in centimetres. From there we confirm the width the cooperative loom can carry, settle on weave and palette, and only then dress the warp. Weaving happens in the Himalayas, finishing in Johannesburg, and the weeks on the loom are stated per listing once size and knot density are fixed.

How a made-to-measure rug moves through the studio

Every custom order follows the same sequence, from the first floor plan to the final wash in Johannesburg. Timings below are what we have seen hold up across recent commissions, not fixed promises.

  1. Stage 01

    Floor plan and measurements

    A custom order starts with a floor plan or a simple sketch, with wall-to-wall measurements written in centimetres. We check the usable width the cooperative loom can carry before anything else is agreed, since a wide room sometimes means splitting the piece or adjusting the border.

  2. Stage 02

    Motif and knot density

    We settle the weave next. A 60-knot construction gives a softer, faster hand and suits larger fields; 100-knot holds finer detail in broken-diamond and lotus motifs. The choice is written into the specification before the warp is dressed.

  3. Stage 03

    Palette and fibre blend

    Palette is set from undyed natural greys, oat, walnut, or deep indigo. Wool and silk percentages are noted on the spec sheet at this point, because the silk share changes how the surface catches light and how the fringe is finished.

  4. Stage 04

    Weaving at the cooperative

    Weaving happens at a Himalayan cooperative. The approximate weeks on the loom depend on size and knot density, and those figures are stated per listing rather than estimated on the fly. Progress notes reach you at agreed stages.

  5. Stage 05

    Finishing and final wash

    The piece travels to the finishing studio for fringe trimming, edge binding, and a final wash. Nothing is promised beyond the confirmed specification, and no price is quoted until the size and knot density are fixed.

How a made-to-measure rug moves through the studio

Five stages, from your floor plan to a finished piece. Each one is confirmed in writing before the next begins, so nothing shifts quietly along the way.

  1. Stage 1

    Measurements and floor plan

    Send a sketch or plan with wall-to-wall measurements in centimetres. We check the usable width your room allows and flag any doorway or radiator that will affect the finished size.

  2. Stage 2

    Motif and knot density

    We agree on the pattern and the weave. A 60-knot construction gives a softer, faster hand; 100-knot holds finer detail in broken-diamond and lotus drawings. The loom width the cooperative can carry is confirmed at this point.

  3. Stage 3

    Palette and fibre blend

    Undyed natural greys, oat, walnut, or deep indigo. Wool and silk percentages are written into the spec before the warp is dressed, so the colour you approve is the colour that gets woven.

  4. Stage 4

    Weaving at the cooperative

    The rug is knotted by hand in a Himalayan weaving cooperative. Weeks on the loom depend on size and knot density, and the estimate is stated per listing. You get progress notes at the stages we agree on.

  5. Stage 5

    Finishing in Johannesburg

    Fringe trimming, edge binding, and a final wash happen in our studio. The rug is checked against the confirmed spec, rolled, and held for collection or delivery.

  6. What we do not promise

    Nothing beyond the confirmed specification. No price is quoted until size and knot density are fixed, and no timeline is given before the cooperative confirms loom availability.

    See the full range of weaves on our capabilities page, or reach the studio through contact.

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