Standards behind every rug we sell

Wool sorted and spun in Himalayan weaving cooperatives, knots counted at 60 or 100 per inch, pile measured in centimetres, and every fringe, selvedge and backing checked before a rug leaves the studio.

Why this studio exists, and what we hold to

Himalaya Rug Co is small on purpose. We buy from weaving cooperatives in the Himalayan valleys, finish the rugs in our own studio, and keep the catalogue short enough that we can still name the people who made each piece.

Wool we can trace

Fleece is sorted and spun inside the cooperatives we work with, mostly from high-altitude sheep. Undyed natural greys come from three different breeds, so the colour shifts gently across a field instead of sitting flat. When we say a rug is wool, we mean the whole rug, not a wool face on a synthetic base.

Numbers stated plainly

Every listing carries real measurements in centimetres, knot density as 60-knot or 100-knot construction, pile height in centimetres, and the wool and silk blend percentages. If a figure is approximate, we say so. Buyers should be able to compare two rugs without guessing what the description left out.

Finishing before it ships

Fringe, edge binding, and backing are checked by hand before a rug leaves the studio. Traditional lotus and cloud motifs go through the same inspection as the contemporary broken-diamond patterns. We would rather hold a piece back for a week than send out a rug with a loose selvedge.

What clients should expect

A rug that behaves the way the listing describes it. Pile that reads honestly in raking light. A kilim that sits low under a door. A felted runner that quiets a hallway. Care notes on rotation, underlay, and dry cleaning of wool come with every piece, because most of what shortens a rug's life is a small habit, not a single accident.

What we will not do

We do not claim a rug will outlive a house, and we do not dress up a knot count as something it is not. If a batch of wool runs short and a custom length cannot be woven, we say so before taking the order. Trade buyers, interior stylists, and homeowners in South Africa get the same answer, whether the rug is 80 x 300 cm or a made-to-measure size.

The cooperatives and workshops behind the catalogue

Every rug we sell passes through hands we know by name. These are the weaving groups, spinners and finishing partners whose work sets the standard we hold the rest of the range to.

Weaving partner

Upper Kali Gandaki Weavers

A group of around forty households spinning and knotting 100-knot Tibetan wool. They supply the lotus medallion pieces and most of our undyed ivory fields.

Weaving partner

Bhaktapur Kilim Workshop

Narrow upright looms, undyed fleece from three sheep breeds, and a two-season redraw of the broken-diamond motif we now carry as a standard line.

Spinning partner

Mustang Fleece Sorting

Hand carding and sorting of high-altitude wool before it reaches the dye pots. They grade by staple length, which is what keeps our pile height consistent.

Dye house

Patan Natural Dye Studio

Indigo and madder worked in small batches. They handle the deep indigo tones and the softer walnut shades used across the felted runner range.

Finishing partner

Johannesburg Finishing Bench

Fringe trimming, edge binding and backing checks happen here before anything is listed. Rugs that fail the inspection go back, not onto the floor.

Trade network

Interior Stylists and Trade Buyers

A working list of stylists and trade buyers across South Africa who order swatch cards, send floor plans, and specify our rugs for client projects.

What the finishing bench looks at

Every rug that leaves the studio passes the same set of checks, whether it is a 100-knot Tibetan piece or a felted runner. Below are close-ups from recent work, with notes on what each one shows.