Tapetes Tibetanos - Kathmandu Rugs

Kathmandu Rugs brings a centuries old art form from the other side of the world to the contemporary Latin American market.

Tibetan rugs have been made by artisans since the fourth or fifth century. Up until the mid 1970's Tibetan rugs were used for bedding, saddle blankets and as decoration and seat covers in Buddhist monasteries. During the 1970's, European buyers came to Kathmandu, Nepal, and developed contemporary designs to be made by Tibetan and Nepalese weavers. We work with a family run business who has been producing carpets for the European and American market for over 40 years.

In the same way that we have created relationships with those who produce the carpets, we wish to maintain personal and friendly relationships with our customers. Our goal is to maintain the highest degree of integrity while serving those interested in Kathmandu Rugs.

40-year experience in the rug industry

As direct importers of Tibetan rugs made in Nepal, our philosophy is to maintain the essence of an ancient art form through the intrinsic quality of these hand made carpets. The designs and color combinations represent the finest examples of contemporary and transitional design.

The Himalayan Tibetan wool we use in producing the carpets is known for being particularly rich in natural oils with long fibers. The wool is handspun, giving the carpet a more unique, textured appearance. We also use the finest silk, Tencel and fiber from the nettle plant.

The colors we use range from natural tones to lustrous jewel tones. The finest Swiss chrome dyes are used to create our palette of 200 colors.

The unique knotting system used in producing Tibetan carpets is the Senna Loop, with 60 — 150 knots per square inch. This system dates back to the Fourth or Fifth Century. The carpets are woven on upright looms and are known for their rich pile. Shearing smooths the finished product and contouring accentuates the design.

A great deal of care is given to the production of these finely made pieces of art. We appreciate the hard work that is involved which includes graphing the design, spinning and dying the wool, washing and trimming, and of course, the weaving.

Our hand loomed product is woven on a horizontal loom. The finished product has a pile similar to a hand knotted rug. Hand loomed rugs require less time to produce and are restricted to linear designs, resulting in a lower cost.

Much attention has been given to the environmental conditions of the weaving compounds as well as to each person who contributes to the production of each piece.

In the beginning

While I was a student at UCSB in 1972 I participated in what was called a "cultural exchange program" named Project Nepal. This program had been sponsored by the Department of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the State Department and offered me the opportunity to be the recipient of a round-the-world airline ticket, visit several countries and spend two months in the Himalayan Kingdom, Nepal.

Having been very impressed during my first time in Nepal, I was determined to eventually return to Nepal and spend at least one year in the Kathmandu area. Four years after my first visit, I returned to Nepal and spent the next twenty months in an area named Boudhanath, which was one of a few districts where Tibetan refugees chose to live due to the location of the Great White Stupa.

During the four years after my first visit to Nepal, I had traveled to Mexico and Guatemala where I became interested in textiles, including floor coverings. When I arrived to start my longer stay in Kathmandu, I became interested in Tibetan rugs which were selling on the open market with the traditional size (3x6) and designs. At the time, there were few rug shops in central Kathmandu. One small shop had what I considered to be well made rugs with pleasing color combinations. The shop was owned by a nineteen-year-old named Namgyal. Little did I know then that we would be talking via WhatsAPP forty-seven years later, after having become the second largest importers of Tibetan rugs in the United States around the turn of the century.

After having sold my original company several years ago, Namgyal and I have decided to once again create timeless designs for the contemporary market and direct our sales to North American and Latin American markets.

Beside having been in this business for a very long time, that which differentiates Namgyal's and my approach is very simple: We care. We care for everyone who is involved in our production and sales of Tibetan rugs, especially the consumer and the weavers.
Tashi Delek,
Namaste,

Steve Laska
Kathmandu Rugs.

Steve teaches granddaughter how to roll

Namgyal at home in Kathmandu