Past: Although there is no written record of the history of carpet weaving in Tibet, it is likely that it was already well established as a local fold art in the western and central regions of the country by 1000 C.E. The use of a vertical loom and the "cut-loop" knotting system, which produces a thick, durable pile, are techniques, which migrated from Western and Central Asia and Chinese, Turkestan. References to pile carpets can be found in the biography of Tibet's great saint Milarepa, who lived in the 11th - 12th Century. The predominant function of carpets for Tibetans in their homes, tens or monks and nuns in their monasteries - was to provide a source of warmth and comfort in the severe climate and sparse surroundings of Tibet. Carpets were also used as saddle blankets, a source of great pride for horsemen. Eventually the province of Tsang in southern Tibet gained a reputation for the skill of its weavers, and carpets from Gyantse and Shigatse were particularly admired. But it was not until after the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959, when those who had fled the resulting atrocities in their homeland were faced with the hardship of surviving as refugees in Nepal and India, that Tibetan carpets developed into a commercial export industry.
Present: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in an effort to preserve Tibetan culture identity and traditions in exile, initiated brisk rehabilitation projects to keep his people together and to give them a means of livelihood. Hence, carpets weaving centers were started in many refugee settlements and gradually the carpet business became a flourishing international business. Today, Tibetan carpets are a popular choice for home and commercial furnishings in many countries throughout the world. Our current production uses the long-stapled, resilient wool of Himalayan sheep, historically esteemed for its strength and lustre. In addition we also use New Zealand wool. The wool is had carded and hand-spun to create a well-textured, sturdy yarn ideally suited for carpets. Our dyeing process is based on techniques that originated in Persia and have been orally transmitted through generations of Tibetan carpet-markers, using such natural sources for color as indigo, walnut, madder, myrobalan, and rhubarb. . For clients who prefer brighter colors, we also offer carpets made with chrome dyes.
