How Our Oriental Rugs and Carpets are Made

Structural & Technical data:

DARBARI RANGE

• The Pile of these carpets is soft-spun, double-ply, 100% pure virgin wool. The yarn is hand-dyed in small batches by master dyers so that, strictly speaking, even when two carpets are woven in the same design and colourway each is unique.

• The warp is pure, unbleached, double-twisted, ivory cotton. One of the two threads encircled by a knot is doubled under the other for extra durability.

• There are two wefts, one thread soft spun, pure ivory cotton tightly stretched; second fine-spun, dyed, inserted firmly z-wise between every two rows of knots, resulting in a sturdy and extremely robust double-wefted fabric. In Lahore this is known as the Sutri Weave.

• The sides are tightly wound original selvages.

• The finish given to these carpets is the rare true dry, also known as darbari. This is the traditional, time-consuming and costly method which was reserved, even in ancient times, for the choicest court carpets.

• This technique, originally practiced in the royal carpet manufactories (farrashkhanay) at Lahore and Tabriz, guarantees that the natural oils are retained in the wool and not leached out of it as they certainly are from all carpets that are treated with chemicals or are washed with strong detergents.

• This dry method results in exceptionally hard-wearing fabrics of luminous beauty and a remarkable clarity of design. With time the colours become even richer and mellower. The surface acquires that quiet patina which is the hall-mark of the true antique. More...

• The knotting: a choice of Symetrical and Asymetrical is available. Darbari range carpets are woven in knotting densities ranging from around 256 to 900+ knots per sq. inch.

• The quality is genuine heirloom, guaranteed to give excellent service for many generations.
  

CUSTOM MADE

These are woven strictly to specifications appropriate to the brief. Most are however made in 2 basic categories which are:-

• Village rugs more...

• Town or Workshop rugs are woven to the specifications of the Darbari Range as detailed above.

Send us a good photo, painting or electronic file of the design you want woven and our weaving-master will be happy to discuss the suitable specifications.

If you have no photograph tell us what you, your interior designer or architect have in mind and we will create an original for you.

REPLICAS

Specifications for these naturally vary with the requirements of each individual carpet that is commissioned. It helps if you send a good photo of the original of your choice when you ask for details. We welcome the challenge of reviving ancient techniques for reproducing authentic carpets in rare and unusual weaves. more...