Who We Are
Based in Kathmandu, Nepal, Khumbu Carpet has been a Nepal’s leading manufacturer and exporter of both traditional Tibetan and contemporary luxury hand-knotted rugs for over 30 years. We use 100% pure premium wool from Tibet and New Zealand, high quality silk, and other globally sourced materials – all of which are ethically sourced. All rugs are woven by our highly skilled weavers, ensuring the highest quality and durability to withstand a lifetime of use.
The knotting method used in Tibetan rug making is different than that of traditional rug making worldwide. We use a traditional Tibetan weaving method, which features a unique and ancient knotting technique that converts any intricate designs through the utilization of various knot densities.
We take great pride in the quality, tailored customization, and effort that goes behind each of our designs – which feature everything from traditional Tibetan to contemporary designs -– all of which are totally unique.
Brief History of Tibetan-Nepalese Rugs
Birthplace of Tibetan-Nepal Rug Industry: Chialsa, Solo Khumbu, Nepal
The history of the Tibetan-Nepalese rug industry in Nepal dates back to the early 1960s, when Tibetan refugees arrived in Nepal. Many of them brought their ancient traditional rug weaving techniques and skills. Also during that time, The Swiss Association of Technical Assistance (SATA) began to help the then newly arriving Tibetan refugees established multiple handicraft rug centers in Tibetan resettlement areas.
The first Tibetan handicraft rug center in Nepal was the Chailsa Handicraft Center in the Delekling Tibetan refugee settlement in the Solo Khumbu region of Nepal – thus, we named our company “Khumbu Carpet” after the location of this very first center.
In addition to establishing handicraft rug centers in Kathmandu, SATA also aided in constructing a small air strip to transport rugs from Kathmandu to the West. As the first rug factory was a success, SATA aided in opening two more centers - Jawlakhel Handicraft Center in Kathmandu and Tashiling Handicraft Center in Pokhara.
With the hard work of the Tibetan refugees and generous support of SATA, the Tibetan-Nepalese rugs industry was born and began to flourish in Nepal.
Today, the Tibetan-Nepalese rugs industry exports globally and it is one of the major sources of income for the country.