Handknotted rugs from Himalayan weaving cooperatives

Himalaya Rug Co is a small importer and finishing studio. We work directly with weaving families in Nepal and the Tibetan plateau, then finish, measure and store every piece in our Johannesburg workshop before it reaches a home or a trade floor.

The catalogue covers handknotted Tibetan and Nepali rugs, flatweave kilims and felted wool runners. Motifs run from lotus and cloud patterns to undyed natural greys and contemporary broken-diamond designs, in 60-knot and 100-knot construction. Each listing states real measurements in centimetres, knot density, pile height and wool and silk blend percentages, so you can compare pieces before you commit.

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Trade buyers, interior stylists and homeowners across South Africa can filter by room, palette and weave, or send floor plans for a made-to-measure quote. See how custom sizing works .

What the studio actually does for you

Most of the work happens between the loom and your floor. Here is what you can hand over to us, and what comes back.

Made-to-measure sizing

Send a floor plan or a rough sketch with door swings marked. We work out the loom width, adjust the border so it does not crowd the field, and tell you how many weeks the weave will take before you commit.

Swatch cards before you buy

Wool reads differently in a Durban flat than in a Cape Town house with big windows. We post a swatch card with the actual pile and undyed greys so you can check the tone in your own light.

Filtering by room and palette

Narrow the catalogue by weave, palette, or the room you have in mind. A felted runner for a narrow passage is a different brief from a 100-knot rug under a dining table, and the filters keep those apart.

Finishing and edge work

Selvedges get hand-bound, fringes trimmed and secured, and the rug is rolled rather than folded for delivery. If a piece arrives with a slight bow from the loom, we block it flat in the studio first.

Trade and stylist support

For interior stylists and trade buyers we hold pieces on short reserve, share knot density and fibre percentages in writing, and coordinate delivery windows around a shoot or an install date.

Care guidance that holds up

Rotation schedules, the right underlay thickness for polished floors, and what to say to a dry cleaner about wool and silk blends. Short notes, written for the person who actually lives with the rug.

Want the longer version of any of these? See how the studio works or browse the current stock.

What we mean, and what we don't

A few terms get read in different ways once a rug leaves the showroom. Here is how we use them in the catalogue, so measurements, colours and timelines line up with what actually arrives.

Handknotted, not hand-tufted: Every rug listed as handknotted is tied knot by knot on a vertical loom by a single weaver. Tufted rugs, which are made with a gun and a glued backing, are not part of this catalogue and are never described as knotted.
Knot density is a count, not a grade: When we write 60-knot or 100-knot, that is knots per square inch measured on the finished rug. A higher count gives a finer drawing and a firmer surface. It does not automatically mean a better rug, and a 60-knot weave can outlast a 100-knot one depending on the wool and how the rug is used.
Measurements are of the rug, not the room: All sizes are given in centimetres and taken along the longest edge of the finished piece. Handwoven rugs can vary by two to three centimetres from the listed figure, and fringe is measured separately. If a rug has to sit inside a fixed alcove or between two door frames, tell us the gap and we will confirm the actual piece before it ships.
Colour shifts between screens and daylight: Undyed greys and natural oat tones change with the light, and small-batch dyeing means two rugs from the same design will not match exactly. Photographs are taken in the Johannesburg showroom under neutral light. A swatch card is the only reliable way to judge a colour against your own floor.
Custom sizing runs on loom time: Made-to-measure pieces are woven to order, so the weeks quoted are working weeks on the loom and do not include shipping or finishing. Wool batches are limited, and a custom size can only be confirmed once we know the yarn is available for that width.
Wool and silk percentages are by weight: Where a rug contains silk, the percentage refers to the pile fibre by weight, not to the foundation. Cotton warp and weft are not counted in that figure. A rug described as pure wool contains no silk, even if the surface has a sheen from the spinning.

Anything not stated on a listing, such as an exact delivery date or a guaranteed colour match, is not implied by the catalogue. Ask before you commit and we will put the answer in writing.

Questions we get before a rug leaves the showroom

Most of these come up in the first email or during a viewing in Johannesburg. If yours is not here, the answer usually depends on the room and the floor underneath.

How do I know the measurements are accurate?: Every listing states the size in centimetres as it sits on the floor, measured after the rug has been washed and dried. Handknotted pieces can vary by a centimetre or two from the loom plan, so we measure each one again in the studio before it goes into the catalogue. If a rug needs to fit a tight alcove or between two door frames, tell us the gap and we will confirm the exact figure.
What does knot density actually change?: It affects how fine the drawing looks and how the surface feels. A 60-knot rug reads a little bolder and wears in more visibly over the years, while a 100-knot weave holds smaller motifs and a crisper edge. Neither is better in a hallway or under a dining table; it comes down to the pattern you want and how much detail matters to you.
Can you make a rug to a size that is not in stock?: Yes. Send a floor plan or a simple sketch with the dimensions and we will come back with what is possible on the loom, which weave suits it, and roughly how many weeks it takes. Custom sizes depend on the wool batch and the cooperative's current queue, so timelines shift through the year.
Do you send samples before I commit?: We send swatch cards with the wool and silk blends, the undyed greys, and the indigo and walnut dyes we are working with. It is the only honest way to judge colour, because screens flatten the natural variation in hand-dyed fleece. Ask for a card and we will match it to the palette you are considering.
How should a wool rug be looked after day to day?: Rotate it once or twice a year so the traffic path does not settle in one place, and use a thin underlay to stop the weave shifting on polished floors. Vacuum without a beater bar, and for anything deeper than surface dust, plan on professional dry cleaning rather than a wet wash at home.
Can I see the rugs in person?: Viewings at the Johannesburg showroom are by appointment, so we can lay out the pieces you are interested in and talk through the pile and fringe in daylight. Bring your floor plan if you have one. You can reach us at info@himalayarug.com or on +27(57)1641261 to arrange a time.

Still weighing options? The help pages cover care and sizing in more depth, and you can always get in touch with a specific room in mind.