Compare · Buyer's checklist
How to compare rug exporters: a buyer's checklist
Compare rug exporters on seven checkable criteria: the IEC and legal name, CEPC registration, where the rugs are woven, the certificates claimed, a written size tolerance, the sample terms, and the bulk lead time and minimum. Verify each one, note what it does not prove, and record the source and date. Nothing here is scored; the approved sample and inspection decide quality.
The seven criteria, how to verify them, and what they do not prove
The criteria are listed in the order you can check them: desk checks first, then a call, then samples. They are not weighted and there is no total. A supplier that passes every check can still make a poor rug, which is why the sample comes last and matters most.
| Criterion | How to verify | What it shows | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|---|
| Import Export Code (IEC) and legal name | Ask for the IEC and GST number, and check that the same legal name appears on the proforma, the commercial invoice and the bill of lading. | That a registered business is exporting under that name. | Who wove the rug, or anything about quality. |
| CEPC registration | Ask for the registration details and, if you need to confirm them, ask CEPC for access to its members directory of registered exporters. | Membership of the Carpet Export Promotion Council. | That the company owns looms, or any product standard. |
| Where the rugs are woven | Ask for the town or district and an unscheduled video call at a loom that is working on your design or a current order. | That the company has access to working looms on the day. | That every order will be woven there; ask which unit makes yours. |
| Certificates claimed | Ask for the certificate number, scope, holder name and expiry, then check them with the issuing body, not with a logo. | That a named site or product held the certificate for its stated scope and dates. | Anything outside the scope, or after the expiry date. |
| Written size tolerance | Ask for the dimensional tolerance in writing, and for the pile height after washing. | What you can reject a piece against on arrival. | That the tolerance will be met; inspection does that. |
| Sample terms | Ask for the sampling time, any sample charge and whether it is credited, and what the sample is (a strike-off or a full piece). | The start of the timeline, and the standard bulk production is judged against. | That bulk will match unless the approved sample is sealed and kept by both sides. |
| Bulk lead time and minimum | Ask for the bulk lead time from sample approval and the minimum per design and per colourway, in writing. | The terms you can plan and contract against. | Capacity on your dates; ask for the weekly output for your construction. |
Download the blank checklist (CSV). CEPC keeps a members directory of registered exporters that buyers can ask to access.1
Worked example: Raheem & Son's own answers
These are our answers as stated on our own pages, read on 22 October 2026. They are our statements; the self-stated figures have not been audited by a third party. Put the same questions to us as to anyone else.
| Item | Raheem & Son (worked example) |
|---|---|
| Year founded | 19272 |
| Where the rugs are made | Bhadohi, with looms across the Bhadohi to Mirzapur belt3 |
| Export reach | 130+ countries (self-stated, unaudited)4 |
| Registration and certificates | CEPC registration, the only standing affiliation; Four-Star Category Certificate awarded 2009 (historic, not current)5 |
| Network size | 1,400+ looms, 6,000+ weavers, 202,500 sq m a year (self-stated, unaudited)3 |
| Ordering terms | Samples 25 to 35 days; bulk from 60 days; no fixed minimum; priced to specification4 |
The terms the other companies in our comparison publish are set out in what Indian rug exporters publish about MOQ, samples and lead time. Every figure we publish about ourselves, with its source, is on Raheem & Son facts.
Checks before you order
- Ask for the IEC and GST number and match the legal name on every document.
- Ask which town the weaving happens in and for an unscheduled video call at a loom.
- Ask for certificate numbers, scope, holder and expiry, not logos.
- Ask for written sampling and bulk lead times, and the minimum per design and colourway.
- Ask for a size tolerance in writing and the pile height after washing.
- Approve a sample before a bulk order, seal it, and keep one each. See the sample programme.
Full certificate guidance: how to verify a supplier’s certificates. Raheem & Son’s only standing affiliation is CEPC registration; the 2009 Four-Star Category Certificate is historic. See our standards. Terms used here are defined in the trade glossary.
Corrections. If you represent a company named here and a fact is wrong or out of date, email sales@raheemandson.com with a public source. We will check it and correct the page.
Questions
Frequently asked
How do I compare rug exporters fairly?
Put the same written questions to every supplier, verify each answer the way this page describes, record the source and the date, and write 'not stated' where a fact is not given. Then order samples. No criterion here is scored, because none of them measures rug quality on its own.
Does this page rank exporters?
No. We do not rank exporters. The page lists criteria, how to verify each, and what each does not prove. Raheem & Son's own answers are shown as a worked example because we published the page.
Which documents should an Indian rug exporter be able to show?
An Import Export Code, a GST registration, a CEPC registration if the company claims one, and its shipping documents. For any certification claimed, ask for the certificate number, scope, holder and expiry and check them with the issuer.
What does a factory video at the loom prove?
That the company can show working looms on the day you call. It does not prove that your order will be woven there, so ask which unit will make it and ask for progress photographs during production.
Is the checklist a measure of rug quality?
No. It records what a supplier states and what you can verify. Quality is judged by an approved sample, inspection against a written tolerance, and references.
Sources
Each source below was fetched and re-read on the date shown. Anything we could not find on a public page is shown as not publicly stated, not guessed.
- Carpet Export Promotion Council, members directory (a directory of registered member exporters; access is granted to buyers and importers on request, after the Council verifies the request). Checked 22 October 2026. https://www.cepc.co.in/members-directory
- Raheem & Son, Our story (founded 1927; fourth generation; CEPC founding heritage). Checked 22 October 2026. https://raheemandson.com/about
- Raheem & Son, Manufacturing (1,400+ looms, 6,000+ weavers, 202,500 sq m a year; self-stated). Checked 22 October 2026. https://raheemandson.com/manufacturing
- Raheem & Son, How to order (samples 25 to 35 days; bulk from 60 days; no fixed minimum; 130+ countries, self-stated). Checked 22 October 2026. https://raheemandson.com/how-to-order
- Raheem & Son, Our standards (CEPC registration is the only standing affiliation; Four-Star Category Certificate awarded 2009, historic; other certificates arranged per order). Checked 22 October 2026. https://raheemandson.com/our-standards