Buyer guide · Manufacturing
The rug manufacturing process, stage by stage
A handmade rug moves from fibre intake and in-house dyeing through warping, weaving, knotting or tufting, washing and hand finishing, then final checks and packing. Sampling takes 5 to 20 days and bulk production takes 8 to 16 weeks from sample approval.
Last updated: 30 October 2026
Terms at a glance
Ordering terms
- Minimum order
- 1 piece
- Sampling cost
- Credited against your order
- Sampling
- 5 to 20 days
- Bulk production
- 8 to 16 weeks
- NDA
- Signed as standard before designs are shared
- Label, barcode, packaging
- Your own, on request
- Payment terms
- 50% advance, 50% before dispatch
The stages
- Fibre intake. Every fibre batch, whether wool, silk, cotton or jute, is assessed on arrival for staple length, colour consistency and contamination. Materials that do not meet specification are returned.
- Dyeing. Yarn is dyed in-house across an extensive range of shades, with colour matching and strike-offs before the full sample.
- Spinning and drying. After dyeing, hanks are dried and inspected for colour depth and consistency before being wound for the loom.
- Loom warping. Warp threads are set and tensioned to specification before weaving begins.
- Weaving, knotting or tufting. Each piece is made by hand. Knot density, colour placement and dimensional accuracy are checked against specification during production.
- Washing. Every rug passes through our washing facility, which opens the pile, sets the colour and gives the surface its finished handle.
- Clipping and finishing. Skilled craftspeople clip, carve and finish each rug by hand. Pile height, edge finish and surface texture are verified against the approved sample.
- Final check. Finished dimensions are measured and recorded, and colour is checked under standardised lighting against the approved reference.
- Packing and dispatch. Rugs are rolled, poly-wrapped and palletised to the confirmed packing specification, with export documentation.
Stages in pictures
How the stages differ by construction
Hand-knotted, hand-tufted, handloom and flatweave share dyeing, finishing and checks but differ at the loom or tufting stage. See how rugs are woven and hand-knotted vs hand-tufted for buyers.
Where it happens
Production runs across a network of more than 1,400 looms and 6,000 weavers in the Bhadohi to Mirzapur carpet belt (self-stated), with annual capacity of approximately 202,500 square metres. More on manufacturing and our standards.
Where you come in
You approve the sample before production, and that sample is the reference for the stages above. The full order sequence is in the rug order timeline, and the sampling steps are in the rug sampling process.
Send a brief to start production
Send your design, size and estimated quantity. We reply within two business days, usually within one. Minimum order: 1 piece. Sampling cost is credited against your order. Payment: 50% advance, 50% before dispatch.
Buyer questions
Rug manufacturing: your questions
How is a handmade rug made?
From fibre intake and dyeing through warping, weaving, knotting or tufting, washing, hand finishing, final checks and packing.
Do you dye the yarn yourselves?
Yes. Yarn is dyed in-house across an extensive range of shades, with colour matching and strike-offs before the full sample.
Why is every rug washed?
Washing opens the pile, sets the colour and gives the surface its finished handle.
What is checked during production?
Knot density, colour placement and dimensional accuracy at the loom, then pile height, edge finish and surface texture against the approved sample, then dimensions and colour.
How long does production take?
Bulk production takes 8 to 16 weeks from sample approval. Sampling takes 5 to 20 days.
Where are the rugs made?
In and around Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India, where the family has been making rugs since 1927.
Can I visit or see the stages?
Yes. A buyer or the buyer's inspector is welcome to attend inspection and visit at any time.
Who does the finishing?
Skilled craftspeople clip, carve and finish each rug by hand.