Crafted with Care, Chosen for Quality

Craftsmanship Heritage

In Tibet, weaving is an art, and also a form of spiritual practice. From dyeing, weaving, and washing to flat shearing and carving, the creation of a standard CHANGPHEL tiger rug requires more than 20 processes and over 700 hours of work.

Using traditional techniques, our yarn is hand-dyed in copper pots, creating a distinctive “core-spun yarn” effect — one of our core techniques. Weaving is the most complex stage in making a handwoven Tibetan rug. Drawing on their experience, artisans carefully trim the loops of the yarn, then use an iron tool known as “Jiageda” to compact the wool yarn. The rug is then reinforced using a double-sided knotting technique, ensuring its dense construction, substantial weight, and durability.

As one of the few high-end brands in the world to uphold the millennia-old, intricate hand-weaving technique known as “rod-and-knot” weaving, CHANGPHEL creates every handmade rug with the intention of making pieces that can be passed down through generations.

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“Rod-and-Knot” Weaving

The “rod-and-knot” weaving technique that CHANGPHEL upholds as part of its living heritage forms the foundation of Tibetan rug craftsmanship. Among antique rugs circulating in the secondary market for art and collectibles, only those made using this weaving technique are recognized as genuine Tibetan rugs.

A rug woven using the Tibetan knot is unlike any other type of rug. During the weaving process, the artisan places a temporary horizontal rod in front of the warp threads across the width of the rug, then positions the weft yarn around two warp threads and uses the rod to wrap and knot the yarn, one knot at a time. Once an entire row is complete, the loops of yarn wound around the rod are cut open, forming the pile. The process is repeated row by row, knot by knot, gradually building a dense, richly layered rug surface.

Today, fewer and fewer Tibetan rug artisans possess the mastery of the ancient “rod-and-knot” weaving technique. The CHANGPHEL workshop is committed to preserving this craft by nurturing a new generation of artisans. Artisans with a foundation in weaving undergo more than one year of training. Beginning with fundamental techniques, they progress step by step through the complete set of processes, undergoing multiple rounds of skills assessments along the way. Only those who meet the required standards are permitted to take part in weaving. Throughout the weaving process, they continue to refine their skills and uphold the highest standards, ensuring that this millennia-old handcraft remains alive and flourishing as it is passed down from one generation to the next.