The basic process of production is the same as the one used by the
Tibetans for centuries. Sheep's wool is the most commonly used fiber for
Oriental rugs and carpets. Nepalese manufacturers use wool imported from
Tibet and New Zealand.
Firstly, the raw wool is
washed. After washing, the wool is sorted out accordingly. Then the sorted
wool is blended with the imported wool. The blending ratio differs from
company to company. The blending is done either manually or by machine
(Carding).
After carding, the wool
is sent for spinning into yarn, the thickness depending upon the quality
of the carpet desired. The yarn is then dyed in a variety of colors using
either vegetable dyes or modern chemical dyes. BON's weaving centers use
standard chemical dyes so the colors are always even and color fast.
The Tibetan rugs are
woven on a vertical loom. The loom may be of wood or iron. The basic
foundation of all Oriental rugs is the warp, which can be of cotton or
wool. BON uses cotton warp to maintain uniform tension on the loom keeping
our rugs straight when they are completed. Warps run the entire length of
the rug and make up the fringe or selvage at the ends.
The BON Rugs / carpet
are woven in a Tibetan knotting system i.e. the woolen yarn is tied with
the two warp threads at different positions with the help of a weaving
rod. This process is continued breadth wise from left to right. The
weaver's pound down the weaving rod. The cotton weft is then inserted in
between the warp thread alternatively, and the woolen yarn around the iron
rod is cut with the pile-cutting blade and thus the woolen pile is formed.
In this way, the whole length of the carpet is woven in the due course of
time.
A single weaver takes
about 15 days to complete a 5'x7' in the 60 knots quality. A single
weaver takes about 30 days to complete a 5'x7' in the 80 knots
quality. A single weaver takes about 42 days to complete a 5'x7' in
the 100 knots quality..
After the rug is completed and
removed from the loom, it is clipped and the designs are cut in physical
relief according to the buyer's demands. Rugs are sometimes washed in
Nepal, where chemical hand washing is now available, but some rugs are
exported unwashed.