Thoughts & perspectives
The Journal
On craft, design, and the art of the handmade rug.
Sourcing Guide
Rug Manufacturers in India: A Buyer's Guide to Sourcing Direct
Where India's handmade rugs are actually made, what each weaving region does best, and how to tell a real manufacturer from a trading house before you place an order.
Sourcing Guide
How to Vet a Carpet Exporter in India: A Trade Buyer's Checklist
The documents to ask for, what each sample really proves, the quality checks that matter and who carries the risk at each stage of the shipment.
November 2026
Sourcing Guide
Importing Rugs from India: Shipping, Duties and Paperwork Explained
How rugs travel from an Indian workshop to your door or warehouse — the two ways to buy, the documents involved, and how duties and taxes are worked out.
November 2026
Buying Guide
Hand-Knotted vs Hand-Tufted Rugs: What Is the Difference?
Both are made by hand, but they are built in completely different ways — and that decides how long each lasts, what it costs and where it belongs in your home.
November 2026
Buying Guide
How to Tell if a Rug Is Hand-Knotted: Six Checks Anyone Can Do
You do not need to be an expert. Turn the rug over, look at the fringe and the edges, and the construction gives itself away in under a minute.
November 2026
Buying Guide
What Does a Handmade Rug Cost — and Why?
Two rugs of the same size can differ in price many times over. Here are the seven things that decide what a handmade rug costs, and how to judge whether a price is fair.
November 2026
Buying Guide
Standard Rug Sizes in Feet and Centimetres, with a Room-by-Room Chart
Every standard rug size converted between feet and centimetres, what each is used for, and the simple rules for choosing the right one for each room.
November 2026
Sourcing Guide
Custom Rugs from India: How Made-to-Order Really Works
What you can change, what to send, how long it takes and what happens at each stage — from a sketch or a reference photo to a finished rug at your door.
November 2026
The Craft
Why Hand-Knotted Rugs Are Worth the Wait
A hand-knotted rug takes weeks — sometimes months — to make. Here is what that time produces, and why it matters.
May 2025
Styling
The Rug Size Guide: How to Get It Right Every Time
Going too small is the most common rug mistake. Here is a room-by-room guide to choosing the correct size for every space.
April 2025
Our Story
Mirzapur: Why This City Produces the World's Finest Rugs
Four centuries of craft tradition, a river city steeped in wool and colour. An exploration of the place Shabnam Overseas calls home.
March 2025
Design
Colour Beneath Your Feet: How a Rug Changes a Room
Colour theory applied to rugs — understanding warm versus cool, saturated versus muted, and how each behaves at floor level.
February 2025
Care
How to Care for a Wool Rug (And Make It Last Decades)
Wool is one of the most resilient natural fibres — but it needs the right care. A simple guide to keeping your rug in perfect condition.
January 2025