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.
· Shabnam Overseas
Because a handmade rug is made one at a time, making it to your own specification is not the exception — it is simply how the craft works. India's weaving workshops have made rugs to order for clients around the world for generations. Here is how the process goes when you commission one from us.
What you can customise
- Size and shape — any dimensions, including runners, squares, rounds and irregular outlines.
- Colour — matched to your references, whether a paint chip, a fabric swatch or a photograph.
- Design — an existing pattern recoloured or rescaled, or something entirely your own.
- Construction — hand-knotted, hand-tufted or flat weave, depending on the look, the budget and the timeline.
- Material — wool, silk, jute and cotton, alone or in combination.
- Pile — height, density and carved or high-low detail.
What to send us
The more we know at the start, the better the first proposal. Send whatever you have: a sketch, a reference image, a mood board, a photograph of the room, the dimensions of the space and any colours that must be matched. If you only know the size and the feeling you want, that is enough to begin a conversation.
The process, step by step
- Brief — you tell us what you have in mind, by the custom form, by email or in a free design consultation.
- Proposal — we come back with a design direction, the construction and material we recommend, a price and a lead time.
- Approval — you approve the design and colours. For larger projects, ask us whether a small woven sample makes sense before the full rug is made.
- Weaving — your rug goes onto the loom. It is made for you alone.
- Finishing — washing, stretching, drying, shearing and binding, all by hand.
- Inspection — the finished rug is reviewed against our quality standard before it leaves Mirzapur.
- Delivery — rolled, wrapped and shipped to your door.
How long it takes
Custom orders and larger sizes take 8–12 weeks to make, depending on the size and complexity of the rug. Hand-knotted pieces sit at the longer end; hand-tufted and flat weave pieces at the shorter. Shipping time is in addition.
If you are working to a deadline — an installation date or a client handover — tell us at the start. It may change which construction we recommend.
A note on colour
Wool is dyed in small batches, and a handmade rug will never be a pixel-perfect match to a screen. Send physical references where colour is critical, and expect the gentle variation that distinguishes handwork from print. Most people come to regard it as the best thing about the rug.
For designers and trade buyers
If you specify rugs for clients, our Trade Program gives you trade pricing and a direct line to the team for sizing, sampling and project questions. For a specific project, use the form below and tell us what you are working on.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does a custom rug take to make?
- At Shabnam Overseas, custom orders and larger sizes take 8–12 weeks to make, depending on size, construction and complexity. Shipping time is additional.
- Is there a minimum order for a custom rug?
- No. We make custom rugs to order from a single piece.
- Can you make a rug from my own design?
- Yes. Send a sketch, a reference image or a mood board and we will develop it into a rug design, recommend the right construction and material, and quote a price and lead time.
- Can a custom rug be returned?
- Custom and made-to-order rugs are made specifically for you, so they may not be eligible for return except in the case of a manufacturing defect. See our Terms & Conditions for details.
