The Conservancy for Tibetan Art and Culture

Nomads on the Tibetan steppe have raised sheep for over 2,000 years. The harsh weather of the steppe has bred animals with particularly thick, long, and lustrous wool. This wool is excellent for carpets, which historically were one of Tibet’s most important trade items. Nomads at first wove a variety of clothes and blankets on simple backstrap looms. Larger carpets used for seat or couch covers were woven on simple upright looms. The brightly colored patterns of traditional carpets are drawn from Tibetan, Indian, and Chinese symbols.

The carpet industry continues to be an important source of income for Tibetans living in Tibet, Nepal, and India. The shapes and designs of the carpets have changed with the demands of Western consumers. Floor carpets in many sizes, some with non-Tibetan motifs, are now produced in cottage industries and large factories. Tibetan wool is still used for many of these carpets, but in South Asia, it is often supplemented with New Zealand wool. A few refugees have brought looms to Europe and North America and continue the tradition in the West.