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THE MOUNTAIN RUG OUR STORY

Rugs with
roots.

Tibetan wool and pure silk, hand-knotted in Kathmandu. Brought to your home by someone who grew up with them.

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Raj Thapa, founder of The Mountain Rug
RAJ THAPA FOUNDER
01 / THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE RUGS

Meet the Founder,
Raj Thapa

When I was a child, my mother took me to a rug boutique in Kathmandu where my grandfather was at work. I watched him choose each color, shape each pattern and tie every knot with a patience and care I had never seen before. That moment left an imprint on me, and it is the reason I do this work today.

When I came to the United States and started looking at the rug market here, I saw how hard it was to find a genuine Nepali rug, and how rarely buyers knew where their rug came from or what it was made of. I started The Mountain Rug to change that.

Today I run the business from New York. I choose every design, work directly with our weavers in Kathmandu, and answer every message myself.

“I learned from my grandfather that a rug carries the patience of the hands that made it. I want you to feel that the moment you unroll it.”
Raj Thapa, Founder
ASMIT PAUDEL CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
02 / THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE RUGS

Asmit Paudel,
Chief Operating Officer

Like Raj, Asmit grew up in Nepal. As Chief Operating Officer, he runs the day-to-day operations of The Mountain Rug, from working with our partner workshop in Kathmandu to quality checks, shipping and delivery.

If Raj chooses the rugs, Asmit makes sure every one of them reaches your door safely, on time and exactly as promised.

“Every rug passes through many hands before it reaches yours. My job is to make sure the last step is as careful as the first.”
Asmit Paudel, Chief Operating Officer
03 / OUR STORY

Where it began

In Nepal, a rug is not just something for the floor. It is where families sit, where guests are welcomed, and where a home starts to feel like one. Rug weaving has been part of life in the Kathmandu Valley for generations.

The Mountain Rug started with a simple idea: bring that craft to American homes honestly. We work directly with a workshop in Kathmandu we know personally, so we can tell you how every handmade rug is made, what it is made from, and who made it.

04 / THE MAKING

From Kathmandu to Your Home

  1. 01

    Design: each pattern is drawn and colored before weaving begins.

  2. 02

    Dyeing: wool is dyed in small batches with colorfast dyes that resist fading.

  3. 03

    Hand-knotting: weavers tie every knot by hand, row after row, about 100 knots per square inch.

  4. 04

    Washing and finishing: the rug is washed, stretched and trimmed by hand.

  5. 05

    To your door: we ship it to you and pay all import duties, so there is nothing extra to pay on arrival.

05 / THE HANDS BEHIND THE RUGS

The Hands Behind the Rugs

"A rug is never rushed. Every knot is tied by hand, and every knot is a promise that it will last a lifetime."
Chhatra Lal Shrestha, our partner workshop, Kathmandu

Small differences in a handmade rug are not flaws. They are the mark of the person who made it.

06 / OUR MATERIALS

Tibetan Wool and Pure Silk

What our rugs are made of

Two materials make our handmade rugs special.

DETAIL PHOTO WOOL / TEXTURE
01 / NATURAL TEXTURE

Tibetan wool.

Our wool comes from highland sheep raised on the Tibetan Plateau, the Roof of the World, in the shadow of the Himalaya's 8,000-meter peaks. Thin air and bitter cold give these sheep a long, strong fleece, naturally rich in lanolin. That lanolin gives Tibetan wool its soft sheen, helps it resist stains, and keeps it warm and springy underfoot. We blend it with New Zealand wool for strength and an even texture.

DETAIL PHOTO SILK / SHEEN
02 / NATURAL LUSTRE

Pure natural silk.

Where a design calls for light and shine, our weavers use genuine silk, never viscose. Many rugs sold as "silk" are actually viscose, a man-made fiber that is weak when wet, sheds and loses its shine quickly. Real silk keeps its luster for decades and catches the light as you walk past.

THE DETAILS
  • Wool: Tibetan highland wool blended with New Zealand wool, about 50/50
  • Silk: pure natural silk, never viscose or "art silk"
  • Construction: fully hand-knotted, about 100 knots per square inch
  • Dyes: colorfast, chosen to resist fading
  • Also on request: hemp, aloe and other natural fibers
07 / OUR COLLECTIONS

Two Collections, One Standard

Every rug on our site is clearly labeled, so you always know exactly what you are buying.

Handmade rug styled in a room
01 THE MOUNTAIN RUG

Handmade Collection.

Hand-knotted in Kathmandu from wool. Each rug takes months to make and is meant to last for decades. Delivered in 8 to 10 weeks.

Shop Handmade
Everyday rug styled in a room
02 THE MOUNTAIN RUG

Everyday Rugs.

Machine-woven in Turkey from soft polyester and polypropylene. Easy to care for, made for busy rooms, at a lower price. Delivered in 1 to 2 weeks.

Shop Everyday Rugs
08 / OUR COMMITMENT

Our Promise to You

  • 30-day returns from the day your rug arrives

  • Duties paid by us: no customs bills, ever

  • A real person replies within 24 hours, seven days a week

THE MOUNTAIN RUG

Every beautiful room begins somewhere.

Find the rug that makes your space feel like home, or talk to me directly about size, color or a custom piece.

Shop the Collection Contact Raj
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