Heritage and Knotting Tradition

The tiger rug is one of the oldest motifs in Himalayan textile culture. In the Tibetan tradition the tiger stands for power, protective strength and spiritual vigilance, and tiger rugs were used in monasteries and palaces as honoured seats and ceremonial pieces. This rug carries the motif in its abstract form — a rhythmic field of tiger stripes rather than a figural animal, the pelt pattern reduced to flowing chevron bands that run the length of the piece.

It is hand-knotted in the workshops of Kathmandu, Nepal, by experienced artisans in the Tibetan knotting tradition. The pile is 50 % silk and 50 % wool (hand-spun Changpai highland wool). Changpai, from sheep raised above 4,000 metres on the Tibetan plateau, is long-staple and lustrous. The wool gives the rug its body and resilience; the silk brings brilliance and shimmer. The pile height is approximately 12 mm, and the hand-spun construction gives a particularly soft, plush hand.

Colour and Composition

The palette is built around a soft pink ground crossed by silver silk stripes. Because the stripes are knotted in silk, they catch the light quite differently from the wool ground around them: in daylight the silver passages read bright and reflective, in evening light they soften and the pink deepens. The piece visibly shifts with the time of day — the silk lines almost lifting off the matte pink field.

Quality Line — Djoharian Naturals (60 kpsi)

This piece is hand-knotted in our Naturals line at 60 kpsi (knots per square inch) — the foundation quality of our Tibet Tiger collection. The same design is available to order in higher knot densities: Elegance (80 kpsi), Luxury (100 kpsi) and Executive (150 kpsi).

Presence in the Room

At 90 × 180 cm (1.6 m², approx. 3 × 6 ft) this is the classical Tibetan Khaden format. Three contexts in which it reaches its full effect:

• Bedroom: beside or in front of the bed — the pink-and-silver palette and the silk shimmer suit a bedroom where colour and texture are part of the design language.
• Dressing room or reading corner: the silk stripes and the warm pink are particularly effective in intimate, well-lit private spaces designed to be experienced up close.
• Wall piece: the Khaden format and the luminous silk also suit a wall hanging — a textile that brings the Himalayan tradition into a contemporary interior.

Bespoke — Made to Order

This design is part of our Djoharian Design made-to-order programme. Adaptable to your project:

• Dimensions on request — any custom size
• Colour palette matched to Pantone or RAL specification, from over 1,200 yarn shades
• Quality line — Naturals (60 kpsi) · Elegance (80) · Luxury (100) · Executive (150)
• Reference sample 30 × 30 cm for approval before full production
• Lead time typically 4–6 months after order confirmation, depending on size

Details and personal advice on our bespoke rugs page.

Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Responsible Sourcing · Label STEP

Djoharian is a Label STEP certified dealer for fair-trade knotted rugs — fair wages for the weavers and no child labour. Visit the Label STEP entry for Djoharian Teppiche →

Djoharian — Since 1967

With roots in the Grand Carpet Bazaar of Tehran and more than five decades of experience in the international rug trade, Djoharian has specialised in antique and designer rugs since 1967.

Service and Delivery

Every piece is expertly inspected in our atelier in Lohr am Main before dispatch. For expert washing and repair we offer our own professional rug cleaning service. Secure and fast worldwide shipping, fully insured, with personal consultation in our showroom or by video call.