Heritage and Knotting Tradition

The Tibetan tiger rug is one of the oldest motifs in Himalayan textile culture. For centuries, tiger rugs in this format were used in Tibetan monasteries and palaces as seats for high lamas during meditation, as covers for ceremonial columns, and as honour places for rulers and teachers. The tiger itself symbolises power, protective strength and spiritual vigilance — the embodiment of the awakened mind in Vajrayana Buddhism.

This piece is hand-knotted in the workshops of Kathmandu, Nepal, by experienced artisans in the Tibetan knotting tradition. The pile is 50 % wool and 50 % silk (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 full, plush body; the silk lifts the gold passages and catches the light across the surface. The pile height is approximately 12 mm, and the hand-spun construction gives a particularly soft, plush hand.

Colour and Composition

The field reads the Tibetan tiger as pure stripe pattern rather than a figurative animal: rows of stylised tiger stripes rendered as golden, ochre chevrons — a rhythmic wave-and-hook movement — set against a deep emerald, teal-green ground, the whole framed by a warm gold border. The silk threads of the golden stripes reflect the light differently than the surrounding emerald wool — in daylight the pattern reads luminous and present, in evening light the emerald deepens and the gold becomes warmer.

Quality Line — Djoharian Naturals (60 kpsi)

This piece is hand-knotted in our Naturals line at 60 kpsi (knots per square inch) in Changpai highland wool with silk — the foundation quality of our Tibet Tiger collection, substantial and full-bodied. 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 this Tibetan tiger reaches its full effect:

• Library or study: the deep emerald and gold pair particularly well with wood, leather and warm lighting — a natural choice for a writing desk or reading chair.
• Bedroom: beside or in front of the bed in a room with a darker, jewel-toned palette — the rug becomes a point of intense colour.
• Boutique entrance or gallery: the Khaden format and the saturated emerald-and-gold suit a small commercial space.

Bespoke Commissions

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

• Size on request — any custom dimension
• Colour palette matched to Pantone or RAL specification, drawn from over 1,200 yarn shades
• Material — wool, silk, mohair, cashmere and blends
• Quality line — Naturals (60 kpsi) · Elegance (80) · Luxury (100) · Executive (150)
• 30 × 30 cm reference sample for sign-off before full production
• Lead time typically 4–6 months from order confirmation, depending on size

Details and personal consultation on our bespoke commissions 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

Founded in 1967, with roots in the Grand Carpet Bazaar of Tehran and more than five decades of experience in the international rug trade.

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.