Tibetan Carpet industry Nepal, in spite of being interrupted many times in its development process and having been questioned frequently in different issues at different times during the course of its progressive journey from various internal as well as external sources, has been successful in achieving the present day image and recognition at home and abroad. The role of the manufacturers, exporters, related organization and associations in the credited more for their painstaking efforts and hard work to bring best quality Tibetan carpet in this position. Similarly, the role of the public sectors in Nepal and overseas importers, Tibetan rugs wholesalers as well as retailers is to be credited more for their painstaking efforts and hard work to bring carpet in this position. Similarly, the role of the public sector, for the development of the carpet industry in Nepal, should also be never undermined. It is the governments’ and the government related instructions’ positive as well as liberal attitude and their research and promotion based activities and programmers that provided tremendous encouragement, knowledge, skills Nepal and sound information base for the related and interested entrepreneurs, industrialists and traders to accelerate their faith, confidence and attraction in the carpet production and marketing.

The success of the Nepalese rugs carpet can be attributed to
Quality of the carpet and
Credibility and innovative capacity of the manufacturers and exporters

Nepalese carpet rugs itself is a unique product of superior quality. Some of the contributing factors to the uniqueness of the Nepalese carpet are:

The wool,
The yarn spinning,
The knotting,
Pile height
Knot density,
Dyes,
Aesthetic assortment of the colors, and
Superior craftsmanship.

Nepalese manufacturers use the superior Tibetan and best quality New Zealand wool in their carpets. Better quality wool always adds life strength to the cheap Tibetan carpet.  Similarly, use of handspun yarn gives the impression of a real Nepalese handicrafts product and a sort of unusual appearance. Likewise, the thick pile provided different look as compared to the rug carpets of other countries Nepal rugs as well as gives a feeling of comfort as one step over.

Nepalese Tibetan carpet manufacturers and exporter have enjoyed very good reputation for their capacity to cope with the changing demand of the market and for the delivery of goods on time. They respond to changes in market requirements with regard to size, color or design with no time bargain thus making the importers capable of updating their products in line with prevailing demands in the market.

Carpet is not simply a product of a weaving technology nor it is merely an end result of that technology but it is an art guided by culture, religion, tradition and environment of the country that produces it. Since Nepal is a country with centuries old history, tradition, culture, religion and crafts, it can be very well and strongly believed that the technology of carpet weaving should have been there for centuries as a traditional occupation.

The cold climate, the availability of wool and the relatively unhurried pace of life over centuries, are the factors which have influenced the development of carpet-knotting and use of carpets in Nepal, especially in the northern areas. Moreover, Nepalese ethnic groups are industrious and hard-working. Those who travel in the northern areas of Nepal will be struck by the fact that the ethnic groups always seem to occupy themselves with something useful; spinning wool while herding, making ropes, knotting rugs, weaving, and etc. the geographical position of the country also allowed for a wide variety of influences. Carpet making techniques, carpet usages, and carpet designs has been influenced, changed or modified as a result of constant inter-change of ideas and ideals throughout the past several hundred years.

But, despite outside influences and contacts, Nepalese carpet is splendid example of artistic genius of the people as a whole. The simplicity and elegance of a village made Nepalese carpet can at times be extraordinary. Often made under conditions of relative poverty, with a limited range of colors and raw materials available and with no other reason for making the carpet than that a carpet was needed in the household, Nepalese farmers produced the most wonderful carpets. Hand-knotted carpets have been made in the Nepalese highlands especially in the northern areas, by indigenous craftsman for centuries.

The first written evidence of Nepalese textile production is found in Indian source of the Asoka period. Kautilyas’ Artthashastra (the science of Economics) refers, in the rules for the superintendent of the treasury, to Nepalese blankets as items of trade. ‘ The ( Nepal Blanket) which is made up of eight pieces and black in color, is called Bhingisi used as rainproof, likewise is Apasaraka- both are products of Nepal (Naipalakam)’(shamasastry 1908, part 1,95). Reference is made also to a Nepali woolen Blanket being sold in pataliputra ( now Patna).

It is quite probable that the blankets referred to are the Radi, woolen blankets, which are still manufactured and in demand today as protection against cold and rain. Inhabitants of hills and mountains of Nepal have been traditionally involved in handicraft making and cottage industry as their side occupation. Particularly, the people of the arid mountainous regions where dependency on agriculture is practically impossible due to harsh terrain, and poor soils at high altitudes compelled the inhabitants to go for off-farm sector that is cottage industry like carpet weaving. Carpeting weaving Nepal was already a natural skill of the highlanders and the traditional carpets, produced by these highlanders, locally known as Radi, Pakhi, are even today famous amongst not only the Nepalese but also quite many foreigners. A saddle-carpet appearing in a Nepalese mandala painting of 1564 demonstrates that they were known in Nepal certainly over 400 years ago. The people of northern Nepal today use the carpets mainly as seat-pads, beds and saddle Blankets. Therefore, carpets weaving in Nepal should not be looked upon as a new venture started only forty-fifty years before. From the quality and commercial production point of view, it may be true but never from the origin viewpoint.

1. How to wash your pashmina products?

* Hand wash in lukewarm water using your hair shampoo. Be sure to dissolve the shampoo through then put the pashmina or cashmere products into water. Rinse with hair conditioner, this would make your pashmina products or any pashmina garments softer. Wash colored garments separately.

* Do not bleach pashmina products.

* Squeeze your pashmina shawl or any pashmina products gently, do not twist or wing. Twisting the wet pashmina shawl would stretch the shape of your pashmina shawl.

* Dry flat your pashmina products after removing excess water from pashmina products, away from direct heat and sunlight.

* Press your pashmina or cashmere products with damp cloth, using a cool iron, from the inside of the garment.

2. How to store your pashmina products?

In order to store your pashmina product of Nepal few things has to be remembered. Here we have summarized few of them:

* Dampness, sunlight and leakages are very harmful to your precious pashmina products. So before storing your pashmina products in basements or attics, always keep in mind that your pashmina products don't get in touch with dampness, sunlight and leakages. Fold pashmina products or pack them neatly in tissue paper or polythene bag and store them in closet away from light, dust and dampness.

* Cleaning Nepal pashmina products before storage is recommended, as fresh stains that may not yet be visible will oxidize and become fixed during storage; they may also be the food for moths. Moths have a discerning; they feast only on natural fabrics. Mothballs (naphthalene) and cedar chips are standard protection from moth infestation of woolens.

* To store a pure Neapl pashmina products during summer, the most important thing is to keep moisture away, and so please do not store your pashmina products in a damp place. A well-sealed plastic storage box (available in most stores) is good enough (be sure that if there is any moisture inside). Make sure the box is dry before you put your pashmina products in.

* To keep the moth away, the first important thing to make sure that the muffler is clean before long-time storage. Pay close attention to any food stains as moths are particularly attracted to our normal food proteins and cooking oils. Those mothproofing products are helpful, or simply spray some perfume on a piece of paper and put the paper next to your pashmina products inside the box.

3. Few more extra tips.

You can use the following tips to keep your Nepali pashmina products always clean and beautiful:

* Avoid wearing or using the same Nepalese  pashmina products frequently, allow the pashmina products two or three days' rest after one day's wearing.

* A silk scarf goes well with pashmina shawl or stole to and cardigan, to put between your pashmina shawl or stole top/cardigan and your neck will also prevent powder or other cosmetics stains.

* Do not wear the pashmina shawls or pashmina stoles or pashmina scarves or pashmina mufflers next to rough clothing, metal necklace, bracelet, belt and rough leather such as crocodile leather bags because these things may harm your pashmina products. Dress up your pashmina shawl or pashmina stole or pashmina muffler or pashmina scarf with silk and pearl accessories instead of accessories with rough surface.

* Pilling is caused by abrasion during regular use, it often develops on elbows, on the seat of skirts, and in areas rubbed by a bag or briefcase, even seat belt. Soft, fuzzy surfaces are more susceptible than others. So for pashmina shawl or other pashmina products, it is normal when pilling develops in some areas after times of wearing.

* To avoid pilling, it is important not to rub the pashmina shawl or other pashmina products with rough clothing, metal accessories, bags and all kinds of belts. In case you can not avoid the belts such as seat belts, cover your pashmina shawl or your other pashmina products with a silk or synthetic fibers shawl, make sure it has the smooth surface that is next to your pashmina shawl or any other pashmina products.

* To remove pills, just manually pick them off. Do not rub and brush the pashmina products.