Heritage and Knotting Tradition

The Tibetan 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.

This rug is hand-knotted in the workshops of Kathmandu, Nepal, by experienced artisans in the Tibetan knotting tradition. We deliberately source hand-spun yarn from highland women in small villages who still master the older spinning techniques — a practice that has all but disappeared from the wider Nepalese rug industry. The slight irregularity of hand-spun yarn gives the surface its characteristic depth: different fibres catch the light differently, producing the subtle, alive sheen that distinguishes a true Tibetan silk rug from a uniform machine-spun reproduction.

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 periwinkle-blue chevrons — a rhythmic wave-and-hook movement — set against a warm amber, caramel-gold ground, framed all around by a soft blue-grey border. The whole pile is knotted from a single plied yarn of Chinese Matka mulberry silk and Tibetan Changpai highland wool — roughly 66 % silk, 34 % wool carried evenly throughout. Because the same silk-rich yarn runs through both the blue stripes and the amber ground, the contrast is one of colour and light, not of material: the silk threads catch the light at shifting angles, so in daylight the blue reads cool and bright against the warm ground, while in evening light the amber deepens to gold. Pile height approximately 13 mm — substantial yet plush.

Presence in the Room

At 200 × 305 cm (6.1 m²) this is a slim-large statement rug, ideal for elongated rooms where a square 8 × 10 would feel too wide. Three contexts in which this silk-wool tiger reaches its full effect:

• Narrow living room: Fits a long living room with sofa against one wall, accommodating sofa and coffee table on the rug while preserving floor border on both long sides.
• Bedroom anchor in front of a queen bed: Sits perpendicular at the foot of the bed or runs the full length of one side, framing the bed with the silk lustre catching morning light.
• Studio or library hallway: The slim proportions suit a long room or generous corridor, where the tiger stripe becomes a visual anchor along the walking line.

Bespoke Commissions

This Tibetan tiger design can be tailored to your architectural project. Our made-to-order Djoharian Design service offers:

• Custom colour palette — selection from over 1,200 yarn shades, matched to Pantone, RAL, fabric or paint samples
• Custom materials — cashmere, alpaca and mohair blends available for the pile
• Custom dimensions — any size to fit your space
• 30 × 30 cm reference sample for sign-off before full production
• Lead time approximately 3 to 5 months from final approval, 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 — a commitment to dignified working conditions and against child labour in rug production. 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. Each piece is carefully selected, inspected and presented with the documentation a discerning buyer expects.

Service and Delivery

Every piece in the Djoharian Collection is expertly inspected in our atelier in Lohr am Main, professionally washed and shipped with a certificate of authenticity. Secure and fast worldwide shipping, fully insured, and personal consultation in our showroom or by video call.