Every rug has a story of its own. But our pieces—hand-woven or hand-knotted—are a unique fusion of old designs and weaving concepts with modern motifs, colours and textures,” says Aditya Raman, founder of MyRugs, a Jaipurbased carpet brand.
Aditya was 27 when he learnt the ropes of the trade at Noble House, the company run by his family.
“My parents started their rugs and carpets company in early 80s. The company expanded gradually and even won an award for The Most Magnificent Carpet Collection at the Atlanta Gift and Carpet Show in the US in 1996, says Aditya, who did his BSc in computer engineering from the University of Utah in the US. “I went on to complete my MBA in strategy and information systems. But I returned to India in 2002 to join the family rug business.”
Making rugs and kilims is no easy task. Apart from designing and selection of materials, inspection of looms is necessary when a piece is in the making.
“Each piece is handcrafted by master weavers in the villages of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. And I personally inspect the work by travelling to the looms several times a month. It’s exhausting, since they are usually situated in far-flung, hilly, tribal belts. I have to check colour and shade of the yarn and the dyeing techniques being used. Every material absorbs colours differently, which is a crucial factor in the final product,” says the 42-year-old, who teamed up with his friend Ashish Kumar and started MyRugs in 2005.
Their sync has led to a dynamic partnership. “Ashish has a good idea of design and I work on the colours. We travel across the world and incorporate design inspirations from various sources such as nature, art, fabrics and upholstery to African and Uzbek designs and old Spanish fabrics.”
While the carpets extend over the entire floor, rugs are smaller in size. And kilims are flat woven rugs and carpets, which originated in Turkey and neighbouring areas.
Depending on the size and design, a product can take four to eight weeks to make. Since most of the weavers are real-time farmers—whose first priority is harvesting their crops—getting them to complete a rug on time is a challenge.
“Once the rug is ready, we use different kinds of washing techniques that change the look of the final product. We have ageing techniques for a vintage look and the mirror wash for shine and sheen. And the key to being different is incorporating latest colour preferences,” Aditya says.
“It’s a labour of love since every process is done by hand, from spinning of yarn to vat dyeing. The design is made in computer-aided design (CAD) software, but the design map on paper is made manually before being given to the weaver. The warping of the loom, the weaving, the shearing, washing and finishing, everything is done with hand. It’s a unique blend of artistic knowledge and technical knowhow, which manifests in an aesthetic design on your floor.”
The brand also plays around with different materials such as fused Turkish wool, New Zealand blends, Bamboo Viscose and recycled sari silk and jute blending them with old dyeing and weaving techniques. The duo has also revived antique designs.
Though they are happy to keep a diminishing art alive, the going is tough. “The local village economy is supported when work is generated for the weavers. And we have revived old skills like the kilim flat weave. But overall, hand weaving of daris, rugs and carpets is diminishing. Looms are scarce now. The next generation is not interested because it’s a very time-consuming art. A weaver has to be completely focused on the design map or else the design will change,” Aditya says.
“Our products speak a unique language to the buyer. When it enters a home, it carries with it, its own tale of the past merged with the present,” he says and the passion for his work reflects in his voice.