The distinctive look of a Tufenkian carpet is attributable to the use of materials of exceptional quality, and the extraordinary level of traditional handwork involved in all stages of production. For our Tibetan and Designers’ Reserve rugs, we use the finest Tibetan wool, carried by yak over the Himalayas to our facilities in Nepal. Our Armenian rugs are crafted from the wool of Caucasian Mountain sheep. To preserve its character as well as the precious lanolin it contains, these wool fibers are never bleached or scoured. After being washed with only pure water, the wool is then carded, spun, dyed, and knotted exclusively by hand. The result is a rich texture, a subtle stripe of color, and an innovative design, the hallmarks of Tufenkian carpets.

Each of our Tibetan rugs is made with the same high quality Tibetan Highland virgin wool that is then hand-carded, hand-spun and hand-knotted in Nepal. Our process does not compromise the wool by using bleach, as is the practice elsewhere. The inherent lanolin oil content is retained in our Tibetan rugs and acts as a natural soil and stain inhibitor.

Lama

Tibetan rugs made with Lama construction have an average pile height of .45” which is slightly lower than the similar appearing Setana construction. Lama, Setana, and Kotana are considered our more textural weaves. Lama features the lowest price per square foot of any of our Tibetan area rug selections. Although the construction is similar to Setana, the price per square foot is less. It is also ADA compliant.

Setana

Tibetan rugs made with our Setana construction have a slightly higher average pile height of .55”, while both Setana and Lama have the same knot count per square inch. Setana and Lama yarns are thicker than the Kotana, Timpa, and Shakti yarns, and are used in creating simpler Tibetan rug patterns. While finer weaves are often preferred - even weaves finer that what can be made with Tibetan wool - Setana is a perfect example of how beauty can be created in a Tibetan rug approximating the knot count of a Persian Heriz. Many of the rugs we introduced in the mid 1980s were made with the Setana weave, and it brings us great delight to hear clients praise these rugs decades later.

Kotana

For Tibetan rugs made in our Kotana construction, the average pile height is similar to Timpa, but with more surface texture and striation. Kotana lends itself to simple, large motifs and modern designs. The price per square foot is similar to Timpa, and this construction is specified as Tufenkian Wash.

Timpa

Tibetan rugs made with our Timpa construction have an average pile height of .41”. Timpa is similar in appearance to, but not quite as fine as, Shakti construction. Timpa Tibetan rugs cost approximately 10% less per square foot than Shakti, and are ADA compliant.

Shakti

Shakti Tibetan rugs have an average pile height of .28”. While this is the finest Tibetan knot count we produce, we do not machine spin the yarn to achieve higher knot counts; consequently this is our most labor-intensive construction. and the most costly per square foot. Both Timpa and Shakti are the constructions of choice for detailed designs, and both are low in pile height. Shakti is also ADA compliant.

Yak-Soo

Yak-Soo Tibetan rugs are a shag alternative and a relatively new Tufenkian construction technique. Clients considering a shag aesthetic would be particularly interested in our Yak-Soo rugs, which offer a sophisticated shag-like visual, but are far more inviting and luxurious to the touch.

Yak-Soo construction offers a lush, complex, and organic aesthetic. It has a very high pile woven from extremely thick yarn. The vegetable-based dye used in Yak-Soo rugs gives them infinite and spontaneous variations in color, while the handspun yarn and unique weaving techniques contribute unmatched texture.

While some contemporary shag and shag-looking rugs do perform well, and while such rugs do serve an important role in modern décor, almost all of them are machine-made using synthetic, machine-made yarns and fibers. Each Yak-Soo rug, however, offers the quality that comes from our Tibetan wool that is carded, spun, and woven by hand. Yak-Soo construction uses a contemporary adaptation of Tsukten, an ancient Tibetan fabric-weaving technique, and, unlike machine-made rugs, Yak-Soo carpets have a pedigree and integrity that represent what Tufenkian does best: marry traditional hand-crafted techniques, the finest natural materials, and exceptional contemporary design.

Our Armenian Collection was created in 1993 and ranges from traditional, delicate, and refined to bold, archetypal designs. James was inspired to bring new life and energy to the craft of handmade rugs in the land where it all began and created various weaves to express this tradition.

Weaves

Esfahan Weave

The most luxurious of Armenian qualities, Esfahan has a knot count comparable to or higher than Tibetan Shakti. This quality is available in all wool, may mix soumakh and pile construction and up to three plies of yarn. This smooth, thick pile is ADA compliant yet lends itself to delicate, fine detail designs. The dyeing process deliberately creates color shadings, and pieces are treated with special wash to emphasize abrash and color striation.

Tabriz Weave

Our Tabriz quality has a knot count comparable to or higher than our Tibetan Shakti, but slightly lower than Esfahan quality. Available in all wool, we may mix soumakh and pile construction. Tabriz is suitable for detailed designs and employs triple-ply yarn construction. Color shadings are deliberately created through the dyeing process and finished pieces are treated with a special Swiss wash to emphasize abrash and color striation.

Oushak Weave

Available in all wool, Oushak quality rugs are created with a knot count comparable to or higher than our Tibetan Shakti. This most textured and least finely knotted of the Armenian qualities may mix soumakh and pile construction. Oushak quality is suitable for larger scale patterns, and is the most competitively priced in the Armenian Collection. Production in this quality began late '90's along with Tabriz.

Kazak Weave

Our first Armenian construction is used for the more tribal, historical reproductions of ancient Armenian designs that connected our weavers with their ancestral roots. Though most sizes are traditionally smaller than 6'x9', we have created several designs available in 8'x10' to 10'x14'.

Virtues of Armenian Wool

Armenian sheep, "Vochkdar," roam free across the mountainous land, and Tufenkian has taken pride in raising them with respect for the traditions of yore. Indeed it is their wool – "poort" – that is the essential starting point for every fine Tufenkian Armenian carpet. It is both an extremity of dedication and quality control to actually raise the sheep whose wool is ultimately spun into yarn, the luscious "Mahnoom." In re-inventing the Armenian carpet industry, Tufenkian has researched its history and returned the process to what it was like in pre-Stalinist times.

“Each step of the process is as variable and surprising as the person who executed it; by some remarkable alchemy in the finished carpet, this accumulation of variables, this infinitude of imperfections, is in sum perfection itself.” - James Tufenkian

Carding

Carding By Hand

The first step in the creation of Tufenkian’s rich yarns – "Mahnoom" – is called carding. One handful of wool is placed between two metal-toothed brushes and gently combed until the fibers are roughly aligned. It is a labor intensive process that has been traditionally used to prepare wool for spinning. Carding by hand respects the precious fibers, and the resulting yarn is very natural and distinctively raw.

Spun with foot power

In homes and small village compounds, Tufenkian workers labor at simple, foot-powered wooden wheels called "Mahnello ahneev," carefully spinning with a practiced hand. The balance between wheel and hand is too delicate to yield a mechanically uniform product. The resulting rich, organic texture, subtle colors, and warm feel augmented by homespun yarn couldn’t be more perfect for Tufenkian Oushaks.

Swiss dyes for consistency and breadth of color

The wool is dyed in small lots by hand, but the pigments are provided by Swiss metal complex dyes. From an aesthetic and practical point these dyes simply have no peer. They enable color consistency well within the acceptable range for a handmade rug, plus they are light fast and never run in washing. At the same time, they allow for expression of the subtle striation of color that is among the prized characteristics of our production.For the Oushaks, these dyes allow the tonal variations necessary to give the warm feel of an antique, while maintaining new and pristine color, both a conceptual leap and a technical challenge. We believe the feeling speaks for itself.

Weaving and Shearing

Tufenkian Armenian carpets are woven by hand, knot by knot, by skilled "Manorghs," Armenian weavers. Each knot results in a single point of color in the pile of the finished carpet. Weavers at the loom create a dense, luxurious fabric, and because each weaver pulls every knot tight with a different force, there are no straight lines or uniform details in the resulting Tufenkian carpet. The art of weaving remains as it has been for many hundreds of years: hand pulling and knotting wool on mahogany framed looms, the "Dazgah."

Browse our selection of rugs made in Armenia>

The wool is scrubbed by hand without harsh scouring or bleaching. Because the wool is not bleached to stark white uniformity, each fiber retains its own unique shading and character, thus absorbing dyes unevenly. These slight variations in the wool make each carpet unique.

We use vegetable dyes only with Yak-Soo, a shag alternative and Tufenkian construction technique. Otherwise, vegetable dyes do not offer enough range of color for all of our designs and exhibit lack of color-fastness both in washing and exposure to sunlight. Tufenkian was one of the first manufacturers to switch to top-quality Swiss metal-complex dyes, which provide a wide range of fade-resistant colors. The wool is still dyed in small lots by hand, in the Tibetan tradition, but the pigments are created with a modern Swiss process utilizing chromium metal, a naturally occurring element, the use of which creates dyes that will never run or fade, while allowing the natural character of the wool to express itself.

It has been our philosophy since we began our own production that, since we are making the finest quality products, we should finish them with only the finest quality washing. For many years, the finest finishing was available only in Switzerland. However, after years of experimentation and development of techniques, formulas, and equipment, we have created a wash in our factory in Nepal that meets our strict standards: the Tufenkian Wash. This process allows us to oversee and maintain wash quality, while dramatically reducing our delivery times and improving consistency and quality control.

For us, the Swiss wash had two drawbacks. First, because of added transit and handling, it slows delivery of our products by one to two months, compared to source-country washing. Second, it interjects a variable in the quality control process between the time the rug is checked at the factory, and the time it is received by us in New York. A rug that leaves the factory in perfect condition may develop quality problems in washing and arrive to us in New York in unsatisfactory condition.

It is important to note that we go to great lengths to ensure that the Swiss metal-complex dyes and cleaning chemicals used in the other rugs we offer are not used in a manner that is detrimental to the environment. After washing the rugs, we do not simply pour the contaminated water back into the ground or the public water supply, as many other manufacturers do. Instead, we purify the water, restoring it to drinkable quality before re-using it. We then dispose of the dyes, washing chemicals, and other contaminants carefully and separately.

Tufenkian carpets differ from machine-made carpets in several ways, including variations in size. These variations exist because of the numerous handmade processes used to make each rug. The variation in size ranges from +/- 2% in width and +/- 4% in length. Our wool is spun into yarn by hand; therefore, the yarn varies in diameter, which results in knots of varying size. The thinner the yarn, the smaller the knot; the thicker the yarn, the larger the knot. So it follows that the smaller the knots, the smaller the rug; and the larger the knots, the larger the rug. Additionally, during the weaving process, each row of knots is beaten down by hand. This also contributes to variations in size. Nominal sizes in the Tibetan Collections include 6'x9' (actual approximates 5'6"x8'6"), 9'x12' (actual approximates 8'9"x11'6") and in the Armenian Collections the 5'x7' (actual approximates 4'6"x6'6").

No. Each knot is separate from the others. If the yarn pops up, what we refer to as a "sprout," just clip it off with a sharp pair of scissors.

The fringes are made of cotton from India. The fringes are not ornamental finishing, but rather the ends of the warp threads, part of the carpet’s foundation.

Tufenkian carpets’ durability and beauty make them a perfect addition to public settings. They are made of durable wool that is hand carded, handspun and densely packed in pile. This great wool, combined with a unique finishing process, contributes to the creation of a high-quality, soil-resistant product. Not all rug materials are suitable for commercial applications, but our rug experts can help you choose the ideal product for your businesses use. Contact us to learn more about choosing a rug for a commercial space.

Tufenkian’s Custom Program gives you the freedom and flexibility to design the perfect handmade carpet with a process that is fast, simple, and limited only by your imagination.  With access to the same tools used to create Tufenkian’s celebrated Tibetan and Armenian rugs, you’ll benefit from more than thirty years of experience helping clients realize the perfect custom area rugs, runners, and wall-to-wall installations. Our international reputation for exquisite design, craftsmanship, and customer service will exceed your expectations. 

Please refer to our Custom Page for more information.

After the carpet has been woven, the tips of the pile are gently sheared to smooth the surface of the carpet. Small bits of yarn and fibers may be released from the pile during use. This is a temporary phenomenon. With normal vacuuming and traffic, these extraneous fibers and pieces of yarn will work their way out the carpet. The temporary shedding in no way compromises the integrity or durability of your handmade carpet.

No. Tufenkian carpets are not treated with a mothproofing chemicals; they are effectively mothproofed as a result of the washing process.

To maintain the beauty of Tufenkian Carpets handmade area rugs, we recommend the following:

• Vacuum frequently with a device that has an adjustable beater bar/brush, set to the highest setting
• If spills occur, blot the liquid as soon as possible. The idea is to lift the soil or liquid, not push it into the pile of the area rug
• When there is a noticeable spot or residue, apply a modest amount of carbonated water and blot the liquid
• If a spot remains, use small amount of mild liquid soap; apply a modest amount of carbonated water and blot with a lifting motion. Repeat if needed
• If a spot still remains, contact your local certified hand-made carpet cleaning and repair company
• A note on bamboo silk: it is best to use a professional. However, in times when a quick response is needed, gently blot (do not scrub) the soiled area using a clean cloth or paper towel to absorb liquids from spills. Air dry; heat drying should be avoided

Still looking to learn more? Read this blog post for more details.

We are happy to provide you some tips to spot clean your handmade rug. However, due to the uniqueness of our rugs and carpets, and the degree of expertise with which these spotting instructions may be used, Tufenkian assumes no responsibility related to the use of this information. All responsibility rests with the user.

• Blot, never scrub, spots on a rug as scrubbing can damage the carpet’s nap
  
• Test all spotting products in an inconspicuous area first and look for color change. If the color bleeds or you are unsure how to proceed, consult a professional. Remove as much of the spill as possible before adding spotting products.
  
• Work from the outer edges of a spot to the center
  
• Never saturate a spotting area with a liquid. Only spot with small amounts of cleaning products
  
• Drying small areas can be accomplished with a hair dryer with the heat setting off

Interested in leaning more? Read our full rug cleaning post for more information.

There is a unique hardiness to Tibetan wool due to the extreme altitude and climate of the Tibetan plateau where the sheep graze. Their wool is long in staple and contains an unusually high amount of lanolin, a natural stain and soil repellent. The wool is inherently strong, elastic, and resilient, all of which contribute to its longevity. Our Armenian production starts with the wool of Caucasian Mountain sheep; use of this wool dates back to some of the finest antique Oushak carpets available today.

Scotchguarding or using some other type of soil-retardant on the carpet is normally not required because Tufenkian carpets are naturally stain resistant. It is not recommended or necessary.

When shopping for the perfect rug for your space, rug size and placement should be the initial contributing factors in your purchasing decision. While there are no set rules, there are certain guidelines and design aesthetics to consider during the shopping process. Read more at our blog to learn how to choose the right area rug size for any room.

The luxury discount rugs featured in the Sale section at Tufenkian.com include discontinued colors, sizes, and designs, as well as sample rugs, one-of-a-kind rugs, and carpets with slight imperfections at discounted and near wholesale prices. Styles range from traditional and updated oriental patterns to primitive and modern designs. All are made of the finest hand-spun materials, including wool, wool and blends of silk, bamboo silk, hemp, or linen. Whether you are looking for a small area rug for the bath, a colorful runner for the kitchen, or a special 9x12 carpet for the living room, Tufenkian promises that you will find authentic, handmade carpets from our Armenian and Tibetan artisans, as well as our newer production from India.

Rug designs found in James’ Vault include traditional Gabbeh and Heriz designs from Iran, beautiful Chinese and Armenian antiques, and a variety of other pieces which James has purchased over his 30 years in the carpet business. While these pieces are not sold at a discount, they are among the best quality and value available today in the handmade rug industry. These rugs are available for purchase online and are available to ship immediately from our warehouse in New Jersey or our outlet location in Portland, Oregon.

When decorating your home, think of your floors as the foundation for your design. There's an endless array of rug designs to choose from, so visualize the desired goal for the room. Read more at our blog for design tips from the American Society of Interior Designers.

Here are eight benefits suggested by our partners at Northwest Society of Interior Designers (NWSID):

1. Every project, large or small, presents challenges, from living space and storage constraints to maximizing light. A knowledgeable designer will guide clients efficiently through the maze of design choices.
2. Experienced designers know what works and what doesn’t, and can help you choose the products that make sense both aesthetically and practically.
3. Designers have access to local and national manufacturers and products that are unavailable to most consumers.
4. Design is only as good as its execution. Seasoned designers know how to find and work with the most qualified contractors, tradespeople, and painters. They make sure price meets quality, and they can apply leverage to repair or replace items when necessary.
5. Designers save you from countless hours of shopping time and will work on-site. We bring options to you.
6. A designer helps allocate your design dollars effectively now and for future phases of your design project. Designers make sure workers follow the construction schedule, complete every detail, and finish the job to your delight.
7. Designers serve as a neutral third party to link taste and style between partners and help them decide on a direction.
8. A designer’s experience more than proves its value. All of our designers have risen to educational and professional standards, and are well-versed in navigating the many state and city codes, safety, or convenience issues.

One of the most valuable tools on our website is the ability to tag items as 'Favorites'. Rugs tagged as a Favorite are saved to your Wishlist, and you can create as many lists as you like!

To create a Wishlist, simply click the heart icon found in any product's detail page. To access this list, click again on this heart icon. In the lists page, you can create as many different lists as you need; access Your Lists by clicking on this link. To add items to any list, simply select that list and then start shopping!

For members of the trade working on several projects at once, this can be a useful way to organize by project or client; for our retail customers shopping for their personal residence, it can be a helpful way to organize products you're considering by room, size or color and make the decision process more organized.

Pile is a common term found when searching rug e-commerce sites, but what does rug pile mean? Rug pile refers to the visible tufts of yarn on a rug’s surface. In other words, the pile is the face of the rug. Rug pile can be cut or left in loops, thick or thin, soft or coarse. Learn more at our complete guide to pile height.

Rugs available on our website can be purchased online at any time. Once you’ve added the rugs you would like to purchase to your cart, proceed to checkout. If you have any discount codes, please enter them during checkout. If you are a member of the trade, you will be required to log in to receive your trade discount. Submit your order by entering your payment details, or choose the Klarna payment option (for orders $10,000 and under) to split payments into four, equal installments. You will receive an order receipt via email and a salesperson will contact you the same day or the next business day to confirm your order and estimated time of your delivery. If you are working directly with a salesperson you may also place an order over the phone by calling 800.928.6671. Our sales team is available 8am until 5pm PST, Monday through Friday.

Every online order is delivered on a Tufenkian Test Drive, which allows you to live with the rug for up to seven (7) days from the day it is received in your home or business. If you love the rug, notify us during the seven day trial period and we will process your payment information and send you a receipt. If you decide not to keep the rug, please notify us and we'll provide you with a return authorization and coordinate the rug return via UPS. Please visit our Returns FAQ for more information on returns. Note that the Test Drive policy may differ when Klarna is selected as your payment option.

Please note that our Vault rugs are sold 'as is'. These vintage and antique rugs can be well over a century old, and each one has a unique provenance. Many of these rugs are pre-owned and may have signs of wear or repair; if appropriate, we will send photos of the rug to provide further details prior to purchase.  As with every online order, we send our antiques on a seven day test drive in order for you to try the rug in your home prior to finalizing the purchase. We pay outbound shipping; you only pay shipping if you choose to return the rug. 

Please contact us. Phone support for online orders is available by calling 800.928.6671 between 8am and 5pm PST Monday through Friday. Email support can be obtained via our Contact Form.

If you are experiencing problems finding the right rug for your needs, please call our experienced sales support team for assistance. We often have additional inventory, more than what is posted on the site, and we would love to work with you personally.

If you prefer, let us find rugs for your home! We have partnered with online customers for over twenty years, and our knowledgeable staff has decades of combined experience placing handmade rugs with customers all over the world.

Simply send us a few details:

• Measure your space to determine the size rug you need. If you aren’t sure, send us the measurements of the space and any furniture or space constraints
• Give us direction on the design or colors you are looking for
• If you would like to send us color swatches of paint or fabric, we are happy to provide you an address for correspondence

In many cases, we can send higher resolution images to give you a more detailed view of each rug.

Rugs that are not one-of-a-kind may be able to be sampled with individual yarn color pods or tabs.

We will also search any inventory that is not currently available online to see if there are additional items applicable to your project.

You are welcome to send us photos of your spaces under consideration showing the entire area and any close-up color or design details that are significant. If possible, try to avoid strong light sources or glare.

Most of the time we can find exactly what you or looking for; if not, we can help you explore custom options to create a personalized solution.

Engaging in a 'Test Drive' of a carpet through Tufenkian.com initiates a consignment relationship between Tufenkian and the customer. When you test drive a carpet, Tufenkian will reserve the price of the rug on your credit card, and thus requires credit card information before shipping the carpet to you. Every order processed through our website, with the exception of those purchased with Klarna as the payment method, is sent out on a test drive. Klarna orders are considered final and processed immediately.

Upon shipment, Tufenkian shall provide Consignees with the UPS tracking number via e-mail. If the rug is in stock at Tufenkian’s warehouse, it will arrive to the Consignee within 7-10 days. Rugs located outside of the warehouse generally take 10-20 days.

Rugs on a 'Test Drive' consignment may be kept for up to seven (7) days, a time period which begins the day the rug is received for inspection. If the Consignee does not contact Tufenkian after seven (7) days, it is assumed that the Consignee is purchasing the rug and the reserved amount will be charged to the Consignee’s credit card. If the rug is to be returned, the Consignee will pay for return shipping costs.

Free outbound shipping is not applicable outside the 48 contiguous United States, and in other situations such as with sales coupons or with some specially priced items. The Consignee will bear the full cost, both outbound and inbound, for undeliverable shipments.

To return a consigned rug, the Consignee should keep the packaging materials from the rug’s initial shipment. Open the package carefully to preserve the original packaging; replacement packaging can be supplied for $15. Tufenkian will issue Consignees instructions with a Return Authorization and UPS pick-up information. Consignees are not to send consigned rugs back until these instructions have been received.

By placing an order with Tufenkian.com, you agree to all of Tufenkian’s terms and conditions of sale. Note that your sales or 'Test Drive' transaction may not be completed without an indication of your acceptance.

Full terms: Engaging in a 'Test Drive' of a carpet through Tufenkian.com ('Tufenkian') initiates a consignment relationship between Tufenkian and the customer ('Consignee'). When Consignee 'Test Drives' a carpet, Tufenkian will reserve the price of the rug on the Consignee’s credit card, and thus requires credit card information before shipping the carpet to the Consignee. Upon shipment, Tufenkian shall provide Consignees with the UPS tracking number via e-mail. If the rug is in stock at Tufenkian’s warehouse, it will arrive to the Consignee within 7-10 days. Rugs outside of the warehouse generally take 10-20 days. 'Test Drive' rugs may be kept for up to seven (7) days. If the Consignee does not contact Tufenkian after seven (7) days, it is assumed that the Consignee is purchasing the rug and the reserved amount will be charged to the Consignee’s credit card. If the rug is to be returned, the Consignee will pay for return shipping costs. Consigned rugs that are returned shall be in the same condition as when received by the Consignee. For any rug not returned in its original condition, the Consignee shall be charged for all cleaning or repair costs. It is mandatory that rug tags stay attached to the returned rug. There may be an additional handling fee for a rug returned without its tag. It is further agreed that until a rug is actually received by Tufenkian, the Consignee assumes total financial responsibility and risk of loss or damage. If a rug is returned in a condition that renders it unsalable, the Consignee agrees to purchase the rug at the originally established sales price. Rugs sent via Tufenkian’s UPS account will be insured, and consequently damage or loss incurred during shipping are covered pursuant to the terms of UPS’ insurance coverage. Free outbound shipping is not applicable outside the 48 contiguous United States, and in other situations such as with sales coupons or with some specially priced items. The Consignee will bear the full cost, both outbound and inbound, for undeliverable shipments. To return a consigned rug, the Consignee should keep the packaging materials from the rug’s initial shipment. Open the package carefully to preserve the original packaging; replacement packaging can be supplied for $15.00. Tufenkian will issue Consignees instructions with a Return Authorization and UPS pick-up information. Consignees are not to send consigned rugs back until these instructions have been received.

Free outbound shipping is offered exclusively with ground or standard delivery service to the 48 contiguous United States for Test Drive orders. All orders shipped via UPS are sent 'signature required' by default. Exceptions to Free Outbound shipping include Alaska or Hawaii; customers requesting rugs from these states must select Priority Service when placing an online order via our shopping cart system. Customers in the United Kingdom must place their online orders on tufenkian.uk; customers in the EU can order on tufenkiancarpets.eu; or by calling our sales team as our US online ordering system will not accept international transactions. If you are placing an international order, please use our Contact Us form or reach us by phone at 800.928.6671.

If you need to make arrangements to pickup your rug at a hub or coordinate delivery, please contact UPS directly at 1-800-742-5877 and reference your tracking number.

Priority Service

Please note that expedited outbound service such as UPS 3 Day Select, UPS 2nd Day, or UPS Next Day Air is not included and quotes will be provided upon request. Priority service for heavy rugs may not be available. Free outbound shipping is not applicable outside the contiguous United States and may not always apply with sale coupons or the application of other discounts.

Rugs above the 150lb UPS weight limit are sent via our truck service delivery partners.

Most rugs arrive within seven to ten business days via Ground / Standard service if they are located in our corporate warehouse or showroom. Rugs located at Tufenkian Dealer locations may take one to four weeks. Rugs may need to be returned to our warehouse before they can be shipped to you.

Customers outside the United States must place their orders manually as our domestic online ordering system will not accept international transactions. You can also place an order to ship to the UK or Europe on tufenkian.uk. If you would like to place an international order with our US based sales team, please use our Contact Us form or reach us by phone at 800.928.6671.

To initiate a return or exchange, call 800.928.6671 or email your salesperson before the conclusion of your seven day “Test Drive” period. Please note that rug pads are not eligible for return or refund.

Return shipping prices for standard sizes are as follows, subject to change, last updated 2/2022.

• 2’x3’     $25.00
• 3’x5’     $35.00
• 3’x10’   $70.00
• 3’x12’   $90.00
• 4’x6’     $50.00
• 5’x7’     $60.00
• 6’x9’     $90.00
• 8’x10’   $140.00
• 9’x12’   $200.00
• 10’x14’ $300.00
• 11’x17’ $500.00
• 12’x16’ $650.00
• 13’x18’ $800.00

Packaging a return can be challenging.  Here are a few tips:

How to pack 6x9 & larger rugs: If shipping a 6x9, 8x10 or a 9x12 size rug: fold the rug in half, then fold 1/3 of the rug and then start rolling it. Secure it with a string. For larger rugs: fold the rug in thirds (bringing both sided into middle), then fold the 1/3 of the rug and roll as tight as possible, secure with the string and wrap in the wrapping material the rug was shipped to you. If the packaging material can’t be reused, you may use a UPS box (they may also have heavy-duty plastic) or you can purchase a heavy duty plastic wrap, such as this product.

Watch this video to learn how we package an 8x10 rug for shipping.

Watch this video to learn how we package a 9x12 and larger for shipping.

If you are looking to exchange a rug purchased within the last twelve months for a larger rug or another rug of equal or greater value, please please use our Contact Us form or reach us by phone at 800.928.6671.

In order to process a custom project, a written purchase order and a 50% deposit of the purchase price are required; the remaining balance is due prior to delivery. Custom and Special Orders cannot be cancelled and cannot be returned. Due to the nature of handmade rugs, sizes and color may vary slightly. Standard allowable variance is 2% in the width and 4% in the length.

Yes! Members of the interior design and architecture community have been the lifeblood of our business and a vital part of our success for more than 30 years. If you are a professional designer or member of the trade, please contact or visit your Tufenkian Authorized dealer or showroom or register online for more details.

The easiest way to register as a member of the trade is through our online trade application.

• Visit our application at tufenkian.com/register
• After verifying your professional status and billing/shipping profile, you will be notified via email once your application is successfully processed
• To complete the online application and finalize your account, click on the registration link in your acceptance email

If you are in a sales tax state we require your state resale identification number. You must provide valid credit card information at time of order. Membership with ASID, IIDA, NCIDQ, or a similarly accredited interior design professional organization is preferred. A website or social media accounts for your business are preferred. All accounts must be verified by a Tufenkian sales associate. Trade accounts must have a valid driver’s license, and your business must have a Federal Tax Identification number; we only need the latter if we have to send you IRS form 1099. To receive the Tufenkian trade discount, orders must be paid for by the designer. If you wish to have a client pay with their own credit card, please fill out the Payment From a Secondary Customer form supplied by your sales associate.

Tear or cut sheets are available for all designs currently in production as part of our Design Catalog. Tear sheets can be downloaded directly from each product’s detail webpage by clicking on the note icon at the top right of each product's page.

There are “handmade” carpets with finer knotting available at a lower cost. They tend to be machine-made (except for the knotting process), and they utilize common New Zealand wool. These rugs are not all that different from completely machine-made carpets, which are even less expensive. At Tufenkian, we refuse to cut corners; only rare and wonderful Tibetan and Armenian wool is used, and the yarn is spun, carded, and dyed entirely by hand. This process is costly, but Tufenkian is committed to providing our customers with an exceptional product. Additionally, Tufenkian is dedicated to addressing the social, economic, and environmental concerns of the communities in which our facilities are located. Tufenkian houses, feeds, educates, and provides medical care for thousands of weavers in Nepal. We keep their water clean and further safeguard Nepal’s fragile ecosystem against chemical by-products by washing most of our carpets in European facilities, which feature environmentally sound finishing processes. In Armenia, the Tufenkian Foundation funds an orphanage and senior citizen housing. To learn more about the Tufenkian Foundation, visit tufenkianfoundation.org.

Every rug produced by Tufenkian uses the finest materials available. The majority of our designs are made wholly or partially of wool from the Himalayas or Caucasus mountains, but you'll also find blends of silk, bamboo silk, linen, hemp and mohair. Learn more about the materials we use at our blog.

Please note that Tufenkian does not buy rugs via our online store or our Portland Outlet location, but we present these hints if you have rugs that you want to sell.

• Have your Rug Professionally Cleaned: If it has been more than one year since your rug was purchased, or obviously needs a cleaning, you should have it cleaned by a professional
• Locate your Receipt or Statement of Value: If you purchased directly from a Tufenkian Artisan Carpets Showroom and the carpets were imported by Tufenkian from Nepal or Armenia, you may wish to contact us for an updated statement of value. Please call our New Jersey office at 201.221.1055 X335
• Obtain a Professional Appraisal: For non-Tufenkian brand rugs that do not have any original paperwork, it is helpful to contact a rug appraiser in your area. The appraiser would also be your first guide to know what you need to do next. To find an appraiser near you we suggest contacting the Oriental Rug Retailers of America
• Use a Consignment Store: Look for a reputable consignment store in your area that is known for selling handmade carpets
• Craigslist: This option allows you to post your listing for free; simply attach a photo and description of your rug. The buyer usually picks up the rug, and you don’t pay a percentage or commission
• Donation: Donate your old handmade rug to a charity auction. Check with your tax adviser and the Internal Revenue Service to see how to navigate this process and what you can claim for artwork

Armenian sources refer to carpets being used to adorn the floors and walls of churches from the 5th century, and describe their use for sitting on during meals. Records, literature, and historical accounts from Greek, Iranian, Arabic, Bulgarian, and other sources comment with respect on Armenian carpets given in tribute or as taxes, taken as booty, or simply as objects of admiration from pre-Christian times. Surprisingly, Arab sources refer to the supremacy of Armenian prayer rugs, often thought of as the quintessential Islamic art form. What is so remarkable from historic accounts is that the carpets made were not simply small products of home looms, but were the result of organized, commercial enterprises that created huge works of exceptional beauty. A single carpet sometimes covered as much as 60 square meters (600 square feet)!

All of this began to change, as did the association of Armenians with weaving of great carpets, when the last Armenian kingdom of Cilicia in what is now southeastern Turkey fell to Egyptian Mamluks in the 13th century. At that time, many Armenians fled their homeland, settling in Transylvania, Poland, Crimea, and Iran. Not coincidentally, it was during this time that highly developed carpet weaving began in these, and other countries, as the Armenians carried their craft with them, and transferred it to the local populations of their host countries. The Egyptian Mamluk carpets of this time are a notable example.
 
At the beginning of the 17th century, the Persian Shah Abbas transplanted 100,000 Armenians from their homes in Julfa (Anatolia) to New Julfa, constructed outside of the Iranian holy city of Isfahan. He gave them a monopoly on the trade of silk, sending them to India where they created flourishing trade outposts. It is from this time that the great Persian carpets, as well as the Moghul carpets of India, began to be created. At the same time, the famous Polish court carpets known as Polonaise were woven in Isfahan and presented to the royalty of Poland which by then had a thriving community of more than 100,000 Armenians. Great carpet weaving followed the Armenians wherever they settled, but unfortunately the Armenian contribution to weaving became obscure, as Armenians, a people without a country, came to be thought of as traders who brought the carpets of their adoptive lands to the corners of the world.

In modern times, Armenian carpet weaving has been primarily identified with the great carpets of the Caucasus and Northwestern Iran which, until recently, was heavily populated by Armenians. Going back to the great Caucasian Dragon carpets of the 16th century, continuing with the French-influenced floral carpets made in Nagorno Karabagh for the Russian aristocracy in the early 19th century, Armenian Caucasian carpets are as magnificent as they are diverse. Prized by collectors for the past half century, these carpets are characterized by their bold designs, brilliant colors, and velvety wool pile.

During Soviet times, the cottage industry of carpet weaving, practiced by most Armenian women of the time, was slowly strangled. Individual enterprise was discouraged, and the carpet industry was centralized in a single, massive state enterprise which had a monopoly on the production of carpets. Not surprisingly, Soviet values were not conducive to the propagation of a great folk art tradition. The state enterprise produced carpets with an emphasis on quantity and conformity, without respect for the art form. The result was carpets as bland and uninspired as the workplace in which they were created.

Fortunately, with the independence of Armenia and the fall of the Soviet system, there is now a movement underway to revive the great carpet making of the past. Paramount are the old values: use of the best indigenous Caucasian mountain wool, yarn made entirely by hand, dyes reminiscent of the great carpets of the past, the process of design and production the inspiration, and respect for the art that was lost for the past 50 years. Armenia is rich in prized wools, and the crafts of spinning and weaving have survived in homes throughout the country in spite of Soviet suppression.

Moving forward, organization, financing, and the marketing inspiration to guide the process towards producing great carpets with a ready market were needed, and have been found in several small enterprises in Karabagh and Armenia, and on a larger scale with Tufenkian’s facilities in Yerevan, and seven regions of the country. With everything under its control, from flocks of sheep to its modern design and administrative center in Yerevan, it is bringing to market in the west more than 10,000 square feet of carpet each month through its world-wide network of dealers. In the process, it employs more than 1000 workers, providing a steady livelihood for as many families in the difficult economic situation of post-Soviet Armenia.

Most Tufenkian carpets come in a variety of sizes and colors. Keep in mind that the designs are constantly evolving; new designs and colorways are introduced a minimum of twice per year. Rugs currently in production, and available in a wide range of stocked sizes, can be found in our Design Catalog. Although these rugs cannot be purchased online, they are available through Tufenkian-owned showrooms and our international dealer network. Click here to find the location nearest you. Our Closeout Sale and Vault rugs are available first-come, first-served, and most available inventory is posted. However, we do have sizes, colorways, and designs that aren’t yet published to our site. For help in purchasing Closeout Sale rugs and pieces from James’ Vault, please Contact our Customer Service team.

The answer depends upon the rug in question, as well as the intended room setting. Tufenkian dealers and our Customer Service team or rug experts are best qualified to offer assistance in selecting appropriate color/design combinations from our diverse collection. Please contact us for assistance in your search for complimentary rugs.

In our warehouse, most rugs are folded several times over and stored on wooden pallets to maximize space and ease of transportation. When we photograph many rugs at time, they are removed from storage, laid flat, then returned to the stack in minutes. Wool does not have much of a memory, and such fold marks go away in the first few weeks of normal use when a rug is laid flat and gravity takes over. For the lighter weight weaves such as Kotana, Timpa, or Shakti, the use of a rug pad can help smooth out the folds, hold the rug in place, and keep the rug from buckling. The challenges of projected and reflected light will never go away, but we are always working to improve image quality.