Tibetan Constructions

Each of our Tibetan constructions 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 rugs and acts as a natural soil and stain inhibitor.

Lama:

has 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 selections. Although the construction is similar to Setana, the price per square foot is less. It is also ADA compliant.

Setana:

has a slightly higher average pile height of .55”. 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 less detailed patterns. While much fuss is made over finer weaves - 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 '80s were made with the Setana weave and it brings us great delight to hear from clients raving about these rugs decades later.

Kotana:

is constructed between Setana and Shakti. The average pile height is similar to Timpa, but with more surface texture and striation. It lends itself to simple large motifs and modern designs. The price per square foot is similar to Timpa. This construction is specified as Tufenkian Wash.

Timpa:

has an average pile height of .41”, it is similar in appearance to Shakti, but not quite as fine as Shakti construction. Timpa is about 10% less per square foot than Shakti. Timpa is ADA compliant.

Shakti:

has an average pile height of .28”, this is the finest Tibetan knot count we produce and we do not machine spin the yarn for this weave to try to acheive higher knot counts. This is the most labor-intensive construction and the most costly per square foot. Both Timpa and Shakti are the constructions of choice for “detailed” designs and are low in pile height. Shakti is also ADA compliant.

Yak-Soo:

a shag alternative and relatively newer Tufenkian construction technique that has its own collection in the Core Tibetan line.  Yak-Soo is for anyone who likes the shag look and wants to decorate with it, but wants quality that is far above the rest of the rugs on the market: the traditional rug purist who worships hand processes and serendipitous beauty; the collector who wants rugs to complement but not compete with his modern art; or the young professionals who respect handmade carpets, decorate with modern furniture, and want a primitive, textured feeling to their rooms.

Aesthetic

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. Clients who are considering a shag aesthetic would be particularly interested in our Yak-Soo rugs, which decorate like shag andoffer a sophisticated shag-like visual but are far more inviting and luxurious to the touch.

Construction

While some contemporary shag and shag-looking rugs do look great, 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 special tibetan wool that is carded, spun, and woven by hand. Their construction uses a contemporary adaptation of Tsukten, an ancient Tibetan fabric-weaving technique. Unlike the machine-made rugs, Yak-Soo carpets have a pedigree and integrity and represent what Tufenkian does best: bring together traditional hand-crafted techniques, the finest natural materials, and exceptional contemporary design.

Organic Product

Yak-Soo rugs are as environmentally-friendly as rugs can get. They are made entirely without chemicals, either in the dyeing or the washing processes. This is extremely unusual in the world of handmade rugs, and unheard of in machine-made production. On top of the high standards of environmental stewardship that Tufenkian holds across all of its ventures, including unbleached wool pile in all of our carpets, Yak-Soo rugs have a cotton and wool foundation and either use the natural color of the sheep’s wool or else use 100% organic vegetable-based dyes. They are washed by a special process that uses no chemicals.

Price Point

Rugs that use Yak-Soo construction are priced the same as our normal lama quality products (not lama solids).