Undyed wool rug - ANNAPURNA 1

"Himalayan Undyed" is a project of handmade rugs crafted in Nepal, using exclusively undyed Himalayan wool, not dyed or woven on a cotton warp.

It was driven by the desire to design a truly natural collection that is easy to lay out, thanks to the subtle tonal shades of the wool, which are at the heart of the project.

The wool—unsized, but selected for its color—comes from high-altitude Himalayan sheep, the best wool for rugs, with a natural movement and long fiber structure that guarantees durability and softness. When designing decorative patterns, we considered the specifics of Tibetan rug weaving: large knots and a simple finishing technique, playing with patterns, light, and shadows that resemble natural elements.

Eco-friendly project

Himalayan Undyed helps sustain ecological management and the tradition of hand-knotting, offering a chance to appreciate the beauty of genuine natural wool.

In reality, most wool products are no longer "natural," having undergone several processing steps (alkaline washing to remove grease and dust, acid washing to remove plant residues, machine wash anti-felting agents, bleaching, dyeing, moth repellent treatments, and fire-retardant treatments).

The yarns used in Himalayan Undyed are unbleached and undyed, sourced from Tibetan mountain sheep, whose natural colors range from creamy white through brown to nearly black. Raised by nomads and living only at high altitudes in Tibet and the Nepal Plateau, reaching up to 5100 meters above sea level, this breed produces a characteristic thick polar fleece with long fibers, high tensile strength, and rich in lanolin and natural wool wax. Rugs made from this distinctive, durable, and vibrant Tibetan wool beautifully mature over time.

Tibetan sheep are free-range and graze on extensive highland shrubs like sedge; nomads move from place to place, never exceeding the natural carrying capacity of the land where they herd their flocks. Their herds are never sprayed or dipped, unlike conventional wool production systems. No synthetic hormones, pesticides, or genetic engineering are involved in the production of Himalayan undyed wool and rugs.

Nothing is added to Himalayan Undyed wool. Rich in lanolin, it is naturally very soft and does not require conditioners. It contains no fire retardants, as wool is naturally self-extinguishing.

Himalayan undyed wool is processed manually without chemicals, environmental pollutants, or substances that pose health or safety risks to workers or consumers.

After harvesting from Nomads, the wool is hand-sorted to remove foreign materials and dirt—while regular wool is "carbonized," where plant matter is burned in an acid bath—then washed with hot water to remove excess wax, leaving enough lanolin to create a soft product that retains more of the wool's natural properties.

At the same time, the wool is classified by natural colors, then carded and spun manually using traditional carding tools and spinning wheels (sometimes requiring oil; when the wheel becomes stiffer, soybean oil is used).

For weaving rugs, yarn of various thicknesses can be spun: skilled artisans manually tie the wool yarn into a warp made from Indian cotton, attached to a loom with an iron rod. Once the rug is fully woven, it is trimmed with scissors to give it a lively appearance and soft touch, then hand-washed with water and a liquid soap based on Sapindus (a plant used for natural soap production). After drying on a frame, it regains its specific dimensions. The trimming and appearance of the rug are checked, and carved patterns can be created; any remaining dirt is removed by tearing.

Waste yarn from weaving, trimming, and carving processes is collected for recycling by visitors who come weekly, using it to produce blocks, pillows, and looms.