Every company has that one project that forces you to test everything you know

Every company has that one project that forces you to test everything you know.

For us, it was a pair of rugs measuring 27.5 ft × 56 ft, in pure silk, woven in 14/14 quality — something very few weavers in the world can execute today.

People assume the toughest part of a project like this is the weaving.
In reality, the real challenge began months before the first knot was tied.

1.⁠ ⁠Choosing the Quality: 14/14
At this size, even a slight curve becomes noticeable. If the knot count isn’t extremely fine, the design looks pixelated.

That’s why we chose 14/14 — one of the highest and most demanding weaving qualities in the industry.
It immediately told us this would require only the most skilled weavers we work with.

2.⁠ ⁠Designing the CAD Map
The client wanted high detail and precision, so the design team spent weeks creating the CAD file.

It used around 40 colours — far more than the typical 5–10 colours used in most rugs.
Every shade had to be placed with accuracy because once the map is printed, the loom follows it exactly.

3.⁠ ⁠Colour Sampling and Approvals
We then spent weeks sampling each colour.
For a rug of this scale, even a 2–3% variation becomes visible later.
Until every colour matched, nothing moved forward.

4.⁠ ⁠Planning for Risk
With a rug this large, a small design error or measurement mismatch can show up months later — when hundreds of thousands of knots are already complete.
So this phase required the most patience and discipline.

All this planning took nearly two months, before a single warp was mounted on the loom.

This project wasn’t just big.
It required a level of precision and coordination most people never get to see in handmade craft.

Next Post: Part 2 — 20 Months. 14 Weavers. One Rug.

This is Part 1 of a 3-part series on the most complex project we’ve ever delivered.