Satara Stories Satara's Rug Collection 2025

Our rugs are completely handmade - masterfully woven, knotted or loomed by the careful hands of our artisans using techniques passed down over centuries by a lineage of rug makers in the heartland of hand-made rugs, Bhadohi. To bring a rug to life is a true labor of love, one born of many stages, each requiring great skill, care and attention to detail.

We continue to represent this rich artisanal heritage by preserving time honoured traditional methods whilst also integrating modern design expertise. This collaborative approach intrinsically places style, quality and durability at the core of each rug, making an investment for your home that is truly crafted for life.

The Journey

Blending generations of craftsmanship with today's design sensibilities, each rug is built to last and is a timeless investment that brings enduring style and comfort into your home.

Composition
New Zealand wool A luxurious renewable natural fibre, it is renowned for its brightness and possesses outstanding natural stain resistant qualities. We use only the finest New Zealand wools available.

The Making of a Rug

DYEING

Our yarns are carefully dyed by hand using traditional methods and colour blends passed down through generations. After dyeing, they are gently washed, stretched over long wooden poles, and dried naturally in the sun. This thoughtful process brings out the yarn’s rich colour and beautiful texture.

SPINNING

From raw fibre to finished thread, the process of hand spinning is full of care and tradition. Fibres like wool, silk, alpaca, mohair, and flax are gently twisted into continuous strands using a spinning wheel or a drop spindle. Each thread is shaped by hand — spun thick or fine, plied for strength or left soft and airy. Afterwards, it can be dyed in rich colours or left in its natural state, ready for weaving

WEAVING

The weaving process then starts by setting up a frame, where cotton threads, called warps, are stretched vertically across the loom. Using skilled knotting techniques such as the Turkish, Persian, or Tibetan knot, the weaver ties the yarn by hand, knot by knot, to gradually create the pattern.

WASHING

The rug is gently washed to remove loose fibres and allow for slight shrinkage, tightening the weave for added durability. Soapy water is applied with wooden paddles, followed by a rinse with fresh water. It’s then stitched onto a frame to dry in the sun, which helps retain its shape and highlight the beauty of the fibres.

FINISHING TOUCHES

The finishing process is where the rug truly comes to life, with techniques like adjusting pile heights and carving to accentuate the design. This intricate step involves 18 detailed processes, such as burning, stretching, and shrinking, each adding to the rug’s uniqueness. The effort put into this stage is immense, making each rug truly one of a kind.

QUALITY CHECK

Each rug undergoes a thorough quality check before being carefully labelled to ensure it meets our high standards. After being tightly rolled, it’s readied for its journey from our mills to our showrooms, and finally, to its new home — yours. By the time it reaches you, it will have passed through the expert hands of up to 100 skilled artisans.

Weaving Technique

Hand Woven

Hand-Woven rugs are made in a similar way to hand-knotted rugs but rather than tying individual knots to the warp, the woven rug is interwoven through the warp via the "shuttle", which is passed from weaver to weaver. Most Hand-Woven rugs are made on looms that lie flat just above the ground on a frame.

Hand Tufted

A hand-tufted rug is a fairly modern style of making hand made rugs. Firstly, the wool is dyed and the design is hand-drawn & transferred to the mesh backing. Tufts are created by pushing yarn through the mesh backing.

Hand-tufted rug artisans use a tool called a 'hand-tufter' which holds the yarn and pushes through the mesh backing, which is stretched and placed on a frame. It requires a high level of craftsmanship to efficiently and accurately portray the intricate designs.

A craftsman will use a latex glue to hold the 'tufts' in place, which is then covered by a final cloth backing to protect your floor. The final steps involve washing, drying, shearing & hand carving the
tops of the tufts to create the finished rug. The height of the pile is determined by how much yarn is cut off, and how far the initial yarn was pushed through. The tufting method creates a highly durable and beautifully accurate handmade rug that will endure foot traffic for years to come.

Hand Knotted

Hand-knotting rugs is a centuries' old skill passed down by many generations to modern artisans. Our own weavers' heritage can be traced back over 300 years. Every knot is individually hand-tied to the weft & warp. The master weaver follows a hand drawn design map to complete the design accurately. Weaving can take many weeks, and is dependent on design; colours, fibres and shape.

Cleaning and Maintenance

With proper care, our rugs are made to last for years. Below are our cleaning and maintenance guidelines. Please note, no warranty is expressed or implied.

Vacuum or sweep your rug weekly to keep it clean and maintain the pile.
Avoid using high suction settings on wool rugs, as this may loosen the yarn.

For deep cleaning, we recommend consulting a professional.

If you need further advice, please feel free to contact us.

Underlay

Using an underlay like Underluxe™ will make a difference to how your rug looks, feels and performs over time. Underlay helps keep the rug locked in place, which means a safer environment, stops the rug shuffling phenomenon, helps to reduce fibre shedding due to reduced movement and most importantly makes the rug feel softer underfoot. The added bonus of underlay is that it prevents dirt particles reaching a precious timber subfloor and becoming abrasive.
If interested in purchasing, please enquire.

Care and Maintenance

Vacuuming
Vacuum regularly, but not frequently. We advise against using aggressive vacuum cleaners with rotating brush heads, as this will overly stimulate the loose yarn and cause excess shedding.

Rug Rotation
Periodically rotate your rug every six months to alter the traffic pattern on your rug's surface. This will also help with preventing timber floors from having uneven discolouration.

Rug Protection Options
Some rugs may benefit from a fibre protection application that helps minimise absorbency and protects your rug from stains, mould and sun fade. Trusted by Interior Designers and endorsed by brands like Weave and Warwick Fabrics, Fibre Protector is a recommended investment to maintain the beauty and longevity of Satara rugs.

Key Benefits of Fibre Protector:

Enhanced Durability: Extends rug lifespan by reducing wear and tear.
Stain Resistance: Facilitates easy removal of oil and water-based stains.
UV Protection: Shields against sun-induced fading.
Eco-Conscious: Free from harmful chemicals, ensuring safety for homes and the environment.
Improved Cleanliness: Makes vacuuming more effective and reduces the need for frequent deep cleaning.

Cleaning

Spills
Untreated spills will attract dirt so always carefully blot the spill with a clean, absorbent white cloth straightaway. The cloth should be replaced regularly so it can extract as much liquid as possible. You should blot only, since rubbing the spill area will spread the liquid, working it deeper into the fibres and the area impacted will become much larger to clean.

Food or solids accidentally dropped on your rug needs to be removed carefully. Scoop up the food with the dull edge of a butter knife or spoon, making sure you don't make the area to clean larger. Blot any remaining food spills to get rid of as much as possible before further cleaning.

For effective spot cleaning of your rugs, WonderSpot Spot Cleaner is a safe and easy-to-use solution. This Woolsafe-approved spray lifts and encapsulates spills without the need for rubbing or scrubbing, helping maintain the rug’s appearance and longevity.