If you want to uncover the secret of the durability and resilience of Geba carpets, you have to go to Tibet at an altitude of 4,500 metres and look out for a special species of animal…
Endless plains with numerous earth-coloured and snow-covered peaks spread out here. The climate is harsh, the air is thin and the wind whips across the eternal landscape. We are at an altitude of 4,500 metres. It almost feels like being on another planet. There is nothing and nobody to be seen far and wide. But a flock of sheep is grazing here.
Yes, these are Changpel: Tibetan high mountain sheep. They are led through the breathtaking region by nomads. In order to survive here, the animals with their fluffy coats have adapted to the extreme climatic conditions and harsh mountain landscapes over the centuries. Their fibres are long and have a high wool fat content. And this is precisely what makes the wool so robust, hard-wearing and durable.
In order to preserve the valuable wool grease in the soiled fibres as much as possible after shearing, the raw material is processed gently. The fibres are sorted out and washed in a clear mountain stream at an altitude of 4,000 metres. After washing, the wool is laid out in the sun on high mountain pastures where it can dry slowly without losing its suppleness and softness. After the wool has been carded, spun and dyed, Nepalese families knot the threads in traditional workshops to create artistic Geba rugs.
Just like the sheep from which the wool comes, the rugs also have superpowers. They will give pleasure for years to come. Perhaps one or two steps over a Geba model will take us to the highlands of Tibet, to the roof of the world.
photocredits: Geba