Sayol | the Window of the Earth, Connected to Nature
Tibetan carpets, one of the world's oldest, boast a history of over 4,000 years. Each carpet is a cultural treasure, woven by hand through dozens of steps using the unique "rod-wrapping and knotting" technique.
The Himalayan plateau has preserved its unique culture while also embracing exchange through trade. Tibetan merchants carried local, high-quality wool to distant lands and brought back foreign materials and inspiration, continuously enriching the artistry of Tibetan carpets.
Starting in 2023, the Charu team initiated a Tibetan carpet handicraft training program in Chengduo County, Yushu. This project supports local women in finding opportunities and building a future in their homeland.
By introducing eco-friendly dyeing techniques and standardized processes, we are breathing new life into this ancient craft and guiding it toward a sustainable future.
"Sayol" comes from the Tibetan ས་ཡོལ།. "Sa" means earth, and "Yol" means curtain. Together, "Sayol" signifies a "Curtain of the Earth." Thread by thread, we weave the vastness of heaven and earth.
Sayol originates from Yushu, Qinghai. Here, nomadic women step from the grasslands to the loom. Using the ancient rod-wrapping and knotting technique, they hand-weave each Tibetan carpet. With their timeless plateau aesthetic, these carpets tell the stories of this land and all its beings.
We carefully select natural wool from Northern Tibet and insist on fully handcrafted production. The wool used for our Takye (horse forehead blankets) comes from leftover yarns from carpet weaving. Our designers, adhering to a sustainable philosophy, create a unique color palette for every single Takye.
ཐོད་ཁེབས། Takye - Horse Forehead Carpet
Horse forehead decorative carpets are called Takye (ཐོད་ཁེབས) in Tibetan. Traditionally made of leather or woven wool, they are tied to the foreheads of horses and mules. Their rich colors and various auspicious patterns and symbols are meant to safeguard the rider's peace and wealth. People weave symbols like the brave tiger's head onto the forehead cover to give it a deterrent power, protecting the owner and the safety of goods.
རི་མོ་གྲུ་བཞི་མའི་གདན། Fret Pattern Carpet
The fret pattern originated in the Neolithic period. It is a classic traditional Eastern motif composed of horizontal and vertical short lines folding around to form square or circular shapes resembling the Chinese character "回" (huí, meaning to return), hence the name. It symbolizes good fortune, continuity, and endless vitality.
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