How Long Does a Custom Rug Take to Make? A Clear Guide to Lead Times for Hotel, Villa and Fit-Out Projects
The Measure of Time
In the early morning at our facility in Panipat, a canvas is stretched taut across its frame. The design has already been traced onto it in fine lines. The tufter lifts the gun, the first yarn goes in with a soft, steady thud, and a rug that began months earlier as a conversation finally starts to take shape.
It is the question every project team asks first: how long will it take? The honest answer is that a custom rug is not one task but a series of them, each with its own rhythm.
Where the Weeks Go
Most of a rug’s timeline happens before the first tuft.
Design & Drawing (1–3 Days)
The brief is turned into artwork at full scale, with sizes, shapes, and cut-outs confirmed against the floor plan.
Colour Approval & In-House Dyeing
Our clients work from the same ARS 600 wool colour box we use, choosing pom numbers for each shade. We match those selections against our own identical box and dye the yarn in-house for exact tonal consistency.
Sampling & Strike-Off (1–2 Weeks)
A strike-off—a small sample in the real yarn and construction—is made for physical approval before full production starts (plus courier transit time).
Full Production (4–12 Weeks)
Once approved, the piece is tufted, carved, backed, sheared, washed, and finished. A rug around 3 × 4 metres takes 6 to 8 weeks (~4 weeks when expedited), while volume hotel runs of ~200 guestroom rugs take 10 to 12 weeks.
Shipping & Global Logistics
Air freight delivers within approximately 1 week from dispatch. Sea freight takes roughly 2 to 3 weeks to the Gulf, and 6 to 8 weeks to the UK and USA depending on the destination port.
What Changes the Clock
Some elements add time, and it helps to know them early. Very large rugs, deeply sculpted high pile—such as the botanical reliefs of our Biophilic collection—and designs with intricate color changes all require dedicated artisan hours.
Multi-room hotel orders can run in parallel, but require clear scheduling priorities so the lobby, suites, and public corridors arrive aligned with your site installation phasing.
“Good design is thorough down to the last detail.”
In rug-making, thoroughness is measured in time: the hours an artisan spends carving an edge, and the care taken over washing and finishing. Rushing these steps is visible in the final piece.
Planning It Into the Programme
The simplest way to protect a project deadline is to bring the rug into the conversation early—ideally when hard finishes and textures are being selected, rather than after furniture is ordered.
A complete brief includes final dimensions, handover dates, fire-performance requirements, and delivery logistics. For procurement teams outfitting multiple suites, an area-by-area schedule lets us sequence production so spaces that open first are made first.
Back to the Loom
By evening, the canvas in Panipat is filling with rich color, row after row. The rug is not finished, but it is on its way, exactly on the schedule agreed when the brief arrived. Good work cannot be rushed. It can, however, be planned.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to produce a custom hand-tufted rug?
How is color accuracy guaranteed before dyeing begins?
What is a strike-off, and how long does it take?
What design and construction factors add time to the schedule?
What are the standard shipping timelines after production?
- Air Freight: Typically delivers within 1 week of leaving our Panipat facility.
- Sea Freight: Allow approximately 2 to 3 weeks to the Gulf, and 6 to 8 weeks to the UK and USA depending on the destination port.