What is made in Bhadohi and Mirzapur
Bhadohi (Sant Ravidas Nagar district) and Mirzapur are neighbouring districts in eastern Uttar Pradesh, and both list carpets as their One District One Product. The Carpet Export Promotion Council names Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Varanasi among India's carpet producing centres. Weaving is spread across village looms; washing, clipping, stretching and binding are often done at separate finishing yards before the exporter packs.
| Recognition | What it covers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Town of Export Excellence: Bhadohi | Carpets and other textile floor coverings | DGFT, Appendix 1B |
| Town of Export Excellence: Mirzapur | Handmade carpets and dari, added in the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 | PIB and DGFT, 31 Mar 2023 |
| GI: Handmade Carpet of Bhadohi | Hand-knotted carpets woven on vertical wooden looms with cotton warp and wool pile; certificate dated 3 Sep 2010 | Varanasi district portal |
| GI: Mirzapur Handmade Dari | Hand-woven dhurries, mainly by the panja technique | Handloom Export Promotion Council |
IBEF puts India's carpet exports, all types, at US$1.54 billion in FY2024-25 (IBEF carpet page, updated October 2026). That is a national figure, not one for these two districts.
What we check on Bhadohi and Mirzapur rugs
Each rug type fails in its own way, so the checklist follows the construction on your purchase order.
| Rug type | Main checks | Full checklist |
|---|---|---|
| Hand-knotted wool | Knot count on the back, knot type, size and diagonals, abrash against the strike-off, colour bleeding, pile height, moth | Hand-knotted wool rugs |
| Hand-tufted | Latex cover and cure, backing cloth adhesion, tuft pull-out, pile height, carving, latex smell | Hand-tufted rugs |
| Hand-loomed | Pile anchoring by the weft, back coating, width along the length, selvedges | Hand-loomed rugs |
| Dhurries and flatweaves | Lie-flat, wavy edges, pattern alignment, dye bleed on cotton, fringe | Dhurries and kilims |
| Wool-silk and silk | Fibre claim against the order, silk highlights, pile direction | Silk rugs |
Every lot also gets a label check for fibre content and origin; see EU textile labelling. Flammability under 16 CFR 1630 and 1631 for the US and colour fastness are lab tests; we pull and seal samples through lab testing coordination. The rug and carpet inspection hub covers the other types.
Common defects in Bhadohi and Mirzapur production
| Defect | Where it usually starts | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Live moth larvae or mould in the lot | Damp storage, rugs rolled before drying | Critical |
| Knot count below the agreed figure | Loom, often on a cheaper quality | Major |
| Rug stretched to size that creeps back | Stretching frame at the finishing yard | Major |
| Colour run into the ground or fringe | Washing | Major |
| Thin or uncured latex, backing lifting | Tufting unit | Major |
| Dhurrie that will not lie flat, wavy edges | Uneven weft tension on the loom | Major |
| Uneven fringe or loose binding stitch | Binding | Minor |
Your own defect list decides the final class.
Labour due diligence
The US Department of Labor's List of Goods names carpets from India for child labour and forced labour. Many importers of Bhadohi and Mirzapur rugs therefore map their supply chain beyond the exporter's warehouse. An inspection checks the goods; it cannot prove how they were made. Our factory audit includes basic social-compliance observations at the site we visit, but it is not a SMETA or amfori BSCI audit and does not cover home looms we are not taken to.
Timing and logistics
- Inspect at the right site: a during-production inspection at the loom catches knot count and size early; a pre-shipment inspection after finishing checks the washed, bound and packed rugs.
- One trip, several units: Bhadohi borders Mirzapur and Varanasi. Small lots at nearby units can sometimes share a trip; each unit still needs its own man-day unless the lots are small.
- Monsoon: from about July to September, sun drying after washing is slow and mould risk in rolls rises. We check dryness and storage on the day.
- Festivals: many units slow down around Diwali, in October or November.
- Loading: container loading supervision checks roll count, wrapping and labels as goods go into the box.
How to book an inspection in Bhadohi or Mirzapur
Send the rug type, the address of each loom or finishing unit and the ready date through the booking form for Bhadohi. Include the strike-off photos, knot count, size tolerance and label artwork.
An inspection costs US$249 per man-day. Bhadohi and Mirzapur are in Band C, so travel is charged at actual cost and quoted before you book; see pricing. We confirm the inspector and price within 24 hours, and the report arrives within 24 hours of the inspection with a verdict of Cleared to load, Hold or Not cleared.
Sources
- PIB: Foreign Trade Policy 2023 announced (new TEEs incl. Mirzapur), 31 Mar 2023
- DGFT: Foreign Trade Policy 2023 presentation (new TEEs incl. Mirzapur)
- DGFT: Appendix 1B, Towns of Export Excellence (Bhadohi: carpets)
- Varanasi district portal: Hand made Carpet of Bhadohi (GI certificate 3 Sep 2010)
- HEPC: GI handloom products, Uttar Pradesh (Mirzapur Handmade Dari)
- CEPC: An overview of the Indian handmade carpet industry (Jan 2021)
- ODOP Uttar Pradesh: Bhadohi, carpets
- ODOP Uttar Pradesh: Mirzapur, carpets
- IBEF: Carpet industry in India
- US Department of Labor, ILAB: India (List of Goods entries)
Are you a quality inspector in Bhadohi–Mirzapur?
We work with vetted freelance inspectors near the factories we check. You take assignments in your own area, inspect to our checklist, and Clear To Load pays you, never the factory. Apply to inspect with us.