Two Kashmiri crafts with different risks
Both crafts come from the Kashmir valley and are sold as small rugs, wall hangings and cushion covers. They are made very differently.
- Chain-stitch rugs. A design is printed or traced onto a base cloth, then filled in with rows of chain stitch made with a hooked needle, in wool or silk thread. On a rug, the stitching covers the whole surface, so the base cloth should not show anywhere. The finished piece is usually backed with a second cloth.
- Namdas. Loose wool fibre, sometimes mixed with cotton, is laid out, wetted and pressed or rolled until it felts into a sheet. The felt is then decorated, often with embroidery or inlaid felt shapes. There is no weave at all; strength comes from how well the fibres have felted.
Both are made in homes and small workshops, often in small lots of mixed designs. That makes 100% inspection practical on many orders, and it means that colour, size and stitch density can vary between artisans in the same order. Both are wool on a natural base, so moth and damp matter more than for synthetic rugs.
What we check on chain-stitch rugs and namdas
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Stitch cover (chain stitch) | Face checked under good light for base cloth showing between rows, especially in large plain areas | Visible base cloth, gaps between rows |
| Stitch density (chain stitch) | Stitches counted over a set length in several areas and compared with the sample | Long, loose stitches that snag, lower count than the sample |
| Felt thickness (namda) | Felt measured at several points; sheet held up to light | Thin spots, holes, felting breaks, thick lumps |
| Felt strength (namda) | Firm hand stretch at the edges and across thin areas | Felt that pulls apart or drafts thin |
| Dye bleeding | Wet white cloth rubbed on dark embroidery and dyed felt | Colour on the cloth, halo of dye into light felt or cloth |
| Shape and size | Length, width and diagonals; rounds and ovals in two directions | Out of shape, outside tolerance, shrunk after washing |
| Backing and edges | Backing cloth attachment and edge binding checked by hand | Backing loose or puckered, binding coming away |
| Moth and damp | Back and folds checked for larvae, casings, grazed fibre; musty smell | Live insects, fresh damage, damp |
Common Kashmiri chain-stitch rug and namda defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Class |
|---|---|
| Live moth larvae or insects in the goods | Critical |
| Hole or break in the felt | Major |
| Base cloth visible across a stitched area | Major |
| Dye bled into neighbouring colours or felt | Major |
| Size outside tolerance | Major |
| Design colour different from the sample | Major |
| Uneven felt thickness without a break | Minor, if within the agreed range |
| Small irregularity in hand stitching | Minor; not a defect if within the agreed handmade variation |
Handmade variation should be agreed in advance with a set of approved samples. Without it, normal differences between artisans get reported as defects.
Labels, claims and rules
- GI claims. Kashmir Chain Stitch (GI application 1046) and Kashmir Namda (GI application 868) are registered geographical indications, both certified on 31 March 2025. A product sold under those names should come from the registered area and producers who are entitled to use them; ask the supplier for the basis of the claim.
- Fibre content. Namdas are often wool and cotton blends. In the US, rugs are labelled under the Textile Act, not the Wool Act, which does not apply to rugs (15 USC 68j). The label must state the real blend; in the EU, fibre names follow Regulation (EU) 1007/2011.
- Moth-proofing. In the EU, a rug treated with a moth-proofing biocide is a treated article under Regulation (EU) 528/2012: the active substance must be approved for that use, and a label is required when a moth-proof claim is made.
- US flammability. Small rugs fall under 16 CFR 1631. The CPSC allows a one-of-a-kind rug to be excluded from testing under its conditions; a run of the same design is not one of a kind.
Packing, transit and loading risks
- Moth in storage. Wool rugs held in a store before packing can be infested. Check stock that has waited, and pack clean, dry goods only.
- Folding felt. A namda folded sharply can crack at the fold line. Roll or pack flat with tissue between pieces.
- Dye transfer. Damp rugs packed face to face can transfer colour. Interleave with paper or tissue.
- Small lots, many designs. Mixed-design cartons need a packing list by design and size so the buyer can check counts on arrival.
What to put in your purchase order
- Thread fibre (wool or silk) and base cloth for chain-stitch rugs; wool and cotton share for namdas.
- Minimum stitch density and that no base cloth may show on the face.
- Felt thickness range and finished weight for namdas.
- Size and shape tolerances, and a set of approved samples showing acceptable handmade variation.
- Whether moth-proofing is used, the product used, and the label wording for each market.
- The GI wording, if any, and the documents behind it.
For knotted rugs from the same valley, see hand-knotted wool rugs and silk rugs.
Sources
- DGFT: Appendix 1B, Towns of Export Excellence (Srinagar, Anantnag)
- IP India GI registry: Kashmir Namda (application 868)
- IP India GI registry: Kashmir Chain Stitch (application 1046)
- 15 USC 68j: Wool Act exception for carpets, rugs and mats
- Regulation (EU) 528/2012 on biocidal products
- eCFR: 16 CFR Part 1631, small carpets and rugs