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Threads of Humanity: Inside Jaipur Living’s Manchaha Collection

For the largest rug manufacturer in the world, designs aren’t created solely in studios or on digital screens. They are imagined—and reimagined—by the artisans themselves: women and men who turn deadstock yarn into works of art.

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With over 40,000 artisans across 600 villages, Jaipur Living is redefining what it means to make rugs by hand—not as a nostalgic gesture, but as a forward-looking model of inclusion and empowerment. Courtesy of Jaipur Living.

In the vast landscapes of rural India looms a quiet revolution—woven one knot at a time. It’s the story of the Manchaha Collection by Jaipur Living: a tapestry of heritage, innovation, and human connection that places the ancient art of rug weaving at the forefront of contemporary design and sustainability.

Jaipur Living is the world’s largest manufacturer of hand-knotted rugs, but its ambitions stretch far beyond scale. The company’s most transcendent expression of craft is Manchaha—a name that means “from the heart” in Hindi. In this collection, rugs are no longer designed solely in studios or on digital screens. Instead, they are imagined—and reimagined—by the artisans themselves: women and men, often with no formal training, who turn deadstock yarn into living, breathing works of art. Each piece is wholly unique, a self-portrait in fiber, a diary in color.

“We create space for artisans to express themselves,” says Asha Chaudhary, chief executive officer of Jaipur Living and daughter of founder N.K. Chaudhary. “That’s where creativity surfaces. Many had never been given that opportunity before. One weaver told me, ‘I didn’t know I had this inside me until someone trusted me to try.’ Talent thrives when people are seen and supported.”

An artisan begins the process of weaving a Manchaha rug. Courtesy of Jaipur Living.

With over 40,000 artisans across 600 villages, Jaipur Living is redefining what it means to make by hand—not as a nostalgic gesture, but as a forward-looking model of inclusion and empowerment. The Manchaha rugs do not just honor technique; they honor life. One of the collection’s most celebrated pieces, Anthar, chronicles the personal journey of a weaver and won the prestigious German Design Award. Like many Manchaha designs, its composition—unpredictable yet precise, spontaneous yet soulful—is driven entirely by the artisan’s own story.

“I remember Rukmani, one of our weavers, telling me, ‘My rug carries pieces of my village, my stories, my childhood. When someone buys it, they take a part of me with them.’” Chaudhary says. “That’s what makes this craft so profound—it’s rooted in everyday life, yet it transcends it.”

Indeed, rug weaving in India is more than a trade; it’s a living archive. The motifs, often drawn from nature or folklore, echo centuries of tradition. In homes across Rajasthan and Gujarat, looms hum beside kitchens, and knowledge passes down through generations like sacred texts. The hands that knot, tie, and trim carry an unbroken lineage—a cultural memory encoded in thread.

A Manchaha rug by Jaipur Living. Courtesy of Jaipur Living.

Preserving that memory is deeply personal to the Chaudhary family. In 1978, N.K. Chaudhary began with just two looms and nine artisans. His mission was radical: to use rug weaving as a tool for dignity, especially for women and those from marginalized communities. “My father didn’t just start a business,” says Chaudhary. “He sparked a movement.”

Today, the Manchaha Collection is at the heart of Jaipur Living’s commitment to sustainability and social impact. Not only does it give new life to leftover yarn—transforming what would have been waste into beauty—it also empowers artisans to be creators, not just laborers. Each rug becomes a portal into a real person’s inner world: their heartbreak, joy, dreams, or the flowers growing outside their front door.

In a global textile industry often criticized for its opacity and exploitation, Jaipur Living stands apart with radical transparency and integrity. India accounts for approximately 40% of global handmade rug exports, yet few brands strive to uplift the very hands doing the weaving. Through initiatives like Manchaha, Jaipur Living isn’t just preserving the past—it’s inventing a new future for craft.

Guiding this future is the brand’s Global Sustainability Ambassador, Marina Testino. Known for her commitment to conscious consumption, Testino is helping amplify the Manchaha Collection and its message to the world. With her partnership, Jaipur Living is charting a bold new course: one that connects heritage and innovation, ethics and elegance.

An artisan and her finished product. Courtesy of Jaipur Living.

At the heart of it all is the rug itself: hand-knotted, thread by thread, often taking months to complete. “Hand-knotting is the soul of what we do,” Chaudhary says. “It’s slow, precise, and deeply personal. These aren’t just rugs—they’re heirlooms made with patience and purpose.”

In a world obsessed with speed and sameness, the Manchaha rugs offer a powerful counter-narrative. They are singular. Intimate. Imperfectly perfect. And in each knot, there is a whisper of someone’s life—a detail drawn from memory, a motif borrowed from a dream. It’s this blend of humanity and artistry that makes Manchaha not just a collection, but a cultural force.

Jaipur Living will unveil its first-ever US exhibit at New York's VFA Gallery from May 16th-30th. The exhibit is open to the public. 

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