RugKnots

The Journey of Naheed & RugKnots

I wasn’t the Naheed Mir back then when I didn’t have RugKnots, as the world sees me now. I was just a simple naïve girl living in my perfect world, wanting to live the American Dream and follow all those who were successful before me. But as time went on, all my dreams slowly faded away as I faced certain fundamental realities that shook my core, shattered my optimism, and caused me to question myself and my choices.

I do not believe in the stereotypical woman who does housework all day and is continuously busy with cooking at home. I always wished to lead a life like the women of my grandma’s generation. They actually had time for themselves, their family, and friends! 

But somehow, with increasing responsibilities increased expectations from family members and society, this is no longer possible. A mother can never have time for herself after she is done with all her household chores. Even if she rested, the baby would wake up and disturb her slumber. Well, what can be done? 

The woman has to bear the pain of being awake while the child sleeps so that he wakes up fresh in the morning. A mother is always the most “stressed” person in the house because she has to look after everyone- from her husband to her child and even old family members if they are staying with them. But, this doesn’t mean you can complain all the time! It was my dream to have a fabulous Rug Store of my own.

Why An Area Rug Store? 

My father had a shop that dealt with different kinds of rugs and carpets. I used to go there as well during my summer vacations. I loved the feel of those luxurious rugs beneath my feet. I could stand for hours marveling at them and never get tired of it! I used to see how those traditional weavers in Pakistan used to weave their lives and dreams into those rugs. I realized that my dream was not going to be easy to fulfill, especially for someone who didn’t have any experience. But as a bit of a child, I was always curious, and I could never let a dream slip by. It was always there deep inside me.

That’s when I decided that this was what I wanted to do. It was my destiny to be part of the ancient art of rug making. I love buying high-quality handmade rugs, and I would like other people to experience that as well. The best part is that they will never go out of style, just like me!

The Beginning in Pakistan

It all began in the hideous town of Lahore, Pakistan, where I grew up. It was my lifelong dream to own handmade rug stores my father did. I saw how those traditional weavers in Pakistan used to weave their lives and dream into those rugs. 

They would spend most of their lives weaving, knotting, cutting, and dyeing the wool to create beautiful pieces of art. This ancient craft brings together excellent skills in design, knitting with a needle, and expertly applying color. This art is a journey for us that took a lifetime to master. I used to go deep down in the details and research how different handmade area rugs are made and the history of this art. 

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I had a deep desire to share this story of my own handmade rugs before I knew it would be too late, and no one knows how this craft that has been passed down from generation to generation truly works. I never thought that I would see the actual process of making these beautiful handmade area rugs with my own eyes because it was never a norm in Pakistan for a girl to indulge in such stuff. It was considered as a thing only to be done by men. 

I think I was the only girl from my town who was so involved in this business. Trust me, this wasn’t easy, but it was worth all the effort. My parents always supported my visions, and they never judged me. I started RugKnots when my father retired from the rug business, and I took over his store. RugKnots is the only place in the US where you can find hand-knotted rugs from Iran, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. In the beginning, RugKnots was just a local rug store in Pakistan. Since I got married and moved to the US, I brought my business dream along with me.

The Early Days in the USA

At first, it was a huge responsibility to continue this legacy in an entirely unknown place, but then I realized that the design and quality of my rugs surpassed those of other sellers who were importing from Pakistan. 

I used to gather information about the latest trends and styles from my customers so I could continue to provide them with unique rugs. I used to visit my competitor’s stores to know what they were selling so I could offer something better. 

To get a grip on the US’s rug market, I had to know all my competitors and stay one step ahead of them in order to win the customer’s hearts. On the other hand, I had a family to take care of, which allowed me only 10 hours out of 24 to work in my business. 

My husband never complained that I worked too much and I should be spending more time with him. He always supported me; I remember that he used to take care of our children when I was busy doing work. He used to say that he was an expert at taking care of them.

Building Up the Team

I was lucky to find some professionals to work with, like my manager, who used to give me great pieces of advice on what to do next to avoid losing clients. At some point, my business gained momentum, and I started earning more than enough for the family budget. I was very amazed that was able to buy a new car with just one year of work. Two years later, my rug production factory was working at total capacity. We have built a collection of over 10,000 handmade rugs that can be found in several countries all over the world. RugKnots provides the best quality rugs at the lowest prices online. 

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We have partnered with Pakistani artisans who have been in business for centuries, continuously building on their legacy of excellent craftsmanship. Color can lift your mood, calm you down or just refresh your senses. This is why I always pay attention to this aspect when designing rugs since it’s my belief that rugs can have a positive effect on your life. I found some remarkable and really experienced designers to work with who can help me step up my rug design game. Handmade Rugs by RugKnots are meant to fit both traditional and contemporarydécors from all around the world. 

Since RugKnots was the only store in the USthat specialized in hand-knotted rugs, I really wanted to make sure that we would be recognized as a reliable source for quality items. With a lot of hard work, a bundle of passion, and dedication, we have grown as a company to offer designs from countries such as India, Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. And soon enough – with the help of my beloved, patient, and supportive hubby – we were able to fulfill that dream. However, the business wasn’t as easy as it sounds. Our company still had to struggle a lot before it started working at total capacity!

Making Area Rugs Affordable For All

There were situations where we witnessed that hand-knotted rugs are being quite pricey for most buyers, and we wanted to change that. Initially, RugKnots was just a handmade area rug store but to cope with this situation; we made some essential changes in our business model. We introduced a collection of Machine Made Rugs that were not just affordable but also looked hand-knotted! 

By frequently changing the designs and color combinations of our Machine Made Rugs, we have been successful in giving a”hand-knotted” feel to all of them. We added synthetic rugs to our inventory because synthetic materials are cheaper than natural ones. In this way, we are able to sell area rugs at very affordable prices. 

RugKnots is committed to giving its clients high-quality products. The goal of RugKnots is to provide hand-knotted quality while offering the product at affordable rates. Every rug sold by us has a 100% money-back guarantee if the client is not satisfied!

This Journey Never Ends!

At last, the most beautiful thing is that we still help our family and friends out with their needs by providing them with quality handmade rugs at affordable prices. All of this happened because I never gave up; I was persistent and kept on trying, no matter how many times my life has knocked me down. Thanks to my family, I am a strong woman. I was able to learn the lesson of life and start everything from scratch – new country, new language, new friends, etc. Best of all is that now I am living our dream and I am living RugKnots! It was my consistency and my resilience that made me what I am, and today, we are one of the biggest handmade rug manufacturers in the USA, with a great team behind us! And this is not even half of the story – wait for more exciting news from RugKnots!

Julia Davis

Mental health expert
MS, University of Latvia

I am deeply convinced that each patient needs a unique, individual approach. Therefore, I use different psychotherapy methods in my work. During my studies, I discovered an in-depth interest in people as a whole and the belief in the inseparability of mind and body, and the importance of emotional health in physical health. In my spare time, I enjoy reading (a big fan of thrillers) and going on hikes.

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