Lapchi arrived on the rug scene in the early 2000's with a very simple idea: why not let the client create the rug they want? And now, almost 30 years since this concept revolutionized the made-to-order market for fine handmade rugs, Lapchi still continues to set the standard for high quality Nepalese produced rugs and carpets.

We here at Christiane Millinger are overjoyed to become Lapchi's exclusive Portland atelier for many designs and sizes in-stock and available today , as well as being able to provide an array samples for made-to-order options with nearly limitless potential for personalization. Many people may not know what makes the Lapchi name so significant in our field, so allow us to tell you the Lapchi story.

Imagine a time when the retail rug buyer had to settle for whatever happened to be available at their local rug dealer, trade show, or through the resources available to their interior designer. Prior to the early 2000's this was the case. While custom and made to order rugs have been produced to meet the demands of the elite customer, average buyers often had to settle for what was available to them in their regional market at any one given time.

Traditionally, rugs produced in Asia and the Middle East would arrive at massive buyers markets based upon the tastes of a few over-seas exporters. Usually citing nothing apart from hereditary involvement in the trade as the eye-test for what was deemed market worthy. This old system had two very distinct effects. For one, very conservative and cautious statesmen of the rug industry had a tendency to not deviate from "best selling" traditional styles, and two, retailers often were required to stock a vast inventory of sizes, designs, and colors in the hope of having a viable option to meet the client's stylistic and space needs. But often, it was the customer who was asked to settle for "close enough" based upon the selection available to them at the time.

But it was the unlikely meeting of an experienced rug dealer and a yoga enthusiast with a knack for bread making in late 90's Portland which disrupted this one way business model and created an entirely new one focused on the needs of the client. Salman Kahn brought decades of experience in the trade of antique rugs and understood the frustrations of clients having to settle for whatever happened to make it to stacks of the local retailer. And the disappointment when they couldn't find anything that worked for them. While all very high quality and well made rugs, customers often had to temper their expectations. Either the size wasn't ideal or perhaps the color or pattern wasn't quite what they envisioned. Kerry Smith on the other hand, came from the world of artisanal bread making. Now these may seem like very alien industries from one another, but Kerry understood that providing options to meet the needs of the client, especially with something as personal and individualistic as bread preference, was key to earning lasting customer satisfaction and surpassing expectations.

So this combination of philosophy and experience came together in Portland around 1997 with the concept that if they client was given the choice between settling for "almost" and given the opportunity to achieve their personal vision, they would almost always chose the ideal rug. Thus, Lapchi was born and with that an entirely new concept with rug making was innovated.

Simultaneously, Lapchi became a founding partner in Goodweave, an oversight certification program that strives to eliminate child labor from the production chain of handmade textiles. 

This innovation of made to order rugs for all has had a massive effect on the entire rug industry and has now become the standard for many companies in addition to their original designs. Lapchi has remained a constant in the landscape of custom made rugs and carpets, and we are excited to become the primary dealer for Lapchi for Portland and the Pacific Northwest. Please Join us on February 27th as we host Lapchi's North American representative, Nathan Tucker, for an informal opportunity to learn about one of the most original producers we are pleased to be able to offer our clients.