The production of carpets worth $60 million annually for American retailers is a significant aspect of big business, as reported by Insider Business.

It can take nearly a complete year to produce a single carpet of this kind, with a thorough washing being one of the final stages in the process. OBT, India's largest manufacturer of handmade carpets, produces approximately 350,000 carpets annually, with the majority being supplied to brands such as William Sonoma and West Elm in the United States. The cost of a single carpet can exceed $12,000 due to the fact that most of them are crafted by hand. However, OBT has the ability to reject a carpet for even the slightest imperfection, which can result in a year's worth of work being ruined.

To ensure perfection throughout the production process, OBT has implemented various measures. Additionally, the region in which OBT operates, known as the carpet belt of India, has a rich history of carpet weaving dating back to the 16th century when Persian weavers were brought to the area by Mughal Emperor Akbar to create carpets for his palaces. Today, over three million individuals work in the carpet industry in the Mirzapur Badohi region of India.

Recently, OBT produced 35,000 square feet of hand-knotted carpets for India's new Parliament building in New Delhi, which required the efforts of 900 weavers and over one million hours of work. The company also dyes all of its yarn in-house, utilizing machines capable of holding up to 880 pounds of yarn.

The initial step in the process involves subjecting the batch to a chemical wash. Subsequently, the dyes are prepared using a combination of chemicals and natural elements such as fruits and bark. Obiti, a representative from the company, procures a sample from the batch and conducts a series of tests in the laboratory to ensure that the color does not transfer. The weavers are unable to commence their work until they possess the map or naksha, which they meticulously adhere to, with each square representing a knot and a specific yarn color. The company possesses its own weaving center, employing a total of 224 skilled artisans. Within this facility, the weavers employ a drum to construct the carpet's foundation, also known as the warp.

However, there are individuals who construct it manually, a process that can consume an entire day. Honey OBT collaborates with over 25,000 local weavers, such as Ramlal, who has been employed by the company for approximately 50 years. Once the warp is completed, he meticulously lays down the design thread by thread, some of which consist of over 2 million knots. Foreign company officials meticulously examine the work on each of OBT's 5,000 looms every 15 days. Once each carpet is finalized and approved, the weavers transport it to the factory. Skilled foreign workers utilize blowtorches to eliminate any loose fibers, while teams of washers thoroughly cleanse the carpet. The process commences with a thorough dousing of water, followed by a chemical treatment to eradicate any dust. Foreign carpets tend to shrink during the washing phase, necessitating stretching to restore their original dimensions once they are dry. Subsequently, the workers meticulously trim and shear the carpet's surface to achieve a specific height. Although machines are employed to assist in this process, the majority of the work is done manually. Additionally, the workers ensure that the carpet's edges are straightened and bound, and any fringes are trimmed or left intact based on the desired outcome. Following two additional rounds of inspection, the carpets are prepared for delivery. The smooth operation of this endeavor requires the dedication of hundreds of workers.

However, the company has encountered difficulties in locating new weavers. Uttar Pradesh, one of India's most impoverished states, is experiencing a mass exodus of young individuals seeking higher-paying employment opportunities. Additionally, a significant proportion of the weavers are also farmers. In an effort to augment its workforce, OBT has endeavored to recruit more women. Historically, the Indian carpet industry has been dominated by men, and this trend has persisted across various industries. In the previous year, merely 25% of women of working age in India were part of the labor force. Esteemed weavers such as Ramlal have trained nearly 2,000 women since 2015, and they have maintained high standards.