The Persian Carpet

What The Persian Carpet does

The Persian Carpet is a family-owned specialty rug retailer and wholesaler founded in 1976 and headquartered in Durham, North Carolina. The company operates exclusively on a To-the-Trade basis, selling premium handmade rugs exclusively to professional interior designers rather than retail consumers. Its single showroom serves as a curated destination where designers can view and specify rugs for client projects, with shipments arranged nationwide.

The company's product offering spans 478 SKUs across multiple premium rug brands, including Stark, Tufenkian, Samad, Feizy, Kalaty, Tamarian, French Accents, Tibet Rug Company, and Harounian, alongside proprietary lines developed in-house. Through its Southwest Looms division, The Persian Carpet manufactures eight of its own rug collections and holds a licensing relationship with Pendleton to produce Pendleton-branded rugs. An Arts & Crafts collection has been maintained since 1995, and the company also operates a custom rug program and rug cleaning services.

The business model is B2B trade-only, with revenue generated through designer account purchases at trade pricing (typically 25-40% below retail). With 11-50 employees, no external funding, and 49 years of continuous family ownership, The Persian Carpet operates as a mature, privately held specialty distributor whose revenue is tied to the cyclicality of the interior design and luxury real estate markets.

Name

The Persian Carpet

Legal name

The Persian Carpet

Website

https://persiancarpet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Persian Carpet is a family-owned Durham, NC specialty rug retailer and wholesaler founded in 1976, operating exclusively on a To-the-Trade model serving interior designers with premium handmade rugs from multiple brands plus proprietary Southwest Looms collections.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Carpets and Rugs

NAICS

Carpet and Rug Mills (314110), Floor Covering Retailers (449121)

SIC

Carpets & Rugs (2273), Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)

akta.pro primary industry

Rugs & Doormats Retail (Area Rugs, Runners, Entry Mats) (CRAIALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Area Rug Manufacturing (IMAOAJAC), Woven Floor Coverings Manufacturing (Axminster/Wilton/Flatweave) (IMAOAJAF), Area Rug Cleaning (In-Shop/Plant) (HSAEAIAB)

Keywords

• Handmade area rugs
• To-the-trade rugs
• Rug cleaning services
• Custom rug program
• Interior designer rugs

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Rug Sales: B2B sales of fine handmade rugs exclusively to trade accounts (interior designers) with 25%-40% trade discounts below retail pricing
2. Rug Cleaning Services: In-house rug cleaning using two-step dusting process, hand-washing in cold water with mild shampoo, plus repair services including hem stitching, selvedge binding, and hole stabilization
3. Custom Rug Program: Custom rug orders for designers seeking unique, one-of-a-kind pieces through the company's in-house custom rug program

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Persian Carpet operates an exclusively To-the-Trade showroom selling fine handmade rugs across five curated collections (Contemporary, Transitional, Traditional, Arts & Crafts, and Pendleton®) to registered interior designers at 25%-40% below retail pricing. The company also offers in-house rug cleaning and repair services, a custom rug program, overnight sample shipping, local delivery and installation, custom-cut rug pads, and operates the Southwest Looms manufacturing division as the official licensee of Pendleton Woolen Mills.

Product overview

The Persian Carpet Curated is an exclusively To-The-Trade showroom serving interior designers across the United States, specializing in fine, hand-crafted rugs. Their portfolio includes five core rug collections: Contemporary Rugs (handwoven Himalayan wool with silk accents from Nepal/Armenia using Tibetan knots), Transitional Rugs (classic designs with contemporary color palettes), Traditional Rugs (including Persian, Turkish Oushak, Egyptian Mameluke, and Central Asian Khotan styles), Arts & Crafts Rugs (hand-knotted New Zealand wool in British/Celtic/American Prairie styles), and Pendleton® Rugs (Southwest Looms division translating Pendleton Woolen Mills' historic blankets into rugs). The company also offers complementary services including in-house rug cleaning, a custom rug program, trade account pricing with 25%-40% discounts, delivery/installation, and custom-cut pads. Family-owned since 1976, they serve as a B2B partner for interior designers seeking quality handmade rugs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Southwest Looms: A division of The Persian Carpet that designs and manufactures eight collections of high-end, handmade rugs; official licensee of Pendleton Woolen Mills

Products and services

• Contemporary Rugs Handwoven rugs using premium Himalayan sheep's wool with silk accents, primarily woven in Nepal and Armenia employing the Tibetan knot technique. Designs range from subtle compositions to bold, graphic statements across thousands of colorways and patterns. Offered exclusively to registered interior designers.
• Transitional Rugs Oriental rugs that reinterpret classic time-honored designs with lighter, contemporary color palettes while retaining historic patterns. Designs soften dense ornamentation and minimize traditional borders for a relaxed, casual appearance. Offered exclusively to interior designers in the To-the-Trade program.
• Traditional Rugs Handwoven oriental carpets composed of wool fibers knotted onto a cotton warp and weft framework. Includes Persian Tribal and City Rugs, Turkish Oushaks, Egyptian Mamelukes, and Central Asian Khotans, staying true to tradition in materials, designs, colors, and selected knots. Offered to trade accounts.
• Arts & Crafts Rugs Handmade rugs in the Craftsman tradition, hand-knotted in India using 100% New Zealand wool. Stocked in standard sizes from 2x3 to 10x14 as well as runner and round offerings. Includes 25 current designs in British Arts & Crafts, Celtic Revival, and American Prairie Style genres. Offered to trade accounts.
• Pendleton® Rugs Eight collections of high-end handmade rugs designed and manufactured by Southwest Looms (a division of The Persian Carpet) as the official licensee of Pendleton® Woolen Mills, translating historic trade blankets into floor masterpieces. Offered to trade accounts.
• Rug Cleaning Services In-house rug cleaning using a two-step dusting process followed by hand-washing in cold water with mild shampoo. Includes soaking treatments for pet stains, mothproofing, selvedge repair, hemstitch, fringe replacement, and patch repair. Professional outsourcing is available for silk rugs and extensive restoration. Available to trade and local customers.
• Custom Rug Program In-house custom rug program that allows interior designers to order unique, one-of-a-kind pieces tailored to specific design visions, complementing the standard collection offerings.
• Trade Account Program Exclusive trade pricing program for interior designers offering 25%-40% discounts on rugs below retail, access to samples and photography, overnight sample shipping, local delivery and installation, and custom-cut pads. Available only to registered trade accounts.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• StarkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading luxury rug brand represented in The Persian Carpet's showroom, providing access to high-end contemporary and transitional rug designs for trade customers.
• TufenkiancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium handcrafted rug brand featured in the Contemporary collection, known for Tibetan weave rugs using Himalayan wool.
• SamadcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRenowned rug manufacturer represented in the showroom, providing traditional and transitional rug options for interior designers.
• FeizycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor rug brand included in the product offerings, known for traditional and transitional Oriental rug designs.
• KalatycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium rug brand represented in the Transitional collection, offering contemporary interpretations of classic designs.
• TamariancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContemporary rug brand featured in the collection, known for modern designs using quality materials.
• French AccentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLuxury rug brand represented in the showroom, offering bespoke and designer rug collections.
• Tibet Rug CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialty rug manufacturer featured in the Contemporary collection, known for Tibetan weave rugs.
• Harounian RugsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRug brand represented in the showroom's product offerings.
• Southwest LoomsflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerA division of The Persian Carpet that designs and manufactures eight collections of high-end, handmade rugs. This is the company's own proprietary brand and manufacturing operation.
• Pendleton Woolen MillsflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOfficial licensee relationship where The Persian Carpet (through Southwest Looms) translates Pendleton's historic trade blankets into handmade rug masterpieces for the floor.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Doris Leslie Blau: Long-established To-the-Trade handmade rug gallery in NYC serving interior designers with antique, transitional, and contemporary rugs and a custom program—directly comparable B2B trade-showroom model in the same customer segment.
• Rug & Kilim: Designer-facing handmade rug showroom and workshop offering custom programs and trade pricing across vintage, transitional, and contemporary rugs—operates an essentially identical To-the-Trade value proposition as The Persian Carpet.
• Mehraban Rugs: Trade-focused rug showroom specializing in antique, traditional, and designer handmade rugs with custom programs for interior designers—directly competes for the same designer-trade wallet with overlapping antique Persian/transitional inventory.
• Mansour Fine Rugs: Family-founded To-the-Trade rug showroom with deep designer relationships, custom rug programs, and premium handmade assortments—highly comparable business model targeting the same interior designer customer base.
• Lapchi: Hand-knotted rug specialist with strong interior design trade program offering custom designs and trade pricing—another direct competitor in the trade-only handmade rug segment.

Broad incumbents

• Stark Carpet: Large-scale luxury rug and carpet brand with broad designer trade program, multiple showroom locations, and deep custom capabilities—a broad incumbent that overlaps with The Persian Carpet on contemporary and transitional trade assortments.
• Feizy Rugs: Major designer-oriented rug brand with trade showrooms and broad traditional-to-contemporary assortment—an incumbent supplier whose showroom shows compete directly with The Persian Carpet's curated offerings.
• Samad Rugs: Established handmade rug brand with trade showrooms and a global manufacturing operation—an incumbent that both supplies The Persian Carpet and operates competing designer-facing channels.
• Tufenkian Carpets: Premium Tibetan-knot rug maker and trade showroom operator—an incumbent that both supplies The Persian Carpet and competes for designer accounts via its own designer program and showrooms.
• Kalaty Rug Corporation: Multi-generational handmade rug maker with established designer-to-trade distribution—an incumbent brand whose Transitional collection directly overlaps with The Persian Carpet's curated assortment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/the_persian_carpet_curated
• Xx.com/Persiancarpetin
• Facebookfacebook.com/The-Persian-Carpet-233902723315796
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/persian-carpet-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Persian Carpet