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Craftsmanship

ICE International specialises in the development and production of custom hand-knotted and hand-tufted carpets for high-end hotels, restaurants, commercial and residential projects, palaces, private jets and luxury yachts. ICE International produces, among other things, area rugs, inset carpets, wall-to-wall carpets and runners, without using a minimum order size.

"No limits to colours, dimensions or shapes, anything is possible."

Handmade carpets have a rich look and feel. The resilient fibres of the pile, the details of the patterns refined by hand and the infinite design options are unequalled by any other product. Experience the craftsmanship, the high-quality wool, silk and bamboo we use and have us convert your mood board into a hand-knotted or hand-tufted carpet.

Our service-oriented and experienced project managers closely supervise all projects from the initial contact to full completion, while always taking into account your wishes and possibilities in terms of design, delivery time and budget. Every project gets our undivided attention in order to offer a suitable solution for each of them.

An overview of the latest designs – which can all be customised to meet your requirements – is presented in our online design book. Direct contact with the design team ensures that all wishes can be translated into a work of art as quickly and completely as possible, without limits to the number of colours, dimensions or shapes required. Anything is possible. Throughout the project, the same managers and designers work towards its completion, which means questions will only have to be asked once.

ICE International produces in a socially responsible manner and is co-founder and active (board) member of Care & Fair.

Hand-knotted

In 1980, ICE International founder Frits Janssen and a Tibetan business partner started weaving rugs in Nepal. Presently, after 37 years, their subsequent generations are still working together on the basis of exclusivity, making beautiful, custom-made and hand-knotted area rugs for high-end residential and hospitality projects around the world. These area rugs are woven by hand, thread by thread, knot by knot. The Tibetan wool used for these rugs is one of the strongest available for area rugs. Thanks to its greasiness and the long fibres from sheep living in the rough Himalayan Mountains, the rugs are of very durable quality which can last for years to come. Great luxurious effects can be achieved by using pure natural silk.

The development of a hand-knotted area rug is a unique and fascinating process, especially in today’s modern world. The process starts with the client’s mood board. To ensure the concept is properly understood, the ICE designers always communicate directly with the client. Once the final artwork is approved, the production facility will start spinning and carding the yarn. This is all done by hand, as it gives the area rug a livelier look. Next, the yarn gets coloured in boiling water. On average, a hand-knotted carpet has about 155,000 knots per square meter. After the weaving, the rug needs to be washed in clear water. The washing makes the wool fibres firmly knit together. The washing might change the dimensions of the rug. The rug is stretched to keep the desired dimensions. After stretching, the edges get a neat wool-binding and the shearing can start. The shearing is completely done by hand, which means different pile heights can be created. The finishing is the most difficult part, so only highly experienced workers can do the clipping and carving. The carving sharpens the designs. Once the production is completed, any rug gets thoroughly checked by both the production manager and the designer.