A collection of Animal design Rugs, hand made in Nepal by Tibetans for Lecaflor.

In the 'Land of Snows' as Tibetans call their homeland, rugs have formed a central part of the culture for more than a thousand years, being used for everything from home decorations to religious rituals.

For the last 50 years though, the ancient art of rug making has been increasingly under threat as those who previously passed on their skills to sons and daughters have slowly but surely been driven into exile in Nepal.

Today, as an appreciation of the beauty of these rugs begins to reach the West, these skills are being revived and the Heirloom Rugs Collection is a classic example of this traditional art.

Each rug uses a blend of Tibetan and New Zealand wool that has been carded and spun by hand, and using ancient weaving and hand-knotting techniques, takes up to three months to complete.

This craftsmanship - the meticulous attention to detail that goes into each rug - together with the unique quality of the wool and dyes, means that Heirloom Rugs attract a premium price. However, these rugs have nothing to do with today's throwaway Western culture, they are of a different world in which a traditional rug is expected to last for decades, to be passed on from generation to generation. They are therefore made with care, attention, and above all, pride.