Visionary Women shifting the Pattern

For both Bonnie and Dolma, the rug industry isn’t just a business; it's part of their family legacy.

Bonnie’s connection to carpets goes way back. Her grandfather worked in antique carpet business, restoring, buying and selling them. Her father followed the same path and bonnie herself with a background in art and multimedia, always knew she wanted to bring her own creative energy to the world of rugs. She started in 2007, her journey led her from Persian to Tibetan carpets, eventually into designing her own collections with artist collaborations, where artistry and tradition beautifully converge.

Dolma’s story begins in the Tibetan refugee camps of Nepal. Her parents were among the first Tibetan refugees to rebuild their lives through rug making. Her parents first began working in the rug trade after settling in a Tibetan Refugee camp established by the Red Cross society. It was there that her father started working as a trimmer, while her mother was involved in the dyeing process. Wanting to provide a better education for their children, Dolma’s parents decided to move from the refugee camps to Kathmandu, where they would be closer to Dolma and her sister, who started studying at a boarding school in India. After relocating, they started a small rug workshop with just a single loom, laying the foundation for what later would become a family-run business.

Dolma, being the eldest daughter, after completing her high school in India, she was asked to return back home and help the family. Eventually, her father entrusted her with the responsibility of running the business. Dolma started thinking about what she could do better for the business. Dolma didn’t just continue the legacy, she transformed it. She focused on improving quality, introducing art into the weaving process and creating long-term opportunities for others in her community.

“I was lucky to have found Bonnie,” she says. That meeting sparked a partnership that continues to this day.

What makes the collaboration between Bonnie and Dolma especially powerful is the mutual belief in empowering other women.

In Dolma’s workshop, many of the weavers are mothers, sisters and daughters. The work gives them not just income, but independence. It offers stability, skill-building and a sense of pride. Dolma talks about how she feels encouraged to work harder knowing that she is supporting her community. As Dolma’s business has grown, so too has the number of women she’s been able to support. Many of them live and work within the same factory compound, creating an environment that feels less like a workplace and more like a community. For Dolma, it’s not just about making rugs, it’s about building a family around shared purpose and support.

Bonnie shares that same commitment. As a woman running a creative business in a space traditionally led by men, she has consistently advocated for female leadership both in the UK and in the communities Knots Rugs partners with. Through their partnership, Bonnie and Dolma have built a bridge of trust, respect and shared vision, creating a more inclusive future for the industry.

The rug industry has long been male-dominated, particularly in leadership roles and at global trade events. While women have always been present in production, weaving, and dyeing, it was often men who controlled the companies, signed the deals, and stood at the forefront of international exhibitions. “When I started attending trade shows, it was rare to see women leading the conversation,” Bonnie recalls. “Most booths were run by men. Most businesses were owned by men. It felt like a space where women were present but not visible.” But over the past decade, that has changed, and Bonnie and Dolma are a part of that change.

Today, more women are not only participating but also leading in every part of the rug industry, from design studios in London to production houses in Nepal. Dolma now runs a thriving business where women are decision-makers, mentors, and collaborators. Bonnie heads a company where creativity is nurtured, community is celebrated, and business is built on values.This shift isn’t just symbolic, it’s transformational. It changes how business is done, how artisans are treated, and how heritage is preserved with care and equality.

Rug making is, at its core, a collaborative act. From the loom to the showroom, every piece passes through many hands. And within those hands are stories of culture, of perseverance, of artistry.

The creations that emerge from the collaboration between Bonnie and Dolma go beyond just being decorations. These creations represent the strength of women uplifting one another, the continuation of legacies by daughters, and the vision of leaders who are redefining the future of craftsmanship.

In telling this story, we celebrate the women who have always been part of the rug world, whether behind the loom or behind the scenes, and we honour those stepping proudly into leadership. At Knots Rugs, we are proud to be a woman-led company, working alongside women like Dolma who inspire us everyday. Together, we’re weaving more than rugs, we are weaving a new future. One made of collaboration, compassion and change.