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Textiles & apparel

Export carpets and rugs

Hand-knotted, tufted and flat-woven rugs from Bhadohi, Jaipur and Panipat; the USA buys over half.

Free to exportHS 5701
HS code
5701
Hand-knotted carpets (HS 5701). Woven and flat-weave rugs and durries are in 5702, tufted carpets in 5703, and other floor coverings in 5705.
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export. Carpets (Chapter 57) are under RoDTEP, not RoSCTL.
Registrations
4
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 1.97 bn
to 144 countries

What is exported

India sells hand-knotted, hand-tufted and flat-woven wool, cotton, jute and silk rugs, mostly to importers and home-furnishing retailers. Designs are often the buyer's own. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 2.0 billion of Chapter 57 carpets; the USA took more than half, followed by the UK, Germany, Australia and the UAE.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Hand-knotted carpets (wool and silk)The premium line, priced by knots per square inch; Bhadohi, Jaipur and Kashmir make them.
  • Hand-tufted carpetsMade with a tufting gun on a cotton backing; faster and cheaper, the biggest volume from Bhadohi–Mirzapur.
  • Flat-woven durries and kilimsCotton, wool or jute; Panipat, Agra and Jaipur are strong.
  • Handloom and shaggy rugsWoven pile rugs, often with recycled yarn, mainly from Panipat.
  • Jute and natural-fibre rugsBraided and woven jute rugs, popular in the USA and Europe.

Where it is grown or made

  • Uttar PradeshBhadohi, Mirzapur and Varanasi — the carpet belt; Agra (durries)
  • HaryanaPanipat — durries, handloom and tufted rugs
  • RajasthanJaipur — hand-knotted and flat-woven rugs
  • Jammu and KashmirSrinagar — hand-knotted silk and wool carpets
  • Madhya PradeshGwalior — handmade carpets

Export packing

  • Carpets are rolled (never folded) around a tube, wrapped in polythene and then in HDPE or hessian with the size and lot number marked.
  • Wool carpets often need an anti-moth treatment declaration; some buyers ask for a fumigation certificate.
  • Labels show size, fibre content and country of origin; many buyers also want a child-labour-free label such as Kaleen or GoodWeave.

Who buys abroad

  • Rug importers and wholesalers in the USA and Germany
  • Furniture and home-decor chains
  • Interior designers and contract buyers for hotels
  • Online rug retailers

The quality buyers ask for

Construction
Hand-knotted, hand-tufted, hand-loomed or flat-woven (dhurrie, kilim)
Knot density
Knots per square inch (or per square metre) for hand-knotted rugs; buyers quote it with the knot type
Pile and weight
Pile height in mm, pile weight and total weight per square metre
Fibre
Wool type (New Zealand or Indian blends), silk, viscose, jute, cotton or recycled PET, declared by percentage
Colour fastness
To light (ISO 105-B02), rubbing (ISO 105-X12) and water
Size tolerance
Finished size within the tolerance the buyer sets, usually a small percentage of length and width
Flammability (USA)
Large carpets and rugs must pass the surface flammability (pill) test of 16 CFR Part 1630; small rugs fall under Part 1631

Certificates

  • Child-labour-free certification (GoodWeave, Care & Fair or Kaleen label)RequiredMost US and European importers want proof that the rug was made without child labour.
  • Social compliance audit (amfori BSCI or SMETA)Often askedFactory and supply-chain audit asked for by large retailers.
  • US flammability test report (16 CFR 1630/1631)RequiredLegally required for rugs sold in the USA; keep a test report per construction.
  • GI — Bhadohi hand-made carpetOften askedBhadohi carpets are GI-registered; registered users can use the name.
  • OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 / GRSOften askedHarmful-substance test, or recycled-content certification for PET rugs.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Rugs are rolled, wrapped in polythene and hessian, and shipped in 20-ft or 40-ft containers; mixed sizes are planned by volume. LCL is common for first orders.

How it travels

Sea freight from Mumbai/Nhava Sheva or through ICDs near Bhadohi and Panipat; air for urgent custom pieces.

Storage

Keep wool rugs dry and protected from moths; use moth-proofing only with chemicals allowed in the buyer's market.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Fibre content, size and country of origin ('Made in India' or 'Hand-knotted in India') on a sewn-in label.
  • USA: small rugs that fail the 1631 test must carry a flammability warning label as the rule prescribes.
  • Child-labour-free label with its serial number, if certified; the buyer's SKU and care tag.
Where to get it tested

The Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT), Bhadohi, tests carpets and yarn. For US flammability and colour-fastness reports, use an NABL-accredited lab (search 'textiles' on the NABL directory) or the lab the buyer names. CEPC can guide members to testing facilities.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • CEPC (Carpet Export Promotion Council)RCMC for handmade carpets, rugs, durries and other handmade floor coverings.cepc.co.in ↗
  • HEPC / Indian Silk EPC (if handloom or silk)Handloom floor coverings can register with HEPC and silk carpets with the Indian Silk EPC, as per Appendix 2T.content.dgft.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • USA: carpets and rugs must meet the federal flammability standards enforced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
  • Fibre-content and origin labels (FTC rules in the USA, EU rules in Europe).
  • Child-labour-free and fair-labour proof: many importers ask for an independent certification of the supply chain.
  • Moth-proofing and fumigation, if the buyer or destination requires it, for wool and natural-fibre rugs.
How to start small

Most new exporters begin by sourcing from established weavers in Bhadohi–Mirzapur, Jaipur or Panipat. Join CEPC, display at the India Carpet Expo or an overseas fair under CEPC, and take sample and small mixed orders from rug stores before bidding for retailer programmes.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Size and colour tolerance disputes on hand-made pieces — write tolerances into the order.
  • Heavy dependence on the US market; check current US duty rates before quoting a landed price.
  • Moisture in transit causes mould and smell. Dry the rugs fully and use moisture absorbers in the container.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (7)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 57 (and 5701, 5702, 5703) by country, 2025-26
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  4. US Consumer Product Safety Commission — business guidance
  5. US FTC — Labeling requirements under the Textile and Wool Acts
  6. US International Trade Commission — Harmonized Tariff Schedule (current US duty rates)
  7. Carpet Export Promotion Council — official site

Trade data

Indian carpets and rugs exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 1.97 bn
+1.1% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -5.9%
US$ 2.09 bn → US$ 1.97 bn
Buyer countries
144
Average export price
US$ 10.06
per kg · 1,95,886 tonnes shipped · US$ 10.56 the year before
United States of America: US$ 1.1 bnUnited Kingdom: US$ 114 mnGermany: US$ 86.4 mnAustralia: US$ 85.9 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 60.4 mnNetherlands: US$ 54.2 mnFrance: US$ 45.1 mnCanada: US$ 38.6 mnSpain: US$ 34.5 mnItaly: US$ 30.7 mnChina: US$ 15.9 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 13.6 mnSouth Africa: US$ 13.3 mnRussia: US$ 10.2 mnJapan: US$ 9 mnMalaysia: US$ 5.8 mnUnited States of America: US$ 1.1 bnUnited States of AmericaUnited Kingdom: US$ 114 mnUnited KingdomGermany: US$ 86.4 mnAustralia: US$ 85.9 mnAustraliaUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 60.4 mnUnited Arab EmiratesNetherlands: US$ 54.2 mnFrance: US$ 45.1 mnCanada: US$ 38.6 mnSpain: US$ 34.5 mnSpainItaly: US$ 30.7 mnChina: US$ 15.9 mnChinaSaudi Arabia: US$ 13.6 mnSouth Africa: US$ 13.3 mnRussia: US$ 10.2 mnJapan: US$ 9 mnMalaysia: US$ 5.8 mnIndia
Where Indian carpets and rugs goes — among our 30 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 1.87 bn1.9k2020-212021-22: US$ 2.23 bn2.2k2021-222022-23: US$ 1.83 bn1.8k2022-232023-24: US$ 1.87 bn1.9k2023-242024-25: US$ 2.09 bn2.1k2024-252025-26: US$ 1.97 bn2.0k2025-26
India’s carpets and rugs exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2022-23, lowest in 2020-21 — a 15% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 10.01 per kg10.012021-22: US$ 10.70 per kg2022-23: US$ 11.55 per kg11.552024-25: US$ 10.56 per kg2025-26: US$ 10.06 per kg10.062020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian carpets and rugs · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 1.87 bn2020-212021-22: US$ 2.23 bn2021-222022-23: US$ 1.83 bn2022-232023-24: US$ 1.87 bn2023-242024-25: US$ 2.09 bn2024-252025-26: US$ 1.97 bn2025-262026-27: US$ 1.99 bn (US$ 1.77 bn – US$ 2.24 bn)2.0k2026-272027-28: US$ 2 bn (US$ 1.75 bn – US$ 2.28 bn)2.0k2027-28
India’s carpets and rugs exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 2 bn

Likely range US$ 1.75 bn to US$ 2.28 bn.

Trend
+0.3% a year
Fit (R²)
0.01 — weak, read with care
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United States of AmericaUS$ 1.1 bn-10.8%
2United KingdomUS$ 114 mn+11%
3GermanyUS$ 86.4 mn-25.8%
4AustraliaUS$ 85.9 mn+1.5%
5United Arab EmiratesUS$ 60.4 mn+29.5%
6NetherlandsUS$ 54.2 mn-7.8%
7SwedenUS$ 52 mn+18.9%
8FranceUS$ 45.1 mn-1.9%
9CanadaUS$ 38.6 mn+2.9%
10SpainUS$ 34.5 mn+16.6%
11ItalyUS$ 30.7 mn-9.9%
12DenmarkUS$ 21.6 mn-7.4%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 46.6 mn → US$ 60.4 mn+29.5%
  2. SwedenUS$ 43.8 mn → US$ 52 mn+18.9%
  3. SpainUS$ 29.6 mn → US$ 34.5 mn+16.6%
  4. United KingdomUS$ 102 mn → US$ 114 mn+11%

Low demand

  1. GermanyUS$ 116 mn → US$ 86.4 mn-25.8%
  2. United States of AmericaUS$ 1.23 bn → US$ 1.1 bn-10.8%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Carpets and other textile floor coverings, tufted, of wool or fine animal hair, whether or not made up — carpets5703 10 10US$ 212 mn+2.1%14.4 mn m²US$ 14.70 per m²was US$ 15.92
Carpets and other textile floor coverings, knotted, of wool or fine animal hair, whether or not made up — hand-made5701 10 10US$ 189 mn-13.4%2.8 mn m²US$ 66.44 per m²was US$ 74.34
Carpets, carpeting and rugs5703 39 10 · Carpets, tufted, of man-made textile materials, whether of not made upUS$ 161 mn-1.2%20.6 mn m²US$ 7.82 per m²was US$ 7.91
Carpets and other textile floor coverings, woven,, of wool or fine animal hair, of pile construction, not… — carpets5702 31 10US$ 151 mn-8.6%7.9 mn m²US$ 19.16 per m²was US$ 19.90
Carpets and other floor coverings, of cotton, other than durries5703 90 10 · Carpets and other textile floor coverings, tufted, of textile materials, whether or not made upUS$ 127 mn-10.5%16.5 mn m²US$ 7.68 per m²was US$ 7.82
Others-of-of other textile materials:5703 90 90 · Carpets and other textile floor coverings, tufted, of textile materials, whether or not made upUS$ 111 mn-6.7%15.6 mn m²US$ 7.11 per m²was US$ 7.18
Carpets,carpeting and rugs5702 32 10 · Carpets and other textile floor coverings, woven,, of man-made textile materials, of pile construction, not…US$ 101 mn+0.2%7.4 mn m²US$ 13.74 per m²was US$ 16.10
Carpets and other textile floor coverings in chapter 57, whether or not made up — other carpets of jute5705 00 39US$ 70.8 mn-19.4%9.0 mn m²US$ 7.88 per m²was US$ 7.66
Others-of-others-of-carpets and other textile floor coverings(includinguding turf), tufted, whether or not made up5703 39 90 · Carpets, tufted, of man-made textile materials, whether of not made upUS$ 67.7 mn-2.5%9.1 mn m²US$ 7.46 per m²was US$ 8.30
Carpets etc. of cotton (not durries)5702 99 10 · Carpets and other textile floor coverings, woven,, of textile materials, made up in item no. 5702.10 or…US$ 50.3 mn+6.2%9.6 mn m²US$ 5.22 per m²was US$ 4.87
Carpeting, flr rug asnd the like5702 31 40 · Carpets and other textile floor coverings, woven,, of wool or fine animal hair, of pile construction, not…US$ 49.3 mn+29.3%3.0 mn m²US$ 16.31 per m²was US$ 15.28
Carpets,carpeting and rugs5702 42 10 · Carpets and other textile floor coverings, woven,, of man-made textile materials, of pile construction…US$ 41.8 mn+7.1%7.5 mn m²US$ 5.59 per m²was US$ 7.87
Other flr cvrngs of other txtl, not pile constrtn5702 99 90 · Carpets and other textile floor coverings, woven,, of textile materials, made up in item no. 5702.10 or…US$ 41.1 mn-10.2%4.7 mn m²US$ 8.76 per m²was US$ 9.38
Carpets and other textile floor coverings in chapter 57, whether or not made up — durries of wool5705 00 23US$ 40.6 mn-5.2%2.8 mn m²US$ 14.32 per m²was US$ 14.11

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 13.5 bn
2023
India among exporters
#3
of 149 countries
India’s share of world exports
11%
US$ 1.81 bn
Left for others to win
US$ 14.6 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 3.98 bn 24.2%
  2. 2TürkiyeUS$ 2.81 bn 17.1%
  3. 3IndiaUS$ 1.81 bn 11%
  4. 4NetherlandsUS$ 1.16 bn 7%
  5. 5BelgiumUS$ 1.07 bn 6.5%
  6. 6USAUS$ 725 mn 4.4%
  7. 7GermanyUS$ 570 mn 3.5%
  8. 8Viet NamUS$ 377 mn 2.3%
  9. 9EgyptUS$ 358 mn 2.2%
  10. 10PolandUS$ 308 mn 1.9%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 3.37 bn 24.9%
  2. 2United KingdomUS$ 1.06 bn 7.8%
  3. 3GermanyUS$ 999 mn 7.4%
  4. 4CanadaUS$ 641 mn 4.7%
  5. 5JapanUS$ 536 mn 4%
  6. 6FranceUS$ 535 mn 4%
  7. 7Saudi ArabiaUS$ 478 mn 3.5%
  8. 8NetherlandsUS$ 441 mn 3.3%
  9. 9AustraliaUS$ 377 mn 2.8%
  10. 10PolandUS$ 284 mn 2.1%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 3.56 bnIndia 36% · gap US$ 2.28 bn
United KingdomUS$ 1.06 bnIndia 10.1% · gap US$ 952 mn
GermanyUS$ 1.01 bnIndia 14.7% · gap US$ 862 mn
CanadaUS$ 639 mnIndia 11.8% · gap US$ 563 mn
Saudi ArabiaUS$ 515 mnIndia 3% · gap US$ 500 mn
FranceUS$ 580 mnIndia 14.8% · gap US$ 494 mn
JapanUS$ 500 mnIndia 2.8% · gap US$ 486 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 486 mnIndia 8% · gap US$ 447 mn
AustraliaUS$ 377 mnIndia 21.2% · gap US$ 297 mn
United Arab EmiratesUS$ 256 mnIndia 17.2% · gap US$ 212 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export carpets and rugs

India is one of the world's largest exporters of hand-made carpets, and most of its output is sold abroad. The main hand-made competitors are Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkey, while machine-made rugs from Turkey, Belgium and China compete on price. Demand is driven by home décor spending in the USA and Europe, where buyers want natural fibres, hand-knotted and hand-tufted work, and proof that no child labour was used. Openings are in contemporary designs, recycled and natural-fibre flat weaves, and short-run custom rugs for designers.

  1. 01Design and colour card

    Get the design, size and colour pom-poms approved; make a strike-off sample.

  2. 02Yarn and dyeing

    Buy wool, dye in lots and keep dye-lot records to avoid shade differences.

  3. 03Weaving with registered weavers

    Give looms only to registered, adult weavers and keep loom records for child-labour audits.

  4. 04Washing and finishing

    Wash, clip, stretch and bind the rug; measure the finished size.

  5. 05Testing and inspection

    Run flammability and colour-fastness tests; allow the buyer's inspection.

  6. 06Packing and shipment

    Roll, label and pack; file the shipping bill under Chapter 57 and claim RoSCTL or RoDTEP and drawback as applicable.

  7. 07Payment

    Collect against documents or LC; for open account, insure with ECGC.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting carpets and rugs

Is a child-labour certificate legally required?
No country requires a specific label, but US Customs can stop goods made with forced or child labour, and most importers will not buy without proof. Treat it as required.
What is the pill test?
A US test where a burning tablet is placed on the rug and the burnt area is measured. Wool usually passes; some synthetics and loose constructions fail.
How long does a hand-knotted order take?
It depends on size and knot density; a large fine rug can take months on the loom. Quote delivery after checking loom capacity.
Why do buyers complain of shade variation?
Wool from different dye lots looks different. Dye all wool for one order in one lot, or keep records and mix lots evenly.
Who issues the RCMC for carpets?
CEPC, the Carpet Export Promotion Council.
Sources (6)
  1. CEPC (Carpet Export Promotion Council) — official site
  2. eCFR — 16 CFR Part 1630, Standard for the surface flammability of carpets and rugs
  3. US CBP — Forced labour (withhold release orders and findings)
  4. Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT), Bhadohi
  5. OEKO-TEX — STANDARD 100
  6. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories

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