Lhasa Carpet Factory(Chinese:拉萨地毯厂;pinyin:lāsàdìtǎnchǎng) is a factory south of Yanhe Dong Lu near the University of Tibet in Lhasa-the capital of Tibet. It produces traditional Tibetan rugs that are exported worldwide through Canton. Although the actual weaving and finishing is done by hand using old-style vertical looms many of the stages of the prcoess are now mechanised and the dyeing is not done at the factory. It is a modern factory, the largest manufacturer of rugs throughout Tibet employing some 300 workers. Traditionally Tibetan women were the weavers and the men the spinners but both work on the rugs today.

The factory has developed into the biggest and the best in Tibet Autonomous Region with annual output of 30,000 miles of carpet. Tibetan Carpets, Persian Carpets and Oriental Artistic Carpets are reputed to be the best in the world.
The rugs manufactured in Lhasa are typically smaller with bold designs and bright colurs and a deep even, pile -about 60knots per square inch. Rug weaving is an ancient craft in Tibet but because it was not for sacred purposes it is not considered an art. As a result there are no rugs verifiable earlier than 1800. Chemical dye first appeared in Central Asia around 1870 and are now very widely used. The use of durable cotton warps and wefts was introduced in Lhasa in the arly 20th century. The factory is now an important tourist attraction in the holy city.

Tibetan carpets can be mainly classified to three kinds:
1. Common carpet: It is usually made of yak hair and wool. The carpet is soft,light and smooth with colorful and delicate patterns weaved in special method;
2. Thin carpet: It is often made of the soft hair from sheep. The carpet alwayshas simple patterns weaved in an ordinary method;
3. Rug or cushion: Being as big as a single bed, the rug is favored by Tibetanpeople in daily use. Generally it is weaved by using wool in varied colors. Beingdurable in use, the rug can prevent damp as well as keep warmth. Additionally,the rug can be used for decoration.

Tibetan carpets have various traditional uses that are rooted from the traditional lifestyles of nomadic tribes. The nomadic tribes of Tibet trek at the higher altitudes through the cold and rocky mountainous regions of the Himalayas with their horses. They therefore need carpets on which to sleep, warm blankets, saddles for the horses, and covers for the ground in their tents, etc. The Tibetan carpet is still used today as a bedding layer, seat cushion and saddle cover. But they are now also be hung on walls in wealthier homes as decorations.

Traditional Tibetan carpets are made from regional raw materials and resources, from dyes to wool. The highly elastic wool of the highland sheep has long threads and a sturdy fibrous structure. It also contains uncommonly more lanolin or wool fat and natural wool wax that, using gentle processing methods, remains preserved in the material. These natural preservatives give Tibetan carpets their durability and longevity and actually naturally accentuate the colors of the carpet with age.