The Rug Mine

02/22/2026

It’s been a long time since I’ve properly introduced myself, and with so many new faces here, I felt it was time.

I was raised in the ancient city of Herat, Afghanistan. Some of my earliest memories are tied to that place — its history, its beauty, and also its hardship. I lived through the Taliban’s first rule. I studied in secret basements, sitting on Afghan rugs while lessons were taught quietly and carefully. Those rooms weren’t grand, but I remember the rugs vividly. Even in uncertainty, there was beauty beneath us.

I don’t think I realized then how much those moments would shape me.

Years later, The Rug Mine was born from that memory — from the understanding that rugs are more than decorative pieces. They carry stories. They carry survival. They carry the work of hands that deserve to be seen and valued.

From the beginning, I knew I wanted to build this business differently. We work directly with our artisans. We pay them above their market rate and share a portion of our profits with them. That model isn’t common in Afghan rug production, but it matters to me. Fairness matters to me.

My mission has always been about empowerment — especially for Afghan women. Right now, when their opportunities to work or pursue education are limited, creating meaningful income through craft feels deeply personal.

The Rug Mine is not just a company to me. It’s connected to where I come from, what I lived through, and what I hope to help preserve and change.

If you’re new here, I’m truly grateful you’re part of this journey.

02/08/2026

Fair trade, to us, isn’t a label. It’s a relationship built over time.

We work directly with the artisans who make our rugs and compensate them at a level that goes well beyond industry standards — not only a base wage, but a meaningful share that reflects their skill, experience, and creative labor. This approach has been rare in Afghan rug making, and it’s already creating more stability, opportunity, and choice for the families behind the craft.

These partnerships are long-term. They support education, preserve generational knowledge, and allow artisans to continue working with pride and independence. When you choose one of our rugs, you’re investing in exceptional materials and design — and in the people who bring them to life. Rugs made with care, integrity, and purpose. You can feel it every time you walk on them.

11/08/2025

Precision doesn’t end once a rug is woven — it continues here. Each knot, edge, and pattern is carefully refined, trimmed, and balanced by hand. No rug is ever perfect, but that’s what makes it human — alive with the maker’s touch.

It’s in these small, quiet moments that craftsmanship becomes art.

11/07/2025

From the Valley of to the heart of , our rugs carry stories older than time itself. Woven near the valley where the Buddhas once stood tall for thousands of years, each piece holds the hands and history of artisans who’ve preserved an ancient through generations.

To see these now resting in a Montana home — a place shaped by open skies, , and quiet strength — feels like a beautiful meeting of worlds.

Grateful to our client for allowing us to share these moments from her stunning . 🤍

Photo credits:

10/27/2025

At The Rug Mine, we believe beauty and impact can be woven together — one rug, one artisan, one story at a time.

Founded by Nargis Habib, The Rug Mine sells luxury handmade rugs that are fair trade, sustainable, and ethical, crafted by Afghan artisans — both women and men — who continue to create despite economic hardship and limited opportunity.

Our mission is to preserve Afghanistan’s centuries-old weaving heritage while ensuring that every artisan is paid fairly and treated with dignity. The photo shows one of our proudest moments: delivering fair-trade payments and bonuses directly to the people whose craftsmanship gives life to our work.

Winning the would help us expand our artisan partnerships, invest in sustainable materials, and build tools that connect customers directly with the makers behind their rugs.

At The Rug Mine, we believe business can be both beautiful and just. Each rug we sell keeps culture alive, supports livelihoods, and proves that integrity can thrive — even under pressure.

10/20/2025

✨ An unforgettable evening with family at the American Literacy Foundation’s Annual Fundraiser.

The Rug Mine had the honor of auctioning a one-of-a-kind Barjasta rug, handmade in Herat, Afghanistan, which sold for $3,100 — all to support Afghan students who cannot afford to attend school.

This contribution will fund the education of four children for an entire year. In addition, The Rug Mine personally sponsored a young Afghan girl to access online education, giving her the chance to learn instead of being forced into child labor.

We were deeply moved hearing Dr. Homeira Qaderi’s () powerful story about secretly teaching children during the Taliban’s first rule — a story that deeply resonated with me. During that same time, I was a young girl in Herat, learning alongside my sisters in hidden basements. Her words brought back those memories and reminded me of the quiet resilience of Afghan women who refused to let darkness silence learning. Her courage and strength were profoundly inspirational, a living testament to the transformative power of education.

Proud to stand behind a cause that uplifts and educates the next generation.

And last but not least, a special thank you to for the invitation and graciously hosting us this evening.

09/28/2025

Her hands move with quiet rhythm — decades of skill in every knot. The wall before her is alive with hand-spun , each one carrying memory, resilience, and beauty.

She comes from the Hazara community — a people who have faced hardship and exclusion yet endure with strength. At The Rug Mine, we bring together women from every corner of — , , , , and beyond — because art knows no tribe, and opportunity should know no borders.

To empower her is to honor generations who were often pushed to the margins. To give work is to give agency. To see her as an , not just a statistic, is to say: we are one nation when we weave together.

Every rug we create carries stories like hers — stories of skill passed from mother to daughter, of survival turned into beauty, of threads that bind us stronger than the forces that once divided.

Each knot, each thread, is a voice. Together, they sing of .

09/01/2025

On August 31, a powerful earthquake struck near Jalalabad and Kunar in Afghanistan.

Many of our beloved artisans were killed. Others lost their homes, looms, and the rugs they were working on.

These are not just tools and textiles. They are lifelines — the only source of income for families who have carried on centuries of craft and culture.

We are launching a relief fundraiser to support artisan families in rebuilding their lives and looms. Funds will provide emergency aid — food, shelter, medical care — and help replace looms so artisans can return to their work.

If we surpass our goal, additional funds will support others in the surrounding communities who were also devastated by this tragedy.

Please consider donating and sharing. Every contribution, no matter the size, brings hope back to a community that has lost so much.

Link to donate: https://gofund.me/cc6c78bd

-Nargis

My name is Nargis Habib, founder of The Rug Mine. For years, w… Nargis Habib needs your support for Rebuilding Lives and Looms: Supporting Afghan Rug Artisans

09/01/2025

On August 31, a powerful earthquake struck near Jalalabad and Kunar in Afghanistan.

Many of our beloved artisans were killed. Others lost their homes, looms, and the rugs they were working on.

These are not just tools and textiles. They are lifelines — the only source of income for families who have carried on centuries of craft and culture.

We are launching a relief fundraiser to support artisan families in rebuilding their lives and looms. Funds will provide emergency aid — food, shelter, medical care — and help replace looms so artisans can return to their work.

If we surpass our goal, additional funds will support others in the surrounding communities who were also devastated by this tragedy.

Please consider donating and sharing. Every contribution, no matter the size, brings hope back to a community that has lost so much.

Link in bio to donate.

-Nargis

07/24/2025

Over a year. Two rounds of samples. One epic rug.
Meet Claire — a bold 12x15 custom masterpiece, handwoven by a family of six artisans in northern Afghanistan. 🧵

The clients and their designer had a very specific palette in mind — not just color families, but exact shades that needed to echo the surrounding fabrics, furniture, and natural light. That’s always a challenge when you’re working with hand-spun variegated wool and a team 10,000 miles away — but we’re here for it.

Two sets of samples, countless back-and-forths, and 120+ pounds of rug later… we delivered. And the result? A thrilled client, a glowing designer, and a room that finally felt complete.

07/16/2025

✨Woven Lives: Stories of Afghan Rug Artisans✨

Zahra is 24. She lives in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, with her three sisters and parents. In a country where most young women have been shut out of schools and stripped of basic freedoms, Zahra found another way to keep moving forward—through her hands, re her focus, and her woven art.

She’s one of many artisans who partner with The Rug Mine to bring Afghan heritage to the world, one knot at a time. Her work is exacting, quiet, and deeply skilled—woven with precision, not improvisation. It offers not just income, but dignity.

“When I’m weaving, I feel uplifted,” Zahra says. “It gives me pride to share something beautiful from Afghanistan with the world. I still dream of becoming an architect, if schools reopen again for girls.”

Through Zahra’s hands—and hundreds like hers—generations of tradition live on: strong, steady, and stitched with hope.

05/11/2025

Today, we’re doing something a little different.

Most of the words you see on this page are ones we draft with our founder — the incredible Nargis Habib. But today, on Mother’s Day, we’re taking the reins to celebrate her.

Nargis is the beating heart of The Rug Mine. A mother to three beautiful girls, she leads with fierce compassion, boundless strength, and a quiet determination that has transformed lives — not just in her home, but across Afghanistan.

Over the past five years, under her leadership, The Rug Mine has empowered more than 5,000 Afghan women — many of whom now rely on this work as their only source of income. In a time when women in Afghanistan have been systematically silenced and cut off from financial freedom, The Rug Mine has stood tall as a rare and critical lifeline.

Today, it is the largest private retailer in the USA (and possibly, the world) selling Afghan rugs exclusively at scale, honoring the artistry, heritage, and craftsmanship of Afghan culture — and it’s all thanks to Nargis’ vision.

She is not only preserving tradition, but reimagining it — with bold plans ahead for fair trade initiatives, deeper community impact, and new ways to uplift Afghan women through entrepreneurship and design.

To Nargis — the mother, the leader, the role model, and the soul of this movement — we thank you. We love you. And today, we celebrate you.

Happy Mother’s Day. ❤️