1920
Shortly after WWI, three British gentlemen - F.H. Oakley, F.H. Bowden and J.A.L. Taylor - gathered the Bhadohi district's finest craftspeople together under the banner of Obeetee (O-B-T).
LASTING
STORIES,
BEAUTIFULLY
TOLD
a legacy of craft
In the Bhadohi district of Uttar Pradesh, every carpet and every rug carries the story of its maker, of a way of life woven through generations. Across the globe, every space it graces adds a new chapter.
Made with unsurpassed skill to last for generations, it conjures a sense of comfort in continuity - a counter to our ephemeral era.
The skill in its making is the weaver’s inheritance. The value in its craftsmanship is also passed on. And so, from the banks of the Ganges to the global design stage, the story continues.
Artisanship
Over 20,000 highly skilled artisans are the heart and soul of Obeetee. Their irreplaceable craftsmanship makes the company what it is - a testament to the value of time-honoured skills passed down through generations.
It’s also the foundation on which we innovate to ensure these small rural communities can co-exist with global production capabilities. Our ancient art now has a thoroughly modern mandate - to bring one of the world’s great design heritages to a worldwide audience.
Captured in fibre and form for generations to come, this is design at its most enduring.
Sustainability
A skill. A livelihood. A community. The craft that defines it. Real value resides in all of these things, and our commitment to making it last isn’t new.
We were the world’s first handmade rug company to secure the SA 8000 Standard for fair treatment of workers. We’ve designed ground-breaking training to give women economic opportunity on their terms, creating over 400 new jobs. We champion biomass energy (using what we have in abundance - rice husks - to generate what we need in abundance - steam power). We created the industry’s first ever water effluent treatment plant. Today our proprietary technology reduces water usage for carpet washing by 90%.
Choosing Obeetee is an act of sustainability in itself - a conscious participation in sustaining a living ecosystem in harmony with its environment.
A journey of
a hundred
years
Shortly after WWI, three British gentlemen - F.H. Oakley, F.H. Bowden and J.A.L. Taylor - gathered the Bhadohi district's finest craftspeople together under the banner of Obeetee (O-B-T).
With its extraordinary craftsmanship gaining international recognition, Obeetee plays host to royalty when Queen Elizabeth II visits to tour the facilities. That same year, India's Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and former President Ramaswamy Venkataraman also visit.
Obeetee becomes the world's first licensee of 'Woolmark' for hand-knotted rugs, an early testament to its commitment to lasting quality.
A sustainability pioneer, Obeetee creates the industry's first ever water effluent treatment plant. Decades later, it would unveil proprietary technology that reduces water usage for washing a carpet by 90%.
Obeetee becomes the first handmade rug company in the industry to secure the prestigious SA 8000 Standard, demonstrating its commitment to ensuring safe and fair working conditions and protecting the rights of its artisan communities.
Continuing its efforts to innovate in sustainable manufacturing, Obeetee generates power and steam using biomass energy from rice husks.
In partnership with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Obeetee launches the Women Weavers Programme, a ground-breaking training programme that reshapes the concept of the traditional female role in rural India to give women economic opportunity on their terms. To date, 400 women across Uttar Pradesh have completed the programme, all becoming professional weavers with Obeetee.
Obeetee opens its first European showroom at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour in London, extending its legacy of Indian craftsmanship across three continents. Its first international store opened in New York in 2016.
1956
With its extraordinary craftsmanship gaining international recognition, Obeetee plays host to royalty when Queen Elizabeth II visits to tour the facilities. That same year, India's Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and former President Ramaswamy Venkataraman also visit.
1969
Obeetee becomes the world's first licensee of 'Woolmark' for hand-knotted rugs, an early testament to its commitment to lasting quality.
1984
A sustainability pioneer, Obeetee creates the industry's first ever water effluent treatment plant. Decades later, it would unveil proprietary technology that reduces water usage for washing a carpet by 90%.
2004
Obeetee becomes the first handmade rug company in the industry to secure the prestigious SA 8000 Standard, demonstrating its commitment to ensuring safe and fair working conditions and protecting the rights of its artisan communities.
2007
Continuing its efforts to innovate in sustainable manufacturing, Obeetee generates power and steam using biomass energy from rice husks.
2015
In partnership with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Obeetee launches the Women Weavers Programme, a ground-breaking training programme that reshapes the concept of the traditional female role in rural India to give women economic opportunity on their terms. To date, 400 women across Uttar Pradesh have completed the programme, all becoming professional weavers with Obeetee.
2026
Obeetee opens its first European showroom at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour in London, extending its legacy of Indian craftsmanship across three continents. Its first international store opened in New York in 2016.