Traditional Tibetan rugs are made from sheep's or yak's wool. The background threads --warp -- may be wool or cotton. Rugs are often coarsely woven with a shaggy pile.
Tibetan rugs feature strong, contrasting colors --- especially red, blue, purple and yellow. Indigo provided blue dyes; madder plants yielded shades of brown and red. Many other plants were gathered for dye-making, but results were unreliable. Chemical dyes were used from the 1880s for their stronger colors and ease of use.
Central floral medallions within patterned borders are prevalent and suggest Chinese influences. Snow lions, human skulls and other pictorial symbols are common, as are tiger stripes. Sometimes tiger motifs are more elaborate, recreating flayed tiger skins. Traditionally, Tibetan tiger rugs decorated monasteries -- often wrapped around entrance pillars.
According to rug dealer Thomas Cole, loop-knotting -- weaving rugs from continuous loops -- became unique to Tibet and distinguishes Tibetan rugs from the Chinese ones they sometimes resemble. Cole draws similarities of construction and motif between Tibetan rugs and the sleeping blankets of Uzbekistan.