"Unlike yarn rinsed in city water, river-washed yarn has a vivid, but not harsh, brightness to its colors and a recognizable depth."

Before commissioning each carpet, Bahram Shabahang directs the dye master to test and retest every color. The use of dyes derived from organic substances allows richer color variations and conveys an earthy honesty in its tones, in contrast to the harshness of chemically dyed wool. The dyes are then simmered and mixed to create individual intensities and tones of color. Batch after batch of purples, blues, reds, magentas, greens and golds are processed until they arrive at suitable formulations. The methods employed are to ensure that the wool is dyed completely down to the molecular level, rather than only the surface. The dye literally becomes one with the wool. Years of experience is needed to determine the amount of boiling time for each vat, since too much processing will separate the essential sheep fats from the wool and produce yarn that appears dull.