TentTom's Story

Spanning a generation and nearly half a century, TentTom Shop is a design project that began in Kathmandu, Nepal in 1972. Using digital art tools to blend modern graphic aesthetics into designs that began as sketches on rice-paper, Tom’s original intent to celebrate and preserve the art of the Neapli and Tibetan people finds new interpretations and life in these ancient modern reincarnations.

Intent

Our aim is to provide a nudge towards self-awareness by infusing beauty and purpose into the otherwise unseen items we employ in our daily lives. Beginning with your new favorite mug you reach for first thing in the morning, the little items you touch and engage throughout the day should be beautiful, useful nudging reminders of the absolute wonder and gift of every single moment that is your experience.

Remembering that the smallest of things require the most complex of systems to exist reminds us that everything is relative, and everything matters. And, most importantly, every s-t-r-i-n-g vibrates.

Quality Assurance

All products are printed and assembled in the United States. Our mugs, tote bags and wall art prints are produced and shipped from facilities in California, North Carolina, and Maryland. We scour the internet to partner with the best vendors and suppliers to achieve the perfect harmony of quality and affordability.

Returns

We take great pride in the quality of our prints and products. If there are any issues with the quality of the production, please contact us so we may address the situation. Our goal is to always ensure you are as content with your purchase as the universe is with your existence.

Origins

In 1971 Tom hopped on a bus in London along with Wavy Gravy, Dr. Larry Brilliant, and a handful of other American kids embarking on the famed Hippie Trail. Six months later the bus pulled into Kathmandu where Tom would plant roots for the next decade, became a textile designer, earn the name TentTom, marry a beautiful Tibetan woman, and have two kids.

Shortly after arriving in Kathmandu, Tom left for the countryside, living alone in the Himalayan jungle in a traditional Tibetan tent for six months. It was that experience that inspired him to become a textile designer and go on to open a tent and carpet factory in Bodha, where he would produce tents and carpets for the King of Nepal and other notable collectors.

Tom’s designs also took on a broader appeal through his infusion of Western geometric design elements into Traditional Tibetan motifs. His carpets, wall coverings, and furniture pieces were carried in Pacific Design Center in Seattle and featured in California Design Magazine.

The photos in our first photo series were taken in Patan Durbar Square, Kathmandu in 1977. At that time, the Soaltee Hotel was undergoing a major renovation that would render it Nepal’s first 5-star luxury accommodation. Biki Oberi, the then owner of the Soaltee Hotels, tapped Tom to design interiors for the hotel’s restaurant, as well as other areas of the hotel grounds, and a collection of rugs for his home in New Delhi.