The Tibet Gang-Gyen Carpet Factory is located in Shigatse. It is the hub of the road network between Lhasa, Nepal and western Tibet. Shigatse is known for producing the best quality of traditional Tibetan carpets in the Himalaya regions. The factory, affiliated to the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, was established in 1988 with the initiative of the 10th Panchen Lama for the purposes of creating job opportunities of the disadvantaged Tibetans, supporting the monks of Tashi Lunpo for better living and preserving traditional Tibetan handcraft work.