MENA Carpet News

MENA Carpet News www.menacarpetnews.com

Volume 1 | Issue 3 | ِJanuary 2013

INSIDE

Middle East and North Africa carpet world

FREE DISTRIBITION :: DOMOTEX HANNOVER 2013

DOMOTEX 2013: The World of Flooring

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The Worlds Third Largest Carpet , Muscat.................10

he international floor covering industry eagerly awaits its major event – DOMOTEX – which takes place in Hannover from 12-15 January 2013. Approx 1,400 companies from 60 countries will be showing their latest products and collections at the leading international trade fair for carpets and floor coverings. Some 40,000 trade visitors from more than 80 countries are expected in Hannover.

“DOMOTEX is the most important date in the calendar of the international carpet and floor coverings sector. No other event offers the industry such a popular and internationally acclaimed platform. The keynote theme Flooring Deluxe reflects an important market trend in favour of premium floor coverings and clearly puts the

The History of Dye & Dyeing in Iran ...............16

Rugs of Iron, Wefts of Stone Restoring Bijars.................19

DOMOTEX Middle East...14 Carpet Innovations............7 INDEX 2013.....................22 New ALPHA 500 .............11 Ardabil Carpet .................20

CHALLENGES

• Keynote theme “Flooring Deluxe” puts the spotlight on premium products • DOMOTEX creates a stage for spectacular product installations • Innovative online services for DOMOTEX trade visitors • Handmade carpets now located in Halls 14-17 focus of DOMOTEX 2013 on products that excel in terms of quality and design”, says Dr. Jochen Köckler,

Member of the Board at Deutsche Messe AG. Page 5 ...

Carpet Restoration, an Unknown Art

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s one of the 35 fields related to the carpet industry, carpet restoration is an isolated and unknown art. Isolated because few people can actually get to understand the great artistic value of the carpetrestorer’ job; unknown, because nobody but the carpet-restorer himself is aware of the difficulty of the job, people can hardly realize how hard it is and how much interest, dedication, accuracy and meticulousness is needed to restore a carpet: the carpetrestorer has to live in anonymity while the processes great artistic merit.

As international trade markets opened up to the Persian carpet and the productions of this field were recognized as artistic works far and wide in the world, weavings of the East, and particularly Iran, attracted the attention of all art lovers and processors of wit and fine taste in Europe and America. Art lovers, who had understood the great-

MENA ECONOMIC OUTLOOK AND KEY

ness of this field of art, overtook each other in getting a piece of the Persian carpet to decorate the floors or the walls in there houses.

Old rugs which were made of special raw materials and traditional dyes were much more in favor. Due to the

extensiveness and ever increasing expansion of the carpet market, it was no longer practical to use traditional dyes and the carpets produced rarely enjoyed the qualities of the old carpets.

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Historic transitions in the some Arabian countries are coming under increasing strain from macroeconomic pressures and unmet social demands.

Domestic uncertainty over the countries’ future course, compounded by the global slowdown and rising oil prices, took a toll on growth during 2011.

The outlook for 2013 is equally challenging. The protracted political transition, lower global growth, and euro zone weakness are likely to result in a slow and drawn-out economic recovery, with unemployment at best stabilizing at high levels. Maintaining macroeconomic stability in this environment will be challenging, not least since policy buffers were reduced during 2011. Indeed, gross external and fiscal financing needs of MENA oil importers are projected at about $93 and $103 billion, respectively, in 2012-13. With capital markets expected to provide only a small part of these funds, official financial support will be essential to allow countries to continue on their path toward economic transformation. But at the same time, countries need to make tangible progress on that path. This requires bold reform and modernization agendas that command broad consensus and are embedded in a sustainable medium-term macroeconomic policy framework to build confidence, anchor expectations, and pave the way for sustained and inclusive growth.

2013 will remain difficult years for most oil importers.

Protracted policy uncertainty and social pressures in many countries, lower global growth, and euro zone weakness are expected to result in a slow and drawn-out economic recovery.

MENACarpetNews

Hotel Industry News & Carpet Market

Rotana plans to open eight MidEast hotels in 2013 Abu Dhabi-based operator Rotana is on track to open eight hotels in the Middle East in 2013, according to pipeline data obtained by Hotelier Middle East.

Openings span Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, UAE, Jordan and Iraq and comprise 2662 rooms in total.

The company currently operates 46 hotels, with a further 39 signed properties in the pipeline. Rotana CEO and president Selim El Zyr told Hotelier Middle East the company is targeting 100 hotels over coming years.

The group’s expansion is expected to create thousands of jobs, with staff numbers to increase from currently 10,800 to more than 17,000, El Zyr said.

City Centre Rotana: Doha - Qatar .............................380rooms Majestic Arjaan by Rotana : Bahrain....................... 119 rooms Salalah Rotana Resort : Oman ................................577 rooms Capital Centre Arjaan by Rotana : Abu Dhabi, UAE..259 rooms Tuscan Residences by Rotana : Doha, Qatar..........500 rooms Boulevard Arjaan by Rotana : Amman, Jordan........427 rooms Hili Rayhaan by Rotana : Al Ain, UAE.......................200 rooms Karbala Rayhaan by Rotana : Karbala - Iraq............200 rooms

Starwood to open first Aloft hotel in Iraq by 2015

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tarwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has signed an agreement with BCD to open the Aloft Erbil hotel in Iraq by 2015.

Bart Carnahan, senior vice president, acquisitions & development, Europe, Africa and Middle East division, Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

The signing for the mid-market Aloft Erbil is Starwood’s third hotel deal in Iraq this year.

Earlier this year, Starwood announced its return to the Iraqi hospitality market after 20 years with the signing of the Sheraton Erbil and the Four Points by Sheraton. All three hotels are scheduled to open in Erbil in 2015.

Aloft Erbil, part of BCD’s mixed-use complex that will also include a Sheraton hotel, will comprise of 200 guest rooms and an all-day dining restaurant.

“We see great opportunities to grow our Aloft portfolio in emerging markets across the Middle East, such as Iraq, where there is a strong demand for affordable yet stylish and cutting-edge hotel brands,” said

Canada, China, India, Thailand, Belgium and the United Kingdom, while Starwood is planning to open its 70th Aloft hotel next year.

The company currently operates Aloft Abu Dhabi in the Middle East with plans to further expand the brand in key markets of the region such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

There will also be the brand’s signature re:mixSM and lounges, the re:chargeSM fitness centre, the re:fuelSM by Aloft deli as well creative spaces equipped with the latest audiovisual hardware for meeting and presentations.

After opening its first hotel in 2008, Aloft has since grown to more than 60 hotels in countries such as the United States,

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Copthorne Dubai hotel completes major renovation The Copthorne Hotel Dubai recently undertook a major refurbishment project, upgrading its guest rooms, pool, gym, restaurant, and technology.

The Copthorne Hotel Dubai recently undertook a major refurbishment project, upgrading its guest rooms, pool, gym, restaurant, and technology.

New meeting facilities, a conference and training centre, and new retail and commercial space were also added to the Dubai Creek hotel.

“When it comes to a hotel refurbishment, it is an ongoing process,” said Copthorne Hotel general manager Alaa A. Salameh.

“Our objective is to continuously maintain standards while adding new features.”

The renovation was achieved in stages. Salameh said the hotel’s biggest task was keeping the property and comfortable for guests open while expanding the meeting facilities and adding a ballroom, boardroom, and outdoor event space.

The guestrooms were redecorated with new materials and outfitted with high speed Internet connections in an attempt to stay current with international hospitality brands.

Salameh said the Copthorne endeavoured to reuse as much existing material as possible instead of discarding it. However, the recreation and restaurant facilities were completely refurbished.

The hotel plans to open a new Indian restaurant in the near future.

“The guests are extremely pleased with the changes and embracing the ‘new look’ whole heartedly,” commented Salamed.

“We hope our new Indian restaurant will become a popular destination serving the finest Indian specialties.”

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January 2013

MENACarpetNews

Success Story

Setareh Kavir Group is a recognized exporter of the textile industry

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etareh Kavir Group has been able to bypass the embargo imposed on Iran and resolve many ensuing production problems it has faced during the 30 years of its operation by relying on creative properties of its employees and their progressive attitude.

Setareh Kavir Group is a machine-made carpet producer who has been able to introduce its brand name carpets in domestic and international markets. Setareh Kavir Group presently enjoys a commendable position in domestic and international markets thanks to the quality of its carpets.

Setareh Kavir Group is celebrating its fourteenth attendance in Domotex Exhibition in Germany which is acclaimed as the largest international event for textile industry.

On receiving the 2011 award as a recognized Iranian exporter in textile industry, we interviewed Mr. Ahmad Sadeghian, General Manager of Setareh Kavir Group of Yazd, to hear his story.

Q: Setareh Kavir Group has been actively pursuing export of machine made carpets to difficult international markets such as Germany and Japan. Please explain about the export-oriented production program at Setareh Kavir Group.

A: The art and science of producing carpets belong to Iran and Iranians. That is the reason for international recognition of Iranian carpet. Iranian carpet enjoys the highest quality when compared with competing products without any prejudice.

Setareh Kavir Group strongly believes in the quality of Iranian carpet. So, it has equipped itself to prove it to the international markets. We maintain an export oriented policy in our production rogram. We believe we export Iranian arts, culture, and love with every carpet we ship to our target international markets.

We have proved this during our 30 years of market presence.

When a carpet is laid down in someone’s home, it represents the culture of the producing country. The owner is reminded of the Iranian arts and culture by every look at the Iranian carpet.

No numbers or figures can fully explain our joy and proud in exporting our carpets.

namely, Setareh Kavir Carpet, Khaterh Kavir Carpet, Yazd Dying, Yazd Yarns, and Yazd Textiles. These production facilities are equipped with the latest machinery and employ 5000 workers. Setareh Kavir Group is capable of producing the most delicate carpets at exceptional quality.

Setareh Kavir Group has been on the foreground in carpet research and development (R & D) thanks to its expert employees. Setareh Kavir Group pursues a policy of continued presence in top international carpet and floor covering exhibitions to maintain its market position in highly competitive markets. Setareh Kavir Group participated in Domotex exhibitions

in Russia and Germany during 2012.

Our factories take granule and raw materials for carpet yarn production as input, and produce packaged quality carpet as output. The advantages of have a complete production line are quality control of the final product and lower production costs. These two are the important factors for success in international market and give unique advantage to Setareh Kavir Group.

Q: What were the reasons for selection of Setareh Kavir Group as recognized exporter of Iranian textile industry?

A: Many factors helped us to receive this

recognition. The most important of them are: perseverance, export-oriented production, high quality products, keen attention to color combination and design, plus strong presence in international exhibitions.

Setareh Kavir Group exports carpet to international market everywhere in the world, including Japan, Malaysia, Australia, Russia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Germany, and even China. Penetrating markets such as Japan and China have been difficult and time consuming. We do not produce before carrying out market research, because, we would have a blind production, otherwise.

VISIT US Hall 2, Stand B38

Production and export of carpets or any other products shall meet the needs, desires, and expectations of the target markets. Our extensive investment and research on export enables us to directly obtain the information on customer needs in order to produce accordingly. This policy is the key to our successful export.

The important point to consider in carpet design and color scheme is paying attention to customer preferences in color, design, and workmanship. Setareh Kavir Group considers these points to guarantee its success in export markets. Nevertheless, every export market demands different design, color combination, and workmanship.

Expert design is one advantage of Iranian carpet industry. Iran is proud of having mastered carpet design and we take the most advantage of this expertise.

Q: Please tell us about capabilities and facilities of Setareh Kavir Group.

A: Setareh Kavir Group has five production facilities in Yazd,

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January 2013

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MENACarpetNews

THE AMERICAN EXPRESS WORLD LUXURY EXPO TO BE HOSTED AT THE SPECTACULAR RITZ-CARLTON, RIYADH RIYADH, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA – The American Express World Luxury Expo will take place at the palatial Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between 10 and 12 February 2013. The Expo is the result of a new joint venture between World Luxury Group and Nayyara Exhibitions, with American Express exclusively selected as the title sponsor.

Another good reason to visit Vienna is the carpet collection at The Austrian Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) An antique rug fair in the fall 2013 would be another good reason to visit Austria’s capital Vienna. The old city itself is very beautiful and among other attractions should be mentioned Vienna’s famous carpet collection at the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts (MAK).

London Antique Rug and Textile Art Fair 2013 Aaron Nejad, LARTA’s organizer since 2011

Aaron Nejad, the organizer of the London Antique Rug and Textile Art Fair, has confirmed the fixed dates 18-21 April 2013 for this third edition of the annual fair.

The exhibitor list includes at this moment James Cohen Antique Carpets, Cornucopia Magazine, Marilyn Garrow Fine Textile Art, Galerie Arabesque, Gallery Nomad, Joss Graham Gallery, Hali Magazine, Anthony Hazledine Oriental Carpets, Andy Lloyd, Aaron Nejad, Owen Parry, Seneh Carpets, Markus Voigt Textiles and more will come.

“We have invited four new top class dealers to join us in addition to our returning exhibitors.

The new exhibitors will add even greater quality and variety to the choice on offer” said Aaron Nejad.

Location and more information: London Antique Rug and Textile Art Fair 18-21 April 2013, The Showroom, 63 Penfold Street, London NW8

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Mr Sami El Natour, Chief Marketing Officer, American Express Saudi Arabia Limited, said “We are proud to be the title sponsor of The American Express World Luxury Expo, Riyadh. Our sponsorship of this prestigious event will enhance the exclusive benefits we can offer our Cardmembers and invited guests who attend the event. The American Express World Luxury Expo, Riyadh compliments American Express’ commitment to service excellence and personalised services for high net worth individuals.”

Mr Ahmed Al Oraij, Executive Consultant at Nayyara Exhibitions comments, “Nayyara is proud to partner with World Luxury Group to bring The American Express World Luxury Expo to Riyadh.

This is an event of true international calibre, one which will continue to grow every year for many years to come, with plans for Riyadh to become one of the world’s most important luxury exhibition centres.”

Mr Graham Cooke, President of World Luxury Group, says “The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh positions itself amongst the grandest palace hotels in the world, and our partners Nayyara Exhibitions boast a first-class management team with whom we are proud to work. The American Express World Luxury Expo, Riyadh is the only event of its kind in the Kingdom, showcasing an array of luxury brands available in one select venue -

The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh – which provides center stage for this event of over 5,800 square meters.”

The American Express World Luxury Expo, Riyadh will feature carefully selected exhibitors from luxury categories including fine art, high-end jewellery, fashion, hand-crafted time pieces, designer furniture and exquisite table settings, fine dining, luxury executive cars and sports cars, private aviation and luxury travel. All participating exhibitors are leaders in their respective fields, showcasing superior quality and perfection.

Mr Jean-Francois Laurent, General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh, says “We look forward to hosting The American Express World Luxury Expo, Riyadh, which we believe will become an important annual event for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh enjoys a pre-eminent address in the capital and was originally envisioned as a royal guest palace for visiting dignitaries and heads of state. The hotels’ stately architecture mirrors the extraordinary lifestyle that The American Express World Luxury Expo, Riyadh represents.”

The world’s most luxurious atlas, Earth Platinum, measuring 6x9 ft wide, is a collector’s piece that will be featured

at The American Express World Luxury Expo. The maps consist of images that are stitched together using as many as 1,000 individual photos and the largest consists of 12,000 photos. Earth Platinum is also the largest-ever atlas and only 31 copies will ever be published.

Mr Abdul Aziz Al-Juwaie, Executive Director of Golden Caviar, comments, “Golden Caviar is a boutique producer of premium caviar. Our exquisite sturgeon’s eggs are created by highest principles creating a delicacy that was known to the Russian tsars as the ‘food of the gods’.

We look forward to share our gourmet experience with private clients at The American Express World Luxury Expo, Riyadh.”

Vincent Corver, Manager of Steinway Piano Gallery, CDC - Qatar, comments “A Steinway is an instrument of the finest quality and through our association with the CrystalRocked, we are delighted to offer the opportunity to own an extraordinarily distinctive, bespoke Steinway grand piano that is the perfect blend of sophistication and glamour. At The American Express World Luxury Expo, Riyadh, we will be displaying a crystalized 1/6 scale model grand piano that will be revealed for the first time ever in the Kingdom. The full scale version is valued at SAR 12 million.”

Interview with Mr. RAZI MIRI MIRI Creation

A new antique rug fair entitled ‘Vienna Antique Rug & Textile Fair 2013′ is under planning and a 4-days fair will hopefully take place in Vienna in the fall 2013.

The organizers intention with this fair is to feature international dealers offering authentic, antique weavings, and an academic program during the fair is also under planning.

Hotel am Brillantengrund has been mentioned as a possible venue. This hotel is located in the middle of Vienna’s 7th District, next to Mariahilferstrasse and between Museums-quartier and the Westbahnhof.

The organizers of this buying and trading antique rug and textile fair include Kolya von Somogyi, Vianna, and Sarah Haberkern, Stuttgart.

“We are still in the planning stages, working on many fronts. As soon as we have enough details we will send out an official announcement” said Kolya von Somogyi to Jozan Magazine.

«« NEXT ISSUE

An antique rug & textile fair in Vienna is under planning

HH Princess Nouf Bint Faisal Bin Turki Al Saud, as Chairperson of Nayyara Exhibitions, will host The American Express World Luxury Expo. The highly anticipated three day exhibition will showcase many of the world’s leading luxury brands and services, from a broad selection of luxury categories, to a highly discerning and select group of VIP guests from across the Kingdom.

January 2013

MENACarpetNews

Exhibition

DOMOTEX 2013: The World of Flooring The biggest and most international trade fair for floor coverings worldwide In line with the DOMOTEX claim – “The World of Flooring” – every product group and trend will be showcased in detail at DOMOTEX in Hannover. Hand-made and machinemade carpets, textile and resilient floor coverings, parquet and laminates take pride of place, however equipment and products for floor laying, maintenance and applications technology will also feature in this impressive array.

Accordingly, the trade visitors come from the wholesale/ retail trade, the field of architecture, interior design and the skilled trades. They obtain a complete market overview so that they can compare suppliers, products, terms and prices, as well as gain insights into the latest trends and developments. Some 54 percent of the visitors come from outside Germany and as many as 90 percent are involved in making their company’s purchase decisions.

These figures put DOMOTEX at the top of the league of international trade fairs.

DOMOTEX website. DOMOTEX2go enables every trade visitor to select exhibitors, products and events and plan their own timetable at the trade fair accordingly. The guide also offers an interactive map of the Exhibition Grounds, including a navigation function. This application can be downloaded from www.domotex2go.de and is available as a free download from Apple’s app store.

Handmade carpets now located in Halls 14-17 Suppliers of handmade rugs and carpets at DOMOTEX 2013 will be exhibiting their products in Halls 14-17. Visitors will find that the displays are clearly arranged and logically structured so that they can easily find their way

around. For example, designer and modern carpets will be displayed in Hall 17, while Hall 16 has largely been dedicated to displays of traditional carpets. The international group presentations will be located on the east side of Halls 14 and 15.

Only DOMOTEX offers companies such an ideal opportunity to present their products and services to such a concentrated professional audience from across the international marketplace. In the words of Dr. Köckler: “Here you can meet the partners you’ll need to access new markets; you can meet existing contacts and lay the basis for international business leads. DOMOTEX in Hannover is the place where demand and supply in the floor coverings sector are perfectly matched.”

The keynote “Flooring Deluxe” puts the spotlight on premium products Demand for high-quality flooring continues to grow, not only on the consumer market but also in the contracting sector. Whether for the home or commercial premises, modern design and top quality materials play an essential part in interior design concepts.

The keynote display “Flooring Deluxe” at the next DOMOTEX will focus on premium quality textile floor coverings, parquet and laminates. In order to showcase these products to best effect a special Flooring Deluxe display area has been dedicated to textile floor coverings in Hall 6. Another special area in Hall 9 has been allocated to highquality parquet and laminate floors. Top-name exhibitors will stage presentations around the centrally located special areas.

DOMOTEX creates a stage for spectacular product installations The Concept Room idea is central to Flooring Deluxe and provides scope for exclusive product installations. These individual room settings – or modules – allow for the innovative demonstration of different types of flooring. Emphasis will be placed on inspiring and ground-breaking design ideas and presentations ranging from a lifestyle concept, a room design and a solution for commercial premises to a featured material and an unconventional installation. The intention is to illustrate the role played by flooring in the interior design concept. The Concept Rooms will be staged by some of the leading international companies exhibiting at DOMOTEX. Innovative online services for DOMOTEX trade visitors The Match and Meet service brings exhibitors and visitors to DOMOTEX together via the Internet. Trade visitors post their individual profile on www.domotex.de and indicate which products interest them most. Participants then automatically receive a hit list of the appropriate contacts and are able to contact the potential business partner directly.

DOMOTEX2go, a “mobile” trade fair guide, will once again be available at the next DOMOTEX. This smart phone guide features the most important online functions of the

January 2013

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MENACarpetNews

Persian Tabriz Rugs

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abriz is the capital of the East Azarbaijan Province in north west Iran as shown in the map.

The province includes an area of roughly 48,000 km². Some of other towns and cities are Ahar,ajabshir, Bostan Abad, Bonab, Tabriz, Jolfa, Sarab, Shabestar, Kaleybar, Maragheh, Marand, Malekan, Miyaneh, Heris, and Hashtrood.

The historical city of Tabriz is the most important city of this province, culturally, politically, economically and commercially. The province has common borders with the current Republics of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Nakhchivan. East Azarbaijan has cool, and dry climate.

cent decades. Tabriz carpets are very colorful and well liked by Iranians. It is safe to say that Tabriz rug is on the top of the list of the desired rugs in Iran. Tabriz rugs have a higher number of knots compared with other types of city, village or tribal Persian rugs.

They are identified by so called “Radj”, the number of knots in 7 linear centimeters, less than three inches long.

Tabriz has a population of 3 million people. When Tabriz was founded is a mystery. Most sources mention the Sassanid (226-651) era, while others believe it to be even further back in history. After the Turkic invasion of Iran, Tabriz later became the capital of the Ilkhanate empire from about 1270 to 1305, of the Aq Quyunlu dynasty from about 1469 to about 1502, and of the Safavids from 1502-1548. It also fell under Ottoman rule for some time during the time of the Safavids, but it was taken back later.

Tabriz rugs and carpets are among the most wanted Persian rugs. They are usually symmetrically knotted. The warp is made of cotton and in finer weaves, silk. The pile is also made of fine wool or silk or the combination of both. The design of Tabriz rugs have gone under many changes and many master designers have emerged from Tabriz in the re-

FloorEX Saudi Arabia 2013 Where the global floor covering players deeply penetrate the Gulf market

We would like to invite you to take advantage of the opportunity to be among the leading worldwide exhibitors at Floorex Arabia 2013, the middle east covering show under the patronage of Jeddah chamber of commerce and industry.

It opens gateway for international players to expand into lucrative middle east markets.

Moving the event dates to 8 -11 June 2013 will undoubtedly raise the profile of the event to a completely new level and will ensure that it does not just appeal to visitors from the region, but also those looking for a global meeting place.

The middle east’s booming construction industry is paying rich dividends for international and domestic carpet and floor covering manufacturers. Further to the huge new supply of hotels shopping malls and office complexes which register 23% annual growth rate will accordingly require an ample quantity of quality carpets and floor coverings.

In view of the region’s remarkable market prospects, 2013 edition will generate strong interest and international participation reflected by numerous national pavilions to bring together over 200 exhibitors.

Participants can further optimize their participation as nearly 70% of the ME’s total projects are located in Saudi Arabia, the primary host of the global floor covering networking event.

If you are considering booking a stand at Floorex Saudi Arabia 2013, for best available stand locations, we recommend that you fill the booking form as soon as possible.

Event website: www.floorexarabia.com

Iran contact: +98 21 77245780

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+98 21 77243296

Arabian German Exhibitions Ltd Sales team ___________________________________________ Tel: (00202) 226 29 682 / 226 32 460 Fax: (00202) 2261 9545; Mobile: (002) 010666 73344 E-mail: jeddah@arabiangerman.com Iran contact: +98 21 77245780 +98 21 77243296

January 2013

MENACarpetNews Van de Wiele at Domotex Hannover – Hall 5 – Booth C55

Carpet Innovations

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an de Wiele presents a new carpet quality in reed 500 dents/m, 16 colour frames, being the most colourfull machine - made carpets available on the market (fig 1). The carpet is made on the Handlook Carpet Innovator HCi X2 (fig 2), a three rapier weaving machine, producing 50% more than double rapier machines. All pile tufts are woven through the back, giving a perfect pile fixation and a clear backside. Samples of this innovation and other handlook qualities from reed 240 d/m up to reed 1000 d/m are displayed at the Van de Wiele booth.

been installed on the Advanced Wire Innovator AWi01 machine, including a special yarn tension and recuperationsystem. Soon, the Smart Creel will be available for face-to-face velvet weaving as well.

For more information on these and other carpet qualities, we welcome you on our booth C55 Hall 5.

Many carpet weaving machines of the Innovator generation have been installed worldwide, weaving different qualities in cut pile, loop pile, shaggy, sisal look,… in different widths.

Especially the width of 5m is very much appreciated, giving optimized combinations of area rug dimensions. When the machines are equipped with Smart Frames, the heddle frames are individually driven by servomotors, creating new possibilities for wall-to-wall and Kilim qualities.

With the Smart Filling Selector, 2 different fillings can be shown on the same pick with 50% more production when woven on the three rapier Innovator machines.

Cut loop carpets in reed 500 d/m with 8 colours are presented for the first time on the Van de Wiele booth. These carpets are woven on the Universal Cut-loop Innovator UCi03, a three rapier carpet weaving machine. The UCi03 is the most versatile carpet weaving machine and the only machine in the market that weaves any combination of cut pile, loop pile and flat weave in face-to-face weaving.

Many Van de Wiele MAX91 Axminster machines are already equipped with a Smart Creel, replacing the labour intensive and unflexible traditional bobbin creel. Now, this creel has also

January 2013

Fig.1: carpet in reed 500d/m, 16 colour frames woven on HCiX2 with three rapiers

Fig.3: Smart Creel on the Advanced Wire Innovator AWi01 weaving machine

Fig.2:Handlook Carpet InnovatorHCiX2 with three rapiers for handlook carpets up to reed 1000 d/m and 2.400.000 pile points/m²

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MENACarpetNews

DOMOTEX adds ceramic tile and stone for exhibitors and buyers

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OMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR will add ceramic and stone to the show in its March 2013 edition. CER TILES and STONES will be held in a dedicated pavilion and feature high end products from manufactures around the world. With the addition of ceramic to DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR, the show now presents every major flooring product category, creating a new opportunity for attendees of the world’s second largest flooring show.

CER TILES and STONES will include ceramic tile and natural stone floorings with a focus on unique and upper end products.

While ceramic accounts for only 9% share of the floor covering market in the USA, consumption is much greater in other areas of the world.

Ceramic is a traditional floor covering in Central and South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. China is the largest consumer of ceramic where it claims about 80% market share.

While in years past, commodity tile was thought to be synonymous with China, now the country’s growing upper and middle classes crave fashionable, higher-end goods and that will be the focus of CER TILES & STONES. “Asia is the world’s largest floor covering market and the world’s largest consumer of ceramic. We feel it is important to create a venue where the world’s ceramic manufacturers can show their products in the heart of that market and where buyers can see every kind of floor covering in one location,” said David Zhong president of VNU Exhibitions Asia “Our goal is to become the leading high-end ceramic tile exhibition in the Asia Pacific region.”

In addition to adding ceramic and stone floorings, the show will offer a unique marketing platform, InnovAction flooring, to introduce new floor covering products in China. “DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR is not just Asia’s largest floor covering show, it is the gateway to China’s floor covering market which influences

Dear Guests and Colleagues

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ranian carpet with deep rooted thousands years of history has established a world class credible standing in international markets. Passage of time with its political, social, and cultural changes has strengthened the standing of this Iranian noble art increasing its recognition.

Iranian carpet producers put Iranian carpet designers’ arts, passion, and innovation together with capable and artistic weavers to create original art pieces to be offered to the world.

Iran currently produces 5 million square meters of handmade carpets per year of which 3.5 million square meters are shipped to international markets. The total export value of handmade carpet is about $600 million annually. The traditional export markets for Iranian carpet are: US, Germany, Italy, UAE, and Japan. The newest markets include China and South Africa.

Machine made carpet industry have flourished to a size of 1000 producers.

These producers use the latest available technologies and good quality materials with modern and traditional carpet designs to provide unique products to domestic and international markets. Total production of this sector currently stands at 100 million square meters of machine made carpets and floor coverings. The value of export in this sector now stands at $150 million.

all of Asia,” says Jim Gould, president of the Floor Covering Institute. “The show’s organizers have the resources to help manufacturers expose their new products in China, especially in major cities of the Eastern developed area, such as Shanghai, where construction and demand for floor covering is high.”

To increase exposure of their new products both inside the show and around China, manufacturers can use the InnovAction marketing plan which provides for value added services on site and target marketing to areas with high floor covering demand in new urban centers of China. This plan will be introduced next month to existing and prospective exhibitors.

To find out more about attending or exhibiting at DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR visit their website at www.domotexasiachinafloor.com/en/.

Kohan textile journal is the only internationally recognized publication in Iran dedicated to textile industry with continuous presence in international textile markets and exhibitions. The publication and distribution of this Directory are based on the belief that increasing contact between international business concerns with Iranian producers can generate opportunities and potential leads for both sides resulting into higher trading volumes.

Carpet producers’ directory presents a selected number of Iranian carpet producers along with the related industries including carpet yarn producers, machinery suppliers, chemical suppliers, and carpet designers. This directory is printed biannually for Domotex Dubai and Domotex Hanover and is available to all companies interested in expanding their contacts to Iranian or international markets.

Mr.Behnam Ghasemi Kohan Textile Journal

► For download please open below link or email us : http://issuu.com/kohan-j/docs/iranian_carpet_exporters_directory

»» Qashqai Tribe It is almost certain that the Turkish speaking groups which later formed the Qashqai Tribe migrated to Fars region in south west Iran some 600 years ago. The appearance of the Qashqai as a tribe happened in a later date at the end of the Safavid dynasty (1501-1736) around 300 years ago, and prior to that there never was such a tribe. hair, and green/blue eyes.

Today, Qashqai ladies weave the most beautiful Gabbeh and tribal rugs of the world by handspun local wool dyed with natural dye. The rug weaving is completely done by women, and men only help with the wool sheering from the sheep and the dyeing process.

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January 2013

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Hand-tuft carpet and rug robot

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Tuft (Hand-tuft carpet and rug robot) is an advanced robotic machine for producing wide range of modern and fashionable tufted carpets and area rugs.

This advanced robotic machine is able to handle your single orders, mass production running as well as sampling. Depending on the pile heights (13–75mm), tuft effects (U-tuft Cut Pile, J-tuft Cut Pile and Loop Pile), yarn material, thickness and number of yarn ends to be tufted, wide range of tufted carpets and area rugs collections will be achievable.

In addition, variety of colors and yarns in type, thickness and material whether is Wool, Polyester, Nylon, Linen, Polypropylene, Cotton or their blends let one create fantastic and unique effects.

By using the well integrated solution of eTuft and dedicated carpet designing software “eDesigner”, making variety in design, colors and tuft effects will be no more time-consuming or costly. Moreover creating 3D effects (variable pile heights) will be fulfilled easily in eTuft and designing software. This fully functional combination enables producers to rapidly respond to market demands and become more flexible. It is better to say, you are a few hours away from design concepts to tufted carpet by eTuft.

Ability to produce with maximum speed of tufting gun (2000 stitches/minute) without any vibration or instability in mechanical structure is achieved by using unique German quality structure. This rigid and well engineered structure will lead to higher production rates and make it long life product.

(based on: densities, pile heights, yarn types, colors, cut and loop effects …)

• Be fashionable • Quick and cost effective production • Test the market with new ideas (color, designs, yarns and combination of effects) without high risk or cost • Produce single original designs, samples or large order • Flexibility in production with low inventory of yarn • Fast return of investment More info : http://www.efabgmbh.com

Utilizing advanced controller with six servo motors and four accurate linear drives for controlling all actions in robot cause higher tufting accuracy, increasing speed of un-tufted moves and decreasing the stoppages, all lead to higher efficiency.

The leading edge technology makes the robot agile and smart.

Meanwhile by using variable pile heights system you will be able to create 3D effects on the tufted carpet and rugs.

Easy handling and smooth running let one personnel control and run several robots and consequently lead to considerable labor cost reduction. It also eliminates human production errors and let you produce high quality and complicated products with the same hand tuft look.

This unique robot has the potency to produce different fashionable products which can lead to a rapid return of investment (less than one year), if eTuft is operated at full production capacity.

• Smart cut and loop forming systems for switching between cut and loop without any mechanical settings or machine stoppages • Variable pile heights system for creating 3D effects • Ability to produce different pile heights and densities in the same design • Different cut and loop tufting effects • Advanced rigid construction enable it to run faster • Ability to tuft with wide range of yarns including Wools, Polyester, Acrylic, Linen, Viscose, Cotton and their mixture without changing the tufting head • Support different types of yarns in thickness, twist, ply and more • Ability to adjust the backing fabric tension • Built in creels and movables frames • Advanced tufting head with rapid turning on corners and high accuracy to have better corner effects and increase production speed • Smooth running with minimal manual control • From 1.5 up to 4.5 square meter per hour production • Prepared in customized sizes • Easy installation and running without any special production preparation • Low electricity usage, even work with single phase • Advanced human machine interface (eHMI) with many different capabilities in different languages • Fully compatible with eDesigner CAD software • Easy file handling (single BRT file) and transferring through network or via USB • Remotely control and monitor the robotic machine • Ability to set density for each color layer to create fantastic modern designs BENEFITS • No limits for creativity • Wide range of products • Create your own collections to match with market requests

January 2013

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MENACarpetNews

The Worlds Third Largest Carpet

Muscat’s Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque Carpet

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he World’s third largest carpet, approximately measuring 2400 m2, has been woven by Grreh Carpet Corporation on an order from Bahwan Charitable Foundation in order to furnish the recently-finished Mosque in Muscat. This carpet in the first large Hand Knotted carpet produced by the private firm. The carpet’s production stages including raw materials, spinning, design, Dyeing, weaves, and installation had accurate technical calculations which carry significance in the art craft carpet industry.

Grreh Rug Company was founded in 2007 in partnership with some of the Iranian’s Carpet exports. Mr. Mohammad Ali Karimi is the chairperson of this company, Mr. Ali Khalighi is the CEO and vice Chairman and Ms. Farah Khalighi is one of the board directors members in Grreh company.

The design has been done by Grreh Rug Company’s Managing Director, Mr. Ali Khalighi, who has also a record of the designing the world’s largest carpet in this career. The preliminary design was sketched manually and then with the help of a computer and cooperation by designers and painters; Mr. Mohammad, Akbari and Mohammadzadeh was dotted and painted.

In its design, professional design softwares have been used in order to minimize the possible flaws of the design.

The warps and wefts of the carpet are made of pure cotton and the carpet’s pile in spun of a combination of the best Iranian and oversea wools. Utmost care is given to choose the characteristics for the yarn tenderness and shine and the carpet durability.

considered one of the carpet’s utmost economic qualities. The foreign currency inflow of $3/2 yearned from the production of the Mohammad Al-Amin carpet in also valuable in the view of the realization of national production and employment. The successful production of this valuable carpet makes Grreh Carpet Corporation want to thank all the dear people who helped us to achieve this success in the production of the Mohammad AlAmin Mosque Carpet.

Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque Carpet (Muscat) Ordered by: Bahwan Charitable Foundation Executor: Farsh Grreh Corporation Design: Ali Khalighi Weaving Place: Neishabour, Khorasan

Duration of the Project: 24 months Approximate Size: 2400 m2 Wight of the Carpet Prior to Finishing Operations: 15000 kg Final Weight of the Carpet: 12000 kg (12 Tons) Type of Design: Afshan Edged Medallion Nap (Fuzz): A Combination of High Quality Iranian and Oversea Wools Warps: Cotton Wefts: Cotton Number of colors: 25 Dyes Used: Ciba-Geigy (Switzerland) Dying Type: Pressured Industrial Knot Density: 3600 Knots in Square Decimeter measuring Knot Count of 40 6/5 cm Yard Knot Scale.

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The dying of the wool was carried out at the highest technical quality with industrial methods under pressure so that the naps possess the best optical and abrasion resistance. The dye was undertaken by the experienced experts of Doostan-e-Kavir Dyeing Company with a totally scientific method. The finishing operations were done by Forouhar Carpet Co. by specialized carpet processing machines which were exclusively designed for the carpet. All the finishing operations of the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque Carper were carried out in the Farsh Grreh Corporation’s carpet washing plants under the capable management of Mr. Mojtaba Golestani. We also are pleased to appreciate the great work of Mr. Hasan Ansari in the process of weaving and our Muscat’s delegate, Mr. Amirhossein Dehshid who did their best in producing this carpet.

The world’s third largest carpet was woven in the historical city of Neishabour, in Razavi Khorasan Province. Neishabour was chosen taking into account the availability of experienced weavers and a 20-year history of large fabric carpets having been woven in the region. It should be taken into account that the technical expertise and the availability of the required facilities in Iran, paves the way for the production of large fabric carpets at the highest quality.

Near 400 experienced weavers with their ongoing endeavor for two years and spending 2 million working hours had the large fabric woven with the highest possible quality. In addition to the weavers, experienced technicians cooperated in the carpet’s production prior to and during the production which can be

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January 2013

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www.pardiscarpet.ir/en

ARA PARDIS CARPET Kashan is an ancient city resting beside central desert of iran and its high vents ever marry breeze and memories to blue and awed sky. kashan is the city of culture, deprived of abundant rain but its historical culture is as limpid as karkas hillside water and as exquisite as freed streams in the heights of zagros and alvand. Despite of dry weather, kashan

www.pardiscarpet.ir/en

is the city of art.art is seen both in every adobe of its historical architecture and in toranj and mehrab designs filled with abundant flowers. And now …

changed to an experienced staff. the products of this period Include: 440 and 500 reed machine-made carpets, small carpets tableau carpets and …

We are irans children. The children of and old history and a deep – rooted culture who should safe guard our indentity and nobility in modern and complx world and we should remind magnificence and dynamism of economy of this bed of culture and art.

As time passed, a variety of products was made due to development of machinemade carpet industry but because of high expectations of consumers, that is a very important factor, golrisan did its best, searched and studied modern equipment. in 2005 , all studies and searches yielded result and Tehran arapardis group was born.

so golrisan was founded in kashan, the city of roses and rosewater. kashan golrisan weaving was founded in the birthplace of the machine-made carpet industry of iran in 1995 by intellectual, financial and creative capital and by round-the clock help of apecialists and managers and by consulting with a few weaving pioneers in iran. during a decade of production of machine-made carpets, aimed at satisfying customers, golrisan

Now, Tehran arapardis group consists of kashan golrisan weaving company, Tehran parmida carpet company and Tehran ara carpet company. in the process of development of group,Tehran pardis carpet emerged.

To provide superior and excellent seruices

,and by using valuable experiences and advanced equipment (ALPHA – CLP – UCL400 – CRX83), Tehran pardis carpet is stepping in a path which its bright horizon is seen by all viewers. tehran pardis company as a pioneering company in production and trading a variety of machinemade carpets offers carpets to real and regal persons on the following conditions and facilitie

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New ALPHA 500

carpet weaving system expands Schönherr’s product line

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any carpet mills around the world have successfully established their operations by installing Schönherr carpet weaving systems. Schönherr launched its ALPHA 400 series in 2008 and over the years considerably expanded the range of applications. New options such as the “Multi Weft Selector” allowed the introduction of new technologies such as the “Magic Weft Effect,” opening a new world of carpet design possibilities to manufacturers. Carpets with eight colours and reed densities of 900 are no longer a dream; they are now being produced daily – to the full satisfaction of customers.

ALPHA carpet weaving systems are equipped with Stäubli three-position Jacquard machines, a Stäubli dobby or cam motion, and a servo-cutting system. This set-up produces excellent surfaces with no mixed contours and it yields clean carpet backings.

its predecessors. In particular a six plus six “Multi Weft Selector” can be adapted, which gives the possibility of up to six different weft yarns for the top as well as for the bottom carpet/rug. This not only makes the new system even more flexible, it raises productivity to unequalled heights. Like all Schönherr products, the ALPHA 500 is manufactured a hundred percent at the Schönherr factories in Bayreuth and Chemnitz, Germany. will exhibit its products at five events in 2013: • DOMOTEX Hannover, 12 - 15 January • DOMOTEX Asia, Shanghai, 26 - 28 March • ITM 2013 ISTANBUL, 29 May - 1 June • Techtextil 2013 Frankfurt, 11 - 13 June • CAITME 2013 Tashkent/Usbekistan, 12 - 14 September

Schönherr now announces its new ALPHA 500 carpet weaving system, just before DOMOTEX Hannover 2013. This newly designed machine has a weaving width of five meters. The ALPHA 500 can be equipped with options as

Schönherr – a member of the Stäubli Group Stäubli is a mechatronics solution provider with three dedicated divisions: Textile Machinery – to which Schönherr belongs to Connectors, and Robotics. With a workforce of over 4000, Stäubli has a presence in 25 countries and agents in 50 countries around the world.

Carpet weaving system ALPHA 500 operator stand

Carpet sample woven with “Multi Weft Selector”

January 2013

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MENACarpetNews

Middle East Companies participate at DOMOTEX 2013 Hannover Saudi Arabia Al Abdullatif KSA-859 RIYADH Hall 6, Stand C45 Al-Sorayai Carpets KSA-21441 Jeddah Hall 5, Stand D44 Eastern Textile Company KSA-11421 Riyadh Hall 6, Stand C45 WESTEX KSA-11421 Riyadh Hall 6, Stand C45 United Arab Emirate Mattex Dubai UAE- Dubai Hall 5, Stand F36 Standard Carpets Ind. UAE-27977 Sharjah Hall 6, Stand B45 Iran Abbas Nishaburi IR-11636144 Tehran Hall 16, Stand D07 Arsin Fine Rugs IR-1163865961 Tehran Hall 16, Stand E23 Arsin Fine Rugs IR-1163865961 Tehran Hall 15, Stand E25 Atlas Diba Carpet IR-1576945213 Tehran Hall 2, Stand B19 Azim Carpet House Co. IR-1664653973 Tehran Hall 15, Stand E25 Azizkhani Carpet Trading IR-8147749173 Isfahan

Hall 15, Stand E25 BAYAT NOMAD GAMINCHI IR-14446 Tehran Hall 15, Stand C16 Caspian Kilim IR-48517-5187 Behshahr Hall 17, Stand C22 Ghom Silk Carpet IR-1163649814 Tehran Hall 15, Stand B18 Hashem Akhoondi Qom IR-1199846113 Tehran Hall 15, Stand D15 Iran Carpet IR-1145615615 Tehran Hall 15, Stand D19 Iran National Carpet Center IR-141555 Tehran Hall 15, Stand E25 Jahani Brothers Carpets Production IR-5951814557 Bookan- west azarbayjan Hall 15, Stand E25 Karimi Carpet IR-1163899413 Tehran Hall 15, Stand E25 Khaji Carpet IR-1163614174 Tehran Hall 15, Stand E25 Mahdi Rugs IR-1613613466 Tehran Hall 15, Stand E25 Mashad Ardehal Carpet IR-8735177414 Kashan Hall 4, Stand F25 Mashad Carpet IR-1967933765 Tehran Hall 2, Stand B24

Mirhosseini Carpet IR-1169644161 Tehran Hall 15, Stand E25

Oriental Weavers ET-11361 Cairo Hall 2, Stand A60

Narmin Kasa Carpet IR-1317846911 Tehran Hall 15, Stand E25

Oriental Weavers ET-11361 Cairo Hall 2, Stand A43

Ovan Carpet IR-116364 Tehran Hall 14, Stand F08

Oriental Weavers ET-11361 Cairo Hall 2, Stand A38

Rasoul Isfahan IR-1558833511 Tehran Hall 3, Stand B43 Setareh Kavir IR-1511733850 Tehran Hall 2, Stand B38 Main stand Sun Carpets IR-8719673811 Kashan Hall 15, Stand E09 Vahidian Carpet Trading IR-9135775454 Mashad Hall 15, Stand E25 Yaghoot Arghavani Trading IR-3814656793 Arak Hall 15, Stand E25 Zargon-Carpet IR-13897 Tehran Hall 15, Stand D16 Ziadi Brother Carpet IR-1163857961 Tehran Hall 15, Stand E25 Egypt EFCO Modern Fibers Company ET-11000 10th of Ramadan City Hall 2, Stand A30 Mac Carpet ET-44629 10th Of Ramadan City Hall 2, Stand B48

Jordan Arab Pioneers Manufacturing JOR-11512 Amman Hall 5, Stand B21 Orient Treasures Mills JOR-11512 Amman Hall 5, Stand B04 Libya Tripoli Carpet Factory LAR- Tripoli Hall 6, Stand C15 Morocco Bazar du Sud MA-40000 Marrakech Hall 17, Stand E11 Boutique Omar Soufiane MA-4500 Marrakech Hall 17, Stand A46 Le Cadeau Berbere MA-40000 Marakech Hall 17, Stand E11 Le Maroc Blanc Design MA-22400 Beni Mellal Hall 17, Stand B40 Le Nouvel Atlas MA-90055 Asilah Hall 17, Stand E11 Main stand Maison de l’Artisan MA-10000 Rabat Hall 17, Stand B40 Maison de l’Artisan MA-10000 Rabat Hall 17, Stand E11 National Association of Producers MA-14000 Kenitra Hall 17, Stand E11

EVENTS Middle East Project Finance 2013 Venue: JW Marriott Marquis, Dubai Country: United Arab Emirates Start date: Monday, January 28 - 2013 End date: Wednesday, Jan 30 - 2013 Website: www.meprojectfinance.com

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January 2013

MENACarpetNews

December 2012

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MENACarpetNews successful carpet sales depend on three key factors

Color, Color, and Color

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iadi Brothers Carpet Company has an outstanding experience in the business of handmade carpet production and export for 22 years. We made an interesting interview with Mr. Ziadi, General Manager of the company.

Q: Please give us an insight about activities of Ziadi Brothers Carpet Company.

A: We have been in this business for 22 years.

Our main policy has been to identify customer desires and needs in order to find the best way to satisfy them. We are always up-to-date about market trends and give top priority to be present at international exhibitions.

should match their furniture, wall paint or covering, curtains, and other household fixtures.

We have taken advantage of our capacity to produce carpet in variety of color schemes for international markets.

Communication media keep producers fully informed about rapid changes in customer needs and expectations forcing them to modify their carpet patterns every six months to offer new collections to the market. Producers who fail to keep up with market trends rapidly lose their competitive edge.

We are strong in carpet design, natural color selection, and skillful carpet weaving in Iran.

We are fully equipped for producing top quality handmade carpets. We only have to work hard on identifying market taste. Many producers believe the more delicate the carpet, the easier it will sell. I think successful carpet sales depend on three key factors: color, color, and color.

I believe that customers highly value color combination of carpets. They match carpet color scheme to their house decoration before looking to carpet design. Carpet color combination

in many parts of Iran.

Every Iranian city has its own patterns, color schemes, and traditional design. Each one of these can have its own market. Therefore, we have no limit for where we have our carpet production.

Carpet production in rural areas is different from large production facilities. Because, a rural producer ties love, simplicity, purity, and natural beauty with every tie she makes to the carpet.

In spite of duplicate copies made by other countries, Iranian carpet still stands out because of using top quality materials such as Iranian wool, vegetable colors, and silk. Vegetable color is the exceptional feature of our carpet production.

Q: What are the features of a good carpet design?

We have carpet production in locations that are well-known for their high quality, original design, and skillful weavers, including Azerbaijan and Varzaquan. We have Gabbeh production

A: A carpet weaver should never worry about design. All she has to do is to look around and observe the beauty of mountains covered by flowers in natural surroundings spread out in a plain before her. I believe every view and color combination can turn into a beautiful carpet.

Carpet is not just a woven material. It has its own identity and life.

In a recent trip to a rural area in Azerbaijan for Gabbeh I was asked for design and pattern. I

asked a weaver’s child to draw me a painting on a piece of paper. I gave this drawing to my weavers and asked them to produce the same pattern for me. I believe a carpet should be full of feelings.

Q: how important is to participate in international exhibitions?

A: I believe a handmade carpet company should have a strong presence in international exhibitions in order to get a feel for the market.

Our highest sales volume in exhibitions comes from patterns that have been made based on market interests.

Creation of every employment in industry costs about $50.000. An employment in handmade carpet industry is costs much less. Ziadi Carpet Company presently employees 170 families in its carpet production.

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Istanbul Got the Spirit of Flooring at DOMOTEX Middle East!!!

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OMOTEX Middle East, the most prominent and largest Carpet and Flooring Trade Fair for Turkey and Middle East, enjoyed a great deal of attention from the buyers who came from the targeted countries. More than 5,000 trade visitors attended the show to meet 222 Turkish and international exhibitors of thecarpet and flooring industry.

This was the first time the fair was held in Istanbul, and it succeeded in being the industry’s leading trade fair platform for Turkey and Middle East full appreciation from the participants.

As an exhibition platform for all kinds of solutions from carpets, textile and resilient floorings, parquet and laminate to natural stones, creative flooring products and innovative application and installation technologies, DOMOTEX Middle East succeeded in establishing itself as the industry’s leading fair platformfor the Turkish and Middle Eastern markets. During all four days, the trade fair received full appreciation from the participants.

More than 5,000 trade visitors 21% of whom were international visitors, visited the 4-day-long trade fair.

Throughout 4 days, 5,099 registered attendees visited DOMOTEX Middle East.

21% of these visitors were reported to come from other countries. Having hosted a total of 222 local and international exhibitors on a 7771 m2 net area, the trade fair received full interest of the buyer delegations, most of whom attended from Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi-Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Leaving DOMOTEX Middle East with satisfaction, the exhibitors successfully established business connections and closed sales deals, and many expressed their aim to get a larger space for the next year by signing contract for the show in 2013 onsite.

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Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Turhal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Zile Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dudullu Organized Industry Zone, OSTIM Organized Industry Zone.

Fair Slogan: “Get the Spirit of Flooring” Driven by the “Get the Spirit of Flooring” motto, DOMOTEX Middle East offers visitors and exhibitors the latest industry trends.

The fair hosted a diverse visitor profile, ranging from wholesalers, retailers, interior designers, architects, industrial designers, planners, investors, real estate developers, hotels’ purchasing directors, representatives from Shopping Centers and public organizations to ship and yacht purchasing companies, who showed remarkable interest throughout their visits.

Zafer Çağlayan, Ministry of Economy: “Turkey is the favorable floor for organization of a carpet and flooring trade fair“ The fair was opened on Thursday, in November 8, 2012, by ZaferÇağlayan, the Minister of Economy of Republic of Turkey.

In his remarks, Çağlayan highlighted how significant DOMOTEX Middle East Fair is and said: “Turkey, which has an outstanding role for world economy, now hosts a major trade fair for carpet and flooring materials.

The fact that the trade fair was held on such an important platform makes in itself this fair event even more meaningful. İbrahim Yılmaz, President of the Istanbul Carpet Exporters’ Association (IHIB): “The carpet industry grew by 24%, we are targeting to export over 2 billion dollars of carpet in 2012” Emphasizing on the industry’s increasing commitment to branding and design, and multiplying exports as a result, İbrahim Yılmaz, President of İHİB, said that while the overall exports increased by 12%, the carpet industry landed a 24% growth in 2011 despite the European financial crisis and the changes in the Middle East.

Mr. Yılmaz said the trade fair saw participation from prominent companies and brands of the industry.

DOMOTEX Middle East was widely endorsed by the industry Organized with permission from the Union of Chambers and Exchangers of Turkey (TOBB), the trade fair enjoyed great support from various prominent industrial associations and trade unions, including Istanbul Carpet Exporters’ Association (İHİB), Istanbul Wood and Forestry Products Exporters’ Association (İİB), Chamber of Interior Architects, Afyonkarahisar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Simav Chamber of Commerce and Industry, İzmir Chamber of Commerce (İZTO), Antalya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Afyonkarahisar

Various events were organized during the course of the fair The event that got the highest amount of attention was the “IHIB Carpet Design Awards Ceremony”, the traditional contest which İHİB decided to organize for this year as part of DOMOTEX Middle East. The contestants’ carpets were exhibited to the visitors throughout four days, and the ceremony was held in the evening of the first day to give the recipients their awards.

Another noteworthy event was the Future of Flooring Forum (ZFG), organized by ORSİAD. The Forum helped prominent figures from the PARQUET-PVC-CARPET industry come together. Besides the forum’s schedule, the Hardware Corner and Activity Space were established in the 11th Area.

The space showcased carpet, parquet and ceramic flooring applications from PRAKTIKER, and enjoyed considerable attention from visitors during the fair period.

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From 7 – 10 November 2013, DOMOTEX Middle East will again attract carpet and flooring exhibitors from all over the world and trade visitors from Turkey and Middle East at the Istanbul Expo Center.

January 2013

MENACarpetNews

If you love your carpet, it will love you back Carpet life extended by annual cleaning Vacuum often, blot up spills immediately

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f you would stop to think how much abuse your carpet gets, perhaps you would have a little more compassion for it. After all, the poor thing just lies there letting everyone walk all over it. And it never complains when you track dirt on it or spill things all over it.

I’ll bet you will get more loving years of service out of your carpet if you just show it you care.

And the greatest care you can give a carpet is to keep it clean.

Professional cleaning - once every year - is the best treat you could shower on your carpet. In between, there is a lot you can do to maintain love and harmony between you and your floor covering. First of all, vacuum regularly. You can’t vacuum too often. When vacuuming, use a beater-bar that will raise the pile as it goes across the floor so the trapped dirt will be vacuumed up.

If something spills onto the carpet, blot it up immediately. Blot is the key word ,never rub, scrub or brush because you might be grinding the stain into the rug rather than removing it, and this may even cause damage to the carpet fibers. Blot and clean from the outside of the stain toward the center; this helps prevent spreading. When using a cleaning agent, apply the cleanser to a clean, white cloth rather than directly to the stained area to avoid saturating the carpet.

If the spill or stain is oil-based, you may need to purchase a dry cleaning solution available at

January 2013

grocery and hardware stores. For non-oil-based spots, mix one teaspoon of non-bleaching dry powder laundry detergent with two cups of water. Wet that clean, white towel with the mixture and go at it gently but diligently. Remove the soapiness with clear, lukewarm water and absorb the excess moisture with an absorbent white towel.

Press down on the towel, or pile a few books on it, to help it absorb excess moisture that might be deep down. Repeat the rinsing and blotting process until you are sure all the detergent is gone. Finally, place a dry white towel over the area and weigh it down with books or other heavy objects for a couple of hours to finish absorbing the last traces of moisture.

Is it a stubborn stain that just won’t go away?

Try this: mix one tablespoon of non-bleaching, non-sudsing household ammonia with one cup of lukewarm water. Go through the rinsing, blotting process as described above. Next, you need to neutralize the ammonia. Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water and apply this solution using the same procedure as above.

A note of warning: If the stain is from coffee, tea or urine, do not use the ammonia/water cleaning method; the acidity in the former liquids combined with ammonia will play havoc on your carpet fibers.

Remember, if you love your carpet, it will love you back.

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www.carpetour.com

haftaseman@carpetour.net

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MENACarpetNews

The History of Dye & Dyeing in Iran By: Ahmad Daneshgar

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olors are of the oldest and, in a sense most primitive, phenomena man’s feelings have discovered. They have always been with man affecting his feeling and emotions, and have evolved as his knowledge and mentality have matured. It is written in history that the primitive man became familiar with colors through dyeing animal’s skins and trees with plant leaves, and thus initiated the art of dyeing. There has been a lot written and told about the origins of dyeing: Some conjecture that the art of dyeing originates in ancient China and Egypt and is as old as thirty centuries before the birth of Christ. The discoveries made in such and Ilam in Iran confirms the existence of dyeing in those regions in a very distant past.

Writing on Alexander’s conquests and the items looted by him, Plutarch tells of cloths colored in purple and says, “Iranians used the mixture of wax and honey to maintain the transparency of colors.” It seems that the industry of dyeing has been quite flourishing in the Sassanid and Seljuk eras.

Experts believe that the development and elevation of the art of dyeing owes a lot to the art of rug-weaving. Figures of animals, flowers, plants and the beautiful scenery on rugs and textiles and the use of plant dyeing in marketing them colorful tell of the dyer artist’s mastery over this work throughout the history of Iran.

The art of dyeing was at its zenith in the Safavid era, and saw great improvement particularly in painting and rug-weaving; however with the gradual arrival of foreign merchants and the widespread use of chemical dyes in the Qajar era, dyeing in Iran deteriorated a lot and lost much of its previous quality.

Chemical dyes are cheap, easy to prepare e and transport, transparent and the dyeing process with them takes a short time, so dyers are so much used to them today that plant dyes have already been put to oblivion.

Combination of colors This means that two or more colors are put side by side to express a certain harmony and a new meaning and thus create a new color. The selection of colors, their proportion and place, the direction in which they are placed, their relationship with each other and their contrast and harmony are some of the factors that greatly affect the combination of colors.

Optical illusion, the distance of the color object with the eyes an air and atmosphere also affect the mind’s perception of colors: The combination of colors might be piercingly aggressive or tranquillizing to the eyes.

The theory of colors Researchers think that man became fascinated with colors when contemplating the colors a drop of oil makes on water. The first recorded theory on colors was developed in ancient Greece and in the 6th century BC. The theory concerns the fact that the colors black and white are the two essential factors for the existence of other colors; they proposed the idea for the first time that colors have a material nature.

The Greek Empedocles, however, stated in the 5th century BC that colors do not have material origin and that they are qualities. Plato has mentioned name of colors red, yellow, white and black, and Aristotle has later on scientifically recognized colors brown, violet, green and blue.

Experimental operations and the application of colors has been quite common among the people in the East, the Chinese, Indians and Iranians for thousands of years and these people have given currency to the combination of colors. There is ample evidence suggesting that the application of colors had been quite common and man had had an advanced knowledge about colors before scientists started to develop the theory of colors.

In 1660 Isaac Newton managed to pass the color white through a prism. He discovered that molecular nature of the prism reduces the speed of light white it passes through the prism and breaks light into its component colors.

‘This theory and the difference in the speed of colors inside the prism prove that light (colors) is a combination of energy – carrying molecules with different wavelengths. Numerous studies and experiments have been carried out on colors over the recent centuries and different theories have been proposed regarding colors.

Pigments These are solid insolvable suspended in solvents in the form of grains. Pigments are usu-

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ally used to cover surfaces and are of different kinds including black and white colors naturally found in combination. Colors and Pigments are different in that colors are absorbed by objects while pigments cover only the surface of the object. Pigments used in the old times usually had mineral origin, but the ones used today are usually artificial ones used side by side with mineral pigments.

Chromogens These are color-carrying materials that ‘store’ colors in all or part of their bodies. They are either directly found in nature or are made artificially using other material. Chromogens are used on objects and color them with their chromogenic effect once the conditions are ready for their activity. They are of two types: 1. Natural Chromogens with a natural origin such as plants.

2. Chemical chromoges that are synthesized chemically and are produced artificially.

We will try here to briefly go over the characteristics of some natural chromogens: 1. Okaliptus 2. Baqdm 3. Balut 4. Terbit-xusk 1. Okaliptus Okaliptus is a tall and sturdy tree of the myrtaseae family with long leaves; it is found all over Iran, especially in the province of Kerman and in the city of Jeeroft in Fars. Its leaves are used for the production of different shades of the color green. It has an average dyeing power and to use it for dyeing dark colors the mordant white vitriol should be applied. Okaliptus is used in powder from often for dyeing silk fibers. The dyeing should always be carried out in average temperature.

2. Baqdm Baqdm is a tree of the papilionaceous family with a height sometimes reaching to twelve meters. Inside the tissue of this tree there is a colored material called ’hematin’ or ‘hematoxilin’ that is used in marking the colors purple, blue, crimson, gray and black. The fruit of this tree is round and red; its wood is also red and a kind of red is extracted from it that is used in the dyeing of silk and wool. To produce color the tree’s wood extract is put under pressure and the color produced is used in powder and crystal form.

baqdm produces color black.

3. Balut Balut is a tree with an oval hazelnut shape fruit that is called mazoo in Luristan and beroo in Kurdistan; it is found in great numbers in the forests of western Iran. In the trunk, skin and branches of this tree is a lot of mazooji material one of the uses of which is in dyeing. If insects nest behind the leaves of balut, a kind of hazelnut – shaped granule is gradually formed that is full of mazooj and has wide applications in dyeing and tanning. The skin of balut is removed off the tree, its international side is dried up and pulverized; it is then used in dyeing. It is also possible to dye with this plant without using mordants, as balut is full of the chemical ‘tanon’. However, to get at the colors buff, golden and orange in dyeing wool it is possible to use the mordants vitriol, chrome and tin respectively. To produce the color buff some balut powder is added to the dyeing bath, and the fibers of wool to which mordants have been applied are rinsed in the boiling dyeing solution for about half an hour; the fibers are then taken out of the dyeing bath, put in a solution made up of some ‘potassium dichromat’ and ‘asetic asid’ and boiled for around fifteen minutes. In the next stage, fiber are rinsed in water and finally dried. Balut gives out color brown with alkaline mordants and color gray with ferrosulphide.

4. Terbit-xusk This plant is used in dyeing wool and it found in abundance on the slopes of Zagross mountains. The Qashqa’is have long used it in dyeing and have complete mastery over using it for dyeing carpets. A lot has been said and written on this plant and its origin; Cecil Edwards, for instance, believes that this plant is the same as esparak-e-zard. This plant is called Terbit in Kerman and Mardan-aqajee in Azerbaijan. It is found wide in nature; however, it is also planted in some parts of Iran such as Khorasan. It can be easily mixed with other chromogens such as neel to produce pleasant colors. Mixing zardchube, gandal, xusk and ronas in different properties and boiling the mixture, we can get to different combinations of colors like yellow and dark and light gold.

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To produce dark and clear colors from baqdm the method ‘mordant before dyeing’ is used.

Using baqdm and white vitriol and fixing the amount of the mordant added, it is possible to dye wool light purple, violet, dark violet, light and dark gray and black. The method of adding mordants is the same as that used for other plants dyes. Baqdm becomes dark red if mixed with tick sulphuric asid and dark violet if mixed with sodium. Mixing espark, chub-e-zard and

January 2013

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Carpet Restoration, an Unknown Art From Page 1 ...

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s new markets were evolving, many of the main carpet producing centers, which had followed special designs and patterns, left their own traditional methods and original designs and following the demands of the market, gradually lost their originality. Moreover, the Materials which are used in the production of rug-such as silk, cotton and wool-are vulnerable to natural factors, friction exposure to chemicals, blows, fire, moisture, etc.

As rug owners did not-particularly at that time-know how to take care of their carpets, the vulnerability was times more than the present time-restoration of the damaged carpets and finally the job of the restoration came into being.

Mo’in dictionary describes restoration as “the sewing-up of tears and holes in such a way that no sign of it is left.” Amid Persian dictionary defines the term as “the sewing up of a tear or a hold in such a way that it leaves no trace of itself.”

However, technically and in the art of carpet Weaving, the term is defined as the masterly repairing and darning of the carpet’s damaged parts in such a way that it is not easily recognizable.

After

Before

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No matter how the term is detined, the profession and art of restoration are deeply rooted in the old times and in the darning of textiles. Today, apart from its technical aspect, restoration-especially carpet restoration-has an artistic dimension to it. The carpet restorer who is familiar with the technicalities of carpet weaving and dyeing is able to show wonderful mastery in the restoration of carpet and reveal his creativity and innovation. Such an artist has no doubt an elemental role in the restoration of magnificent carpets kept in museums or in personal collections. A. skillful carpet restorer or, in simple terms, an artist carpet restorer should be certainly aware of the principles of dyeing and the methods of the production of traditional dyes. It happens that in most cases it is not possible to provide thread with the right color from the market.

In such conditions, the restorer’s intelligence, creativity and cleverness come to his aid and, taking advantage of his art in the field of dyes and dyeing. He is able to provide the needed….

Ostad Abdollah Azimi, one of the masters of the art, says, “The profession of restoration, contains all of the fields related to rugs from spinning to dyeing, preparation of the loom and, finally, weaving. The restorer should even know painting: if he is restoring a magnificent tableaux carpet and there are some blemishes on the parts without symmetry, he would not be able to restore those parts and remove the defects if he does not know painting and is not an artist. There are also other instances in other types of carpets which demand special skills and, while not directly related to carpet production, are undoubtedly related to the art of painting.”

According to the defirition of restoration and what was stated here, carpet restoration includes all the experessions and repairing of carpets such as carpet’s frills and borders.

It is interesting to know that some restorers today are able to restore machine-woven carpets as well.

The exact time of beginning and evolution of the art of carpet-restoration, like the art of carpet-weaving itself, is in a halp of mystery. However, we are certain that restoration was done on cloth long before the art of carpet restoration began. We also know that restoration for carpets and the establishment of this art as an important profession in the collection of fields related to rugs goes back to the years following the First world Wararound 1918-when demand for old and antigue rugs went up considerably. The exceptional and wonderful restorations of the deceased Ostad Hajj Javad Za’faranchi which were done on high-quality Tabriz rugs over

the same years are famous far and wide with this regard.

The Effect of restoration on carpet economy The art of restoration and the artist carpet restorer have a direct effect on the carpet economy because they can keep the market of buying and selling rugs flourishing. In addition to its great artistic dimensions, the Persian Carpet is an economic and export commodity and has a lot of admires throughout the world. The fact is that part of the current designs and patters in the Persian carpet today have been adopted based on the demands in the world market. The artist carpet restorer can have a great effect here in two ways.

The carpet which is restored and is labeled as restored, is far more precious that what it was before: if it is of the ordinary type, it will sell almost the same price as the new one and if it is of the high-quality, antique or magnificent type it will find special importance, due to the beauty and magnificence added to it after restoration and is fit commodity for export-the customers interested in such carpets may pay stupendous money to own them because of their artistic value. Carpet restorers in general revitalize dead capital in souety and, in their own way, earn considerable hard currency for the country.

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Alireza Ghaderi

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January 2013

MENACarpetNews

Rugs of Iron, Wefts of Stone Restoring Bijars By: Holly L. Smith

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for hay baling is neither an exaggeration nor a condemnation. However, it is through this weft channel that I am able to insert new materials.

The extreme thickness of the straight weft keeps the alternate warp threads from even touching each other (Diagram 1, below), creating two distinct planes. To clarify this, think of it as a pencil lying between two pages of a book.

Yes,” I answer, “it is. That`s why I love it.”

To me the Bijar is a majestic rug, often using archaic patterns with clearly defined colors. Floral elements bound off fields awash in indigo blues, saturated yellows, and rosy, warm madders.

The character of Kazak foundations is meaty and open. The Kuba/Daghestan is rigid and delicate. The Turkoman is cerebral and forgiving. The Shiraz is light and supple. The Bijar, however, is tough as a board. Folding them is out of the question. A 9`xl2` Bijar can come delivered for restoration in a 12- foot tube which won`t bend around doorways or stairwells. And it is heavy. To work on one when the requirement is to have one hand at the back of the repair while working on the front often leaves me with two alternatives: either give the rug a bear hug for hours at a stretch, or use an assistant under the rug to push back my needle.

Diagram 1. The alternate warp threads are kept from touching one another by the extreme thickness of the straight weft.

The second weft is nothing at all like the first.

It is of a much finer spin, usually rose or brown in color, and is at least as thin as the warps. In later Bid jars it may be of cotton. It is very sinuous, looping around the outside of the warps and holding them down (Diagram 2, below).

hen I am asked which type of rug I most enjoy restoring, my answer is Bijar. I am invariably met with frozen stares of astonishment as though I had suddenly presented my inquirers with Medusa`s head.

“But isn`t that the rug of iron?” they ask, “the rug with a foundation tough as stone?”

However, like most things in this world which appear on the surface to be inflexible and unyielding, there is in the Bijar a soft spot. The challenge has been to discover and use it, encouraging it to respond to the manipulations of thread and needle.

To understand the unique characteristics of their weave, it is necessary to review the methods of rug construction. First, warps are strung onto a frame which holds them taut under extreme pressure so that in appearance it resembles a harp. Weft threads are then woven in, running under one warp and over the next. The second weft reverses by going over one warp and under the next. This makes the fabric. Knots are tied after the planned number of wefts. In the Bijar this planned number can be either two or three wefts. When there are two, the first is straight and the second is sinuous. When there are three, the first and third are straight while the second, or middle weft is sinuous.

The internal strength of most types of rugs is this tautness of warp. It is on the warp threads that the wefts and knots are dependent. The Bijar, though, is ruled by its straight weft; and this is the soft spot. It is an extremely fat cord (Z-spun and S-plied) composed of a grab bag of hair and wool. In some later Bid jars, it is of cotton. To compare it to the hemp twine used

When the pile wears away, this sinuous weft is exposed and will easily break. The telltale sign of this sort of damage is indicated where long warp threads are seen uninterrupted by any sort of weft covering (Illustration 1).

The full diameter of a tightly compressed straight weft cannot be ascertained by a diligent examination of the back of the Bijar. As any weaver knows, a thread of such composite and resilient materials as this Bijar weft is very hard to beat down with a typical weaver`s comb. So an interesting trick has been discovered by the weavers of Bid jars. They found that by dampening the weft it compressed more readily.

Knots could then be put in on top and, as the weft dried, it expanded to its greatest capacity, squeezing the knots above and below it. This produced the finishing touches of the Bid jar`s straight and unyielding character. The weft will have expanded to the maximum point, filling in the channel between the rows of knots far better than could any exertion by weaver or comb.

When the rug is rolled up, the warps on the outside of the roll will be stretched as though they were wrapped around a steel drum, and this is why it is easier to roll a Bijar from side to side than from end to end.

The warps of either wool or cotton are about one quarter of the straight weft`s diameter and are quite delicate. Ofttimes the damage which I encounter is to the warps. This is made evident by a careful scrutiny of the back of the rug. Friction can cause them to break, and they will appear as loose tufts rising off the surface.

In the Bijar weaving areas, a change in warp content occurred in the late 1800s. This change was from wool to cotton warp threads. Cotton is a fiber which is more resilient to abrasion cre-

ated by ordinary wear or even by a weaver`s beating comb during construction. Being a less readily available product to shepherding tribes, this change occurred later in rural areas, and rugs woven in 1920 and beyond may still be of wool warps.

How do these peculiarities affect my methods of restoration? To follow the common technique of inserting new warps through or alongside the old warps can wreak havoc with the Bijar. The sinuous weft holding them in can split with the added burden of encompassing both the old and the new, and the warp itself is too delicate to allow new insertions. In some instances, I have found success by gently threading a new sinuous weft over the existing sinuous wefts to bolster them. This then allows me to insert new wefts while protecting the original structure.

But, in most instances, I have found | that looping my new warps and holding them in with a finer thread is the most invisible and least intrusive technique. This finer thread is anchored through alternating straight wefts of the rug so that the new area cannot be detected by sight or touch.

Inserting the new straight wefts into the original presents similar problems. It has been packed in so tightly that there is no room for a new weft of equal thickness. But here we are lucky. Because it is of such resilient materials, there are usually fragmentary sections of the old straight weft flapping at the edge of a hole. I make use of these by attaching the new weft directly to them, mitering them in and winching them tight, thereby avoiding a direct confrontation.

One key in any successful restoration is to follow as closely as possible the materials and techniques used in each rug. So what about the slightly dampened weft used in the creation of a Bijar? Where does this figure into my restoration approach?

I found that, if I used a new weft of the exact same material as the original and built my knots of appropriate thickness and ply on top of that, there would be an increasingly small area in which to work. Halfway through the restoration, my warps would be filled with new wefting and new knots, and all of my force would not be sufficient to compress my straight weft.

Illustration 2. Bijar vagireh

January 2013

I had to abandon the typical restorer`s approach of maintaining pressure from back to front with an occasional compaction vertically, a method which is perfectly successful for most rugs. Instead, I found that dampening the weft, as the weavers had, enabled me to build an exact duplicate of the original structure.

There is one final quality of the Bijar which has proven to be the most difficult to master.

I often describe the feel of a good Persian rug to be like a mink in one direction and like a Labrador dog in the other. The Bijar feels like a Labrador retriever`s coat in both directions: smooth, hard, bristly and comforting. As I have always opposed stripping one rug or fragment to restore another, when first attempting to restore Bid jars I had to choose from amongst the commonly available yams. This produced disappointing results. No matter how invisibly I had set in my new foundation, the knotted area looked dull and matted. The element of transparency was missing.

My searches led me to county fairs, weaving studios, and to potential sources overseas. I was fortunate to find some high country wool which, when appropriately spun and plied, returns the light to the observer`s eye. This detail enables my repair to blend in thoroughly. It is still my intention to further improve the match by locating wool with even more of the bristly strength of that used in the Bijar.

Hardness of wool, clarity of design and color, resiliency to abuse... the Bijar has it all. Their unique and seemingly unassailable structure challenges the restorer to improve and devise new methods. Years ago I rose to the challenge and have sometimes faltered, but now I feel confident that the Bijar and I have an understanding.

Is it any wonder that this rug of iron has become the cornerstone of my love of restoration?

----Holly Smith is the owner of Holly L. Smith & Co., Boston, Massachusetts. Her company performs restorations (local and overseas) and cleaning, as well as providing rug brokerage services. Her restoration work hangs in museums, private collections, and in auction galleries. You can visit her website at www.hollysmithrugs.com

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Illustration 1

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MENACarpetNews

Design of the Ardabil Carpet (1539-1540)

Detail showing the central medallion, Ardabil

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he Ardabil Carpet Ardabil, North-west Iran 1539 – 1540 Hand knotted carpet in wool and silk Width approx 535.5cm x length approx 1044cm Museum no: 272-1893 Translation of text woven into carpet: `Except for thy threshold, there is no refuge for me in all the world. Except for this door there is no resting-place for my head.

The work of the slave of the portal, Maqsud Kashani.` Maqsud was probably the court official charged with producing the carpets.

He was not necessarily a slave in the literal sense but called himself one to express humility, while the word for `portal` can be used for a royal court or a shrine. Perhaps Maqsud meant both, as in this case the court was the patron of the shrine. The fourth line contains the date 946 in the Muslim calendar, which is equivalent to AD 1539 – 1540.

The entire surface of the Ardabil carpet is covered by a single integrated design – an impressive feat in view of the great size of the carpet. The basic design is relatively simple, and its components are well-balanced. Richness and variety are added by the use of con-

trasting background colours and the subtle differences between the filler patterns.

The border is composed of four parallel bands.

It surrounds a huge rectangular field, which has a large yellow medallion in its centre. The medallion is surrounded by a ring of pointed oval shapes, and a lamp is shown hanging from either end. This centrepiece is matched by four corner-pieces, which are quarters of a similar but simpler composition, without the lamps.

The two lamps The lamps shown hanging from the centrepiece are of different sizes. Some people think this was done to create a perspective effect – if you sat near the small lamp, both would appear to be the same size. Yet there is no other evidence that this type of perspective was used in Iran in the 1530s, when the carpet was made. What is more, the lamps themselves are shown as flat shapes rather than as three-dimensional objects.

Another view is that the difference is a deliber-

Detail showing the filler patterns in the Ardabil carpet

ate flaw in the design, reflecting the belief that perfection belongs to God alone The filler patterns Each part of the design is filled with one or more types of scrollwork set with fantastic flowers or leaves. In some there are also symmetrical snaking forms that represent clouds.

The largest and most complex of these patterns covers the dark-blue background of the main field. Here two sets of scrolls are laid one on top of the other. As with the lamps, however, there is no attempt to create a sense of depth.

The flatness of the pattern matches the flat surface it decorates. This harmony between shape of an object and its decoration is characteristic of Islamic art, and it is something that the founders of the V&A greatly admired.

Comparisons with other carpet designs Chelsea carpet from Iran is a little older than the Ardabil carpet, and it is also very beautiful, but its design was created in a very different way. The Ardabil carpet is covered by a single, integrated design, whereas the pattern on the Chelsea carpet was loosely assembled from many different elements.

The main field of the Chelsea carpet has two X-shaped arrangements of medallions with dark backgrounds. The large gap in the middle is filled with a round fish pond flanked by two huge Chinese-style vases. Half of

this composition is repeated at each end of the main field. The rest of the field contains many relatively small motifs: trees in flower or in fruit, pairs of animals in combat or grazing, and sections of a fantastic scrollwork pattern.

The presence of animals in the design suggests that the Chelsea carpet was made for a secular setting. There are no animals in the design of the Ardabil carpet, which we know was made for use in a religious building.

The large Uşak carpet from Turkey is a little older than the Ardabil carpet. The medallions in its design are so large that they have become the dominant element.

The design of the Ardabil carpet is more successful. The ring of pointed ovals and the two lamps increase the size of the centrepiece, allowing it to fill the available space. At the same time, though, the gaps within it ensure that the centrepiece does not become so dominant that it overwhelms the rest of the design.

History of the Ardabil Carpet Why the Ardabil Carpet was made One of the main sights in the town of Ardabil in north-west Iran is the shrine of Shaykh Safi al-Din Ardabili, who died in 1334. The Shaykh was a Sufi leader, who trained his followers in Islamic mystic practices. After his death, his followers remained loyal to his family, who became increasingly powerful. In 1501, one of

Anteroom to the tomb of Shaykh Safi al-Din, commonly called the Hall of Lamps

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January 2013

MENACarpetNews his descendants, Shah Isma`il, seized political power. He united Iran for the first time in several centuries and established the Shi`i form of Islam as the state religion. Isma`il was the founder of the Safavid dynasty, named after Shaykh Safi al-Din. The Safavids, who ruled without a break until 1722, promoted the shrine of the Shaykh as a place of pilgrimage. In the late 1530s, Isma`il`s son, Shah Tahmasp, enlarged the shrine, and it was at this time, too, that the carpet was made as one of a matching pair.

The completion of the carpets was marked by a four-line inscription placed at one end. The first two lines are a poetic quotation that refers to the shrine as a place of refuge: Except for thy threshold, there is no refuge for me in all the world.

Except for this door there is no resting-place for my head.` The third line is a signature, `The work of the slave of the portal, Maqsud Kashani.` Maqsud was probably the court official charged with producing the carpets. He was not necessarily a slave in the literal sense but called himself one to express humility, while the word for `portal` can be used for a royal court or a shrine. Perhaps Maqsud meant both, as in this case the court was the patron of the shrine.

The fourth line contains the date 946 in the Muslim calendar, which is equivalent to AD 1539 – 1540.

The Ardabil Carpet and the V&A The two Ardabil carpets were still in the shrine of Shaykh Safi al-Din in 1843, when one was seen by two British visitors. Thirty years or more later, the shrine suffered an earthquake, and the carpets were sold off, perhaps to raise funds for repairs. The damaged carpets were purchased in Iran by Ziegler & Co., a Manchester firm involved in the carpet trade. Parts of one carpet were used to patch the other. The result was one `complete` carpet and one with no border.

In 1892, the larger carpet was put on sale by Vincent Robinson & Co. of London. The designer William Morris went to inspect it on behalf of this Museum. Reporting that the carpet was `of singular perfection … logically and consistently beautiful`, he urged the Museum to buy it. The money was raised, and in March 1893 the Museum acquired the carpet for £2000.

The second, smaller carpet was sold secretly to an American collector, and in 1953 it was given to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The Ardabil carpet hung on the wall in this gallery for many years. In 2006, the Museum created the extraordinary case in the centre of the gallery so that the carpet could be seen as intended, on the floor. To preserve its colours, it is lit for ten minutes on the hour and half-hour.

▲Uşak medallion carpet. Museum no. T.71-1914

▲The Chelsea Carpet. Museum no. 589-1890

The shrine of Shaykh Safi al-Din Ardabili (the impressive tomb tower on the right in this photograph). The other shrine buildings were added around it ►

The Ardabil Carpet on display inthe Jameel Gallery, V&A ▼

Plan of the shrine at Ardabil, showing where the carpets were situated ▼

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MENACarpetNews

INDEX INTERNATIONAL DESIGN EXHIBITION SAUDI ARABIA THE LARGEST INTERIORS ANDDESIGN EXHIBITION IN SAUDI ARABIA WELCOMES YOU IN

Strong Economies = Future Opportunities The Middle East offers the opportunity to tap into economies that are in a growth GDP cycle of 6% - 10%. Unmatched by Europe or N. America Saudi Arabia is just beginning Saudi Arabia is the largest growing economy in the Middle East with an estimated GDP economy of $578bn, making it one of the largest in the world What is driving the Saudi Economy?

The availability of vast amounts of Oil – 264billion barrels - 22% of the world’s reserves (OPEC) Huge government spending on infrastructure projects - budgeted at US $400 bn.

A growing population with 70% under the age of 30 – 26 million - rising to 29 Million by 2013.

The total package for social spending will be close to 30% of GDP ($430 billion in 2010).

Much of the spending package, close to $90 billion, is aimed at increasing housing and meeting the target of an additional 2 million units by 2015.

Jeddah a hub for business Jeddah is the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh.

Jeddah is the largest city in the Makkah Province.

The area inhabited is more than 1,500 square km, with a population of 2.9 million people.

Jeddah is located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia.

Jeddah houses the main port of the Kingdom on the Red Sea. It is also the largest sea port on the Red Sea. Unprecedented Opportunities Jeddah is the most cosmopolitan and tolerant of all Saudi Arabian cities, hosting expatriates

2013

from all over the world.

Jeddah is the main gateway through which most Muslim pilgrims arrive by air and sea to perform Omrah and Hajj or to visit the two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Medinah.

Ambitious plans for the development of economic cities such as Madinah Knowledge Economic City, King Abdullah Economic City and Jizan Economic City all of which will create strong demand for commercial interior products.

Investment of $66 billion has been earmarked for new homes by the General Housing Authority and it is estimated that the following spend will take place in the next 12 months: • $715 million will be spent on residential interior fit out • $821 million will be spent on commercial interior fit out

What is driving the Saudi Economy?

There is only ONE INDEX Exhibition INDEX Dubai now in its 21st year remains the Middle East and North Africa’s Exhibition...

Dubai, year, Africa s largest and most diverse international design exhibition delivering: • Over 900 exhibitors from 49 countries • Across 10 halls • Occupying 20,000 sqm of net floorspace • Attracting 25,000 visitors from over 100 countries • Ranging from Interior Designers and Architects to Consultants and Specifiers Before you go…

A taste of some of the major projects currently underway in the Kingdom…

King Abdullah Economic City Budget: US $60 bn The Region’s single largest private sector project incorporating sea port, industrial zone, business, educational, resort & residential districts Jeddah Skyscrapers

Budget: US $50 bn- Planned for locations across the city Kingdom City project Budget: US $27 bn Commercials, business, hotels and leisure. Including the world’s tallest tower.

Khuzam City Centre Budget: US $11 bn Complete upgrading and modernisation whilst maintaining the historic and cultural heritage throughout.

Jeddah Gate Budget: US $4 bn 6,000 housing units with commercials & leisure space Located close to the Jeddah(Madinah) Mecca train stations.

KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA IS THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO THE GCC REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR 2012 FROM 3.4% TO 4.3% Saudi Arabia continues to garner one of the largest market shares of the total GCC building construction market at 33%, which is still lead

by UAE at 48% of the market share US$400 billion to be spent by the Saudi Government on infrastructure projects

The Saudi Ministry of Health signed healthcare contracts worth over SR4 billion (US$1.07bn) in 2012.

The key elements are: - A database of over 25,000 industry professionals from Saudi Arabia - Advertising campaign in English and Arabic - Online marketing campaign - Email marketing campaign includes regular eshots to over 25,000 visitor contacts.

- A 6 - month dedicated Public Relations campaign - Direct mail campaign targets trade professionals from Saudi Arabia - A 6-week telemarketing campaign, which is carried out by Arabic speakers - Fax and SMS campaigns - Radio campaign Look forward to having you with us at the show!

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1.25 million homes to be built by 2014 US$43.8 billion is the 2013 forecast value of the Saudi Construction awards THE LARGEST INVESTOR IN OFFICE AND COMMERCIAL INTERIORS AND FIT-OUT SECTOR Saudi Arabia is the fastest growing market for commercial establishments in 2012, witnessing an extraordinary growth of 277% increase from US$1.5billion worth of commercial projects completed in 2011 to US$5.6 billion expected to complete in 2012.

Saudi Arabia plans to adopt a landmark budget in 2012 that will see a whopping US$45 billion spent on education and training, which will fuel the growth of fit-out spent on educational infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia is ranked the largest educational investor in the GCC with educational development projects worth US3.26 billion expecting to be completed in 2012.

In Saudi Arabia there are 2,900 new schools currently under construction, with plans to build an additional 742, as well as refurbishing 2,000 existing schools in the Kingdom.

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CAVALIERI D’ORIENTE. Horse and saddle covers By: Taher Sabahi - Roma 1991 Format 240 x 300 mm, 221 pages, 70 colour plates, 134 black and white illustrations, drawings, hardbound.

Prezzo di copertina: 100 € The catalogue of an exceptional review of pieces carefully chosen to describe their land of origin and its people and culture. see: http://www.taher-sabahi.org

January 2013