The Benefits of Sustainably Produced Cultural Survival Rugs.

Submitted by Peter Cohen, Manager, The Magic Carpet

Barakat Rug at The Magic Carpet.

The resurgence of traditionally made rugs began in the 1980’s with the DOBAG Cultural Survival Project lead by Dr. Harald Bohmer, a chemist who was the catalyst in the re-introduction of hand-carding and hand-spinning wool, as well as the use of vegetable dyes. In 1993 Chris Walter and Habibullah Karimi founded the Barakat Cultural Survival Project based on Dr. Bohmer’s research. Because quality rugs had virtually disappeared worldwide, their shared vision was to re-establish the genius of the Afghan weaving culture, while promoting education, especially for women and girls who had been economically and socially marginalized.

This has lead to the building of 2 schools and 32 adult literacy programs in Afghanistan, 3 schools in Pakistan and directly helping more than 3,000 women and children per year. The model has been duplicated in rug weaving communities in India (the Zamin Project), and with the Machik Project run by Tibetan refugees in Nepal.

Cultural Survival rugs are woven with age-old traditional methods, using superior wool from sustainable sheep herds, returning to a time before machine production dominated the industry with inferior products. Cultural Survival rugs are made with hand-carded and hand-spun wool, and natural dyes that are derived from local roots and plants. As they are hand-knotted with these superior materials, they are some of the finest and most durable carpets woven anywhere in the world.

The rugs are gorgeous and come from families proud of their achievement. They are created to last for generations - the antiques of the future.

For the past 15 years, The Magic Carpet has been dedicated to supporting Cultural Survival Projects and the weaving families they work with. Through sponsoring fundraisers over the years and providing in-store educational events, we as well as our customers have helped make a difference. Every Cultural Survival rug sold at the Magic Carpet provides education for women and children, brings sustainability to rug weaving communities, and supports the continuity of a cultural art form with a 2,500 year heritage.

We invite you to The Magic Carpet to peruse our Best of the World exhibit which features antique carpets as well as magnificent Barakat rugs. Enjoy our Storewide Sale! 20% off until January 15, 2014.

We will be offering monthly educational articles on the extraordinary art and history embodied by Oriental rugs. In our next article we will be exploring the use of the color red in Oriental rugs.

For any questions about Oriental rugs, please contact us at 530-265 9229 or at . We are located at 408 Broad Street(The New York Hotel) in Nevada City.