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Technology Hand-Knotted Carpets - Rodopski kilim

Materials for Hand-Knotted Carpets

Our carpets are hand-knotted from 100% fine wool in pile on 100% cotton base. Sometimes we also use silk for certain motifs or details.

Quality (number of knots)

We offer carpets of two main qualities – 400/400 and 500/500. In hand-made carpets, we use the term “Quality” to signify the number of knots per linear meter. For example, quality 500/500 means that there are 500 knots in a linear meter (both horizontally and vertically), or the total of 250 000 knots per square meter. If a rug is of a smaller quality, it DOES NOT mean that it is of a worse quality. Usually, higher-quality rugs are made if there are smaller details in the rug design. Most classical Persian carpets have designs rich in very small motifs, which require higher number of knots. In contrast, most geometric or modern designs do not rely that much on details that is why the number of knots there is not so high.

Pile

The pile height is between 4 and 8 millimeters. There is a wide-spread belief, that the higher the pile height (the thicker the carpet), the better the carpet itself. This, however, is entirely wrong. Detailed designs require lower pile height. That is why carpets of higher knot-count are always made with lower pile height.

Designs for carpets

Shapes and Sizes

We are equally experienced in the creation of carpets of various shapes – rectangular, square, oval, circular. We have made a number of rugs with irregular shapes – even trapezoid and triangular. Our carpets can be of any sizes, as long as they are up to 6 meters in width.

Colors and Designs

Since we are dying the wool for our carpets at Rodospki Kilim, we have no limitations of colors. Throught history, most of our carpets have been of traditional classical designs, we have been recently focusing on contemporary designs as well. Nowadays there are two major trends in the designs of decorative carpets. One of them is the classical trend inspired by the traditional Persian designs rich in floral motifs and intricate details. The other one is the modern trend based on the ideas and models of contemporary designers and relying predominantly on the overall color effects rather than detailed motifs. We at Rodopski Kilim are admirers of both trends. Our firm belief is that beauty cannot be categorized and we leave the choice of design entirely to our customers. What we guarantee is that we will incarnate beauty in our carpets no matter what their design is.

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The Tradition of Carpet Creations

Hand-made Carpet-making in Bulgaria

The craft of knotting hand-made carpets has been brought to Bulgaria at the beginning of the 19th century by some Armenian families who moved to live in this country. Gradually, the craft began to flourish and spread around different regions. It provided living to a number of families devoted entirely to its development. During socialism, hand-made carpet-making was organized as an industry subsidized by the government because the products were exported for hard currency to Western Europe.

After the collapse of socialism the government subsidies ceased. Bulgarian producers were exposed to severe price competition from Asia. Most of the carpet companies found it extremely difficult to cope with the new market conditions and gradually closed down or changed their business.

In spite of the market difficulties, Rodopski Kilim preserved its traditions in carpet-making due to two main reasons – our love of the art of hand-made carpets, and our understanding of customer needs. We have always believed that we will preserve and continue the tradition of carpet-making in Bulgaria, and thus keep our customers – the admirers of the art of decorative carpets – satisfied with our products.