Description
Afghan Balouchi rugs are made in the villages of Zakini, Taimani, and Kowdani, which are located in the province of Herat, Afghanistan. Balouchi rugs typically have geometric patterns and lively designs, and dominant colors include blues, reds and browns. As a result of the past 30 years of war and foreign invasion of Afghanistan, most of the weavers in the villages have moved to the cities and are no longer weaving rugs. Therefore, you rarely see a newly woven Balouchi rug in the market but this particular rug was made by the weavers in the villages of Herat. They were woven in a very primitive way on flat wooden looms that lay on the ground. The process of making a rug includes cleaning, washing and dyeing the wool which is sourced from local sheep.
Herat Oriental works with over 2,000 village weavers to create beautiful, authentic, handmade rugs. The majority of the weavers are women, who live in the villages of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Persia and India. As we grow, we are able to create more jobs for female weavers who otherwise would not have the opportunity to do so. The community also thrives from rug weaving as the local farmers benefit from wool sales, and the local artisans create natural and vegetable dyes for the weavers to use in their designs. Due to the handmade nature of our rugs, the size may vary from as advertised by 3-4 inches. Regular vacuuming and annual professional cleaning will keep your rug looking new for years to come.
