There and Back From India: The Carpet Expo in Varanasi
Hi everyone! I just returned from India where I attended the Carpet Expo in Varanasi. It’s the best show I have seen in the last 5 years. It seems that everyone stepped up their game and they are definitely more aggressive about business in the US than ever before. I expect the slowdown in Europe has prompted all the attention to US buyers. I have been trying for 5 years now to make a true Turkish knotted rug in India; with no avail the weavers have no interest at any price. Well…things have changed and I don’t really have a clue why, but I am not looking a gift horse in the mouth.
You may wonder what the big deal and why am I so excited. The reason is I love to produce old looking even worn new rugs and when you shear a Persian knot the warp lines become apparent at some point, a real turn off to me. The Turkish knot has a hood over the warps and the pile comes up through the center which when sheared still shows the wool and the warps are hidden. This going to allow us to do a much better finishing to these rugs at a much better price than in Turkey and Afghanistan, plus allow us to produce a consistent program.
Watch Out Nepal
These guys have finally achieved the look at fractional cost to Nepal. In Nepal the prices are controlled by the government, and they have doubled the prices in the last 10 years all in the name of Mao…The Tibetan despise these Maoist…and they are running the business which they are clueless about. The Tibetan where also slaughtered and simulated to Nepal because of Mao’s ruthless oppression. I have to admit the wool is better in Nepal and India uses viscose mostly instead of silk that is a big difference too. But the look for the dollar… wow well done…
Most of the new stuff will be here by the end of the year to the end of the 1st quarter 2014. When you have the opportunity please stop and check out why I am so excited. India has such a strange but intriguing culture to me. They have many gifts they give to the world but the rug industry heart is definitely there. It is a time when I can get out all my ideas and put it to the loom. It is very exciting and satisfying when it works.
