Video of the Chobi Kelim rug
The process of making an Afghan Kelim rug
Chobi Kelim rugs are mainly made by Turkmen and Uzbek women in their own homes in the Maymanah province of Afghanistan. Afghan Kelim rugs are woven on a simple loom, using approximately 1.2 kg of wool yarn per square metre of Chobi Kelim rug. Most weavers are women who, in addition to their household duties, earn extra money to support their families and their children's education. Young girls learn the technique of Kelim weaving at an early age, which is not considered child labour as they do it voluntarily as part of Afghan folk tradition. Men are less attracted to Kelim weaving and are therefore excluded from this tradition. Weavers are paid regularly for their work to ensure their livelihood, with the trader paying them weekly for the section of the Kelim they have completed. When guests come to the weaver's home, the women have to cook, but the weaving of the Kelim does not stop, as the female members of the guests help to weave the Kelim while they talk, thus strengthening the community spirit and cultural identity. When the chobi Kelim is finished, the trader takes it to the laundry where the Kelims are washed and then dried in the hot sun or with fans if the weather is not favourable. After these processes are completed, the Chobi rugs are transported to our warehouse and from there to our customers. I hope you appreciate the Kelim rug, which is not only the result of a long working process, but also a symbol of an ancient folk tradition, which highlights the physical beauty and cultural value of Chobi Kelim rugs. During our several decades in the carpet business, we have visited several carpet weavers in their homes to ensure that carpet production is not done by "forced child labour". At CarpetDepo it is an important ethical statement that we do not employ families where children are forced to work instead of learning, respecting human rights and promoting sustainable production.
Chobi Kelim rug is the Afghan art
Chobi Kelim rugs are very popular all over the world. In Afghanistan, they are hand woven by nomads and villagers. This type of Afghan Kelim rug is denser and more compact than other Kelim rugs. They are woven using a special technique which makes them thinner and therefore relatively quicker to weave than traditional oriental rugs.. After making, they are washed four times and then sun-dried. Afghan Kelim rugs have a traditional warm antique design, but are often available in a more modern version. They are very popular, mainly because they blend perfectly with most room colours, and fall into the category of reasonably priced rugs. They can be used as a decorative feature in the home, as a wall rug or as a traditional floor covering. Kelim, is the perfect rug for the living room or even for hallways or corridors as a runner rug.
How to clean a Chobi Kelim rug?
Caring for a Chobi Kelim rug does not require a great deal of expertise. Small stains can be easily removed with a slightly damp cloth or a commercially available carpet cleaning foam suitable for cleaning wool. For heavier stains, however, we recommend professional carpet cleaning companies. Chobi Kelim rugs can be cleaned on the lowest setting of the vacuum cleaner as they do not retain dust. There is an old tradition of hanging the Kelim and beating it with a carpet beater stick, but this is not really recommended as it can damage the hand woven Chobi Kelim rug as well as any other carpet.
We hope that you will be satisfied with the hand woven Chobi Kelim rug you purchase from us and that you will enjoy using it.
