The history of machine-made carpets in Iran indicates that machine-made carpets have been around for about 40 years in the country.

The first machine-made carpets were produced in Kashan factories in the 1950s using jacquard velvet weaving machines with short and light pile made from synthetic fibers. During this time, some merchants also imported carpets with similar characteristics from Belgium.

Due to the relatively good reception of these carpets by the people, owners of workshops and wealthy benefactors from Kashan established a large company named “Sanaye Kashan” (Kashan Industries).

This company focused on producing materials related to carpets and also ventured into carpet production, with its first products entering the market in 1974.

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These carpets were quite different from those previously imported and bore closer resemblance to hand-woven carpets, especially those woven with wool, which gained popularity.

Subsequently, other companies were founded and competition intensified. However, in 1979, properties were confiscated, and these companies came under the control of government organizations.

Inexperienced and less knowledgeable individuals then took over the management of these companies, causing a decline in the carpet industry.

By 1978, some factory owners and artisans involved in the carpet industry began establishing private sectors for carpet production and showed significant progress in their work.

Meanwhile, state-owned companies gradually ceased operations. In fact, a major transformation occurred in Iran’s carpet industry in 1986, leading to over 1,600 carpet production units competing in Iran.

Various machines produce machine-made carpets, and regarding their materials, they are made from acrylic or BCF (Bulk Continuous Filament) or a blend of these.

Carpets made from pure acrylic are expensive due to their high quality, whereas those made from artificial silk are popular in the market due to their non-shedding nature, durability, and ease of cleaning.

Carpets are categorized by their pile density, ranging from 350, 440, 500, 700, to 1,000 knots per square meter. The density ranges from 700 to 3,500 knots.

Density and knots in carpets:

There are two types of densities: width and length.

Width density (pile): Number of roots per meter of carpet width.

Length density (knot): Number of roots per meter of carpet length.

Carpet factories are present in most cities across the country, with varying capacities in different cities. Notably, major production centers include Aran and Bidgol, Kashan, Mashhad, Delijan, Yazd, Isfahan, Tehran, and Maku.

Traditional carpets typically feature a central medallion called “Toranj,” symbolizing a pond in old houses. “Lechak” refers to the four triangles located in the four corners of the carpet, while the border around the carpet is called the “Hashiyeh.”