Khujum Carpet Factory

The East is a delicate matter, and to feel the energy of one of the pearls of medieval Central Asia, Samarkand, will help not only monumental architectural monuments, which abound in the city, but also objects of modern art, embodying the versatility of Oriental culture and art. 

One of such art objects is undoubtedly a real handmade Uzbek carpet. The times when the carpet was used only for insulation of premises are long gone, today a silk carpet, as an element of decor, is an object that reflects the taste, sense of style, well-being and wealth of its owner. Absolutely every silk carpet carries its own unique history, energy and evokes a feeling of genuine and indescribable delight in everyone whose gaze falls on this work of art.

One of the few places on earth where the tradition of hand-sewing silk carpets is still preserved, in its best traditions, is the heart of the Great Silk Road of the Middle Ages, the city of Samarkand.

It was in this city that the Khudzhum carpet factory was opened in 1992, which today is one of the main attractions of the city, where you can not only admire handmade silk carpets, but also trace the carpet production in real time, starting from the production of silk threads and until the appearance of the finished masterpiece. 

Only natural materials are used in the production of carpets at this factory. Silk is obtained from silkworm caterpillars. Then, the silk threads are dyed with natural dyes, which are brewed in large vessels located in the yard of the factory. Pomegranate peel, green walnut, asparagus leaves and other vegetable products are used as dyes. Next, the carpet manufacturing process begins, which takes place in the halls of the factory. Samarkand craftswomen who have mastered the art of sewing carpets from their mothers and grandmothers, it takes an average of about a year or even more to create one carpet. With the help of ordinary scissors and hooks, they create knots, the density of which will depend on the quality and cost of the carpet. On average, there are 150 nodules per square centimeter, and girls create them at a rate of 25 nodules per minute. The personal record of the Khudzhum factory is a carpet, the density of knots of which was 600 pieces per one centimeter squared. Every visitor to the factory can follow the painstaking work of the craftswomen. 

It is noteworthy that the drawings of Samarkand carpets are more dominated by floral patterns, unlike Bukhara, where the ornament is made with geometric patterns. 

To date, there are few factories where silk carpets would be made by hand, and there are fewer and fewer masters who own this craft. Samarkand carpets are in no way inferior in quality to their Persian counterparts. 

Every visitor of the factory can order a carpet according to his personal sketch or photo, buy ready-made or just enjoy the richness of the carpet exposition. 

In addition, at the factory, craftsmen will teach everyone to distinguish a true handmade carpet from its cheaper fake, which is made in factories.