Afghan carpet producers combine tradition and craft with a modern and attractive patterns and shapes. In Afghanistan, there are known areas where for centuries handmade carpets in different patterns and qualities are produced. In the areas around in the capital Kabul in the East and in and around the cities of Herat in the West and in the South-Eastern Kandahar are known places of production. Different partly nomadic tribes have developed their own pattern in the course of time. The most famous pattern is called the GAD or sometimes Gol. The octagonal motif is derived according to the interpretation of the Persian word for flower and represents a highly stylized flower blossom. Other interpretations go towards the master motive of Turkmen nomadic tribes. These patterns are often simplistic pattern is called spelled.
Major tribes are the Tekke, Saryk, Yamoud, solar, or Tschaudor. Characterised by the nomadic life functional tableware and decorative can be found especially in older pieces of carpet Jewellery for tents and camels. The current carpet production in Afghanistan is a new way and assumes its innovation leadership in the carpet production in some areas. Are partly the previous pattern replaced by completely new patterns and originally Persian patterns copied and modified. The use of hand-versponnener wool and natural colors some high-quality carpets are made. The hand-spun yarn of sheep is very time consuming and therefore more expensive than machine spinned yarn in the production. It has a higher content of lanolin (wool FAT) and slightly shiny and vibrant visuals, this due to the friendly processing. Together with the natural colors arises an effective play of colours in the yarn.
Very popular are for about two decades, the so-called Ziegler”in Europe and the United States of America. It is reproductions of carpets of the Anglo Swiss company Ziegler, which by the early of seventies of the 19th century until the end of the twenties of the 20th century in the Southwest of Tehran/Iran rugs produced today’s Arak (280 km) and delivered to Europe. These reproductions are referred to as Ferahan or Tschubi and have a significantly better overall quality as the eponymous Indian brands. Tschubi, Tschobi, or Chobi means wood or Burl wood and suggests on the one hand on a used dye out and on the other hand tend to be bright, colored wood character of carpets. The carpets are shorn short mostly on 5 to 8 mm to achieve an old appearance. In recent years, new designs have kept enters the patterning. Here some designers are carpets, which are designed specifically for modern furnishings and are allocated to any tradition of pattern. Are partly existing Iranian and Afghan motifs developed and old, sometimes not more common patterns revived and modernized color. The Afghan carpet production is good, that is of Iran as one of the largest carpet producers with an export embargo in the United States and Afghanistan as producers find beneficiaries opportunities in the US market. It is also to mention that many Afghan refugees in Pakistan produce high-quality carpets in the border area Peshawar, which are strictly speaking no Afghan carpets, but in the production are very similar to the rugs produced in Afghanistan.