Saudi Arabia is a well-known country for its carpet and flooring production. Alongside the internal usage of the people inside the country, a great number of carpets and floorings are exported every year and it is expected to increase in the future. The production helps not only to the people who work directly in it but also is a great benefit for the affiliated industries.
A carpet is a material for covering the floor that is woven by hand or in factories. It consists of a layer of pile over a backing that was mainly made of wood in the past, but since the last centuries, different types of fiber have been used frequently.
Saudi Arabia and the Carpet industry
Arabian Carpet was first introduced to the western world by Italian merchants that traded with wealthy Arab tribes in the Renaissance. Arabian rugs have undergone significant changes after development of Islam. One specific type of rug known as Sajadeh was created afterward and is designed by Islamic art.
Due to the cultural and religious similarities in Saudi Arabia with its neighbor countries, the pattern, texture and materials used in the traditional flooring production industries are mainly similar, although there are specific cultural symbols and substances that characterize Arabian carpets individually.
There are several types of rugs woven in Saudi Arabia. One of the famous ones is the Tribal rug which is woven by people of different tribes and is usually smaller than many other floorings made in the city; for, the devices used in the tribes should be small, portable, and not so heavy. Floorings and carpets made in the city and modern factories are rather different. Here we are going to have a brief look at the carpet industry in Saudi Arabia.
Production
In the past, most of the Arabian carpets and floorings used to be small with geometrical or abstract patterns that were dyed with natural colors such as, red, blue, or green with some black parts and they mostly would use wool or in some regions camel hair or goat hair. Nowadays, not only the rugs have got larger (something like wall to wall), but also the type of yarns have gone through a lot of change, altering from natural into oil-based polymers. Meanwhile, as the industry has grown alongside technology, the range of colors has widened and more colorful carpets with interesting patterns are being produced.
Saudi Arabia is a successful producer of wall-to-wall carpet that is mostly used in hotels, towers and commercial buildings. A wall-to-wall carpet is a flooring that covers the whole surface of the floor and is mostly made of synthetic yarns.
There are several factors that help the production in carpet industry and flooring to grow. In recent years, the demand for using nature-friendly productions and construction of green buildings has increased in Saudi Arabia; the companies are being asked to use materials that can be recycled. For instance, less usage of polymer carpet yarns and applying other natural resources like wool has been mentioned. Although this cannot be done easily because each type of rug needs a specific yarn with different textures.
Traditional Arabian carpet
Market
The importance of the flooring and carpet industry in Saudi Arabia is not limited to export, but also for internal usage inside the country. There are huge numbers of hotels and personal properties that demand high quality carpet, flooring and rugs yearly. Hotels are placed on top of the list in this subject.
Every year, Saudi Arabia welcomes many pilgrims from all around the world and the hotels need to provide suitable and satisfying flooring for their clients. This is done by the help of great factories such as Al Sorayai, Al Abdullatif, etc. that work specifically in the field of flooring and carpet industry. Alongside covering the floor, traditional carpets are known as valuable handcrafts and modern ones that are made in factories, are known as special decorative parts of houses and rooms. Thus, the market for this industry is wide and spreads around the globe.
Affiliated industries
The spinning industry is the major profession that is affected by flooring and Carpet industry and produces the yarn that is needed for the production of carpets and other types of flooring.
The warp and woof need to be made individually, apart from the carpet production process and it creates job opportunities for many people. Most of the warp and woofs are made of cotton.
Carpet design industries are engaged in this field as well. The color, pattern and shape of the carpets and floorings change within the novelties in fashion. The designers have to create layouts that are modern and meet the needs of clients.
Some of the yarns such as acrylic have to be kept and produced at a specific temperature and humidity; the carpet industries always need devices for adjusting the temperature of their salons so they can make sure their products have the best quality.
One of the top industrial investment companies in Saudi Arabia is Al Abdullatif company that works specifically in the carpet industry and yarns; wool, nylon, polyester and acrylic yarns are some of the productions that are made and exported by this company.
Abdullatif is among the top companies in the flooring and carpet industry in the Arab world.
A sample of Arabian carpet
Based on the evidence and the collected data, some of the experts have predicted significant growth in the industry of carpet and flooring in Saudi Arabia. Oil is the main substance exported from Saudi Arabia but in recent years, this country has experienced magnificent growth in exporting other commodities and one of the most successful ones is carpet and flooring. American and European countries are the major users of Arabian carpets and cooperate with their companies.
Features of Arabian carpet
Before the industrial revolutions of the recent centuries, rug weaving had been an art and industry exclusively for women; families would begin teaching this handcraft to their girls from childhood.
Most of the Arabian carpets are made of wool but sometimes silk is used as well. Arabian Carpets are well known for their unique color, style and material that are not easily found in other regions of the world.
Carpet tiles
Carpet tiles are ceramic tiles that make the patterns of a rug on the floor. Its usage has increased in recent years especially in hotels and Saudi Arabia is among the top countries in producing and importing it.
There is one point that should be considered; the term Arabian Carpet can refer to rugs and carpets made in any Arabian country whether in the Middle East or North Africa.
wall to wall carpets cover the whole surface
