View this video of our handmade rug collection. Best viewed in full screen.
Our selection of handmade rugs includes recycled patchwork kilim rugs by Ethnicon, traditional felt rugs from Kyrgyzstan and Turkey and Egyptian Kilim rugs. All our rugs are handmade using sustainable materials and eco friendly traditional rug making methods.
Turkey is world renowned for the quality of its flat weave kilim rugs. Over the last decade this ancient tradition has been re harnessed and reinvigorated with a variety of new styles and designs, not least of which is the currant popularity of vintage rugs and curtains that have been recycled and redesigned as new and striking patchwork . Modern day rug manufacturers collect old and damaged kilims, curtains and burlap sacks from around Anatolia and use them to create contemporary pieces that still retain their ethnic allure.
Recycled patchwork rugs also have an appeal on another level that is important to modern day consumers as they are considered to be very environmentally friendly, made with 100% pure recycled wool and dyed using traditional natural vegetable dyes. These kilims embrace the concerns about sustainability and ethical shopping.
This beautiful blend of both ethnic & contemporary design styles fits very nicely with modern minimalist design concepts
Each recycled rug is made by a professional designer who creates a new work of art in its own right, incorporating unusual and unique details into his rugs, such as beads, tassels, wish knots and blemishes found in the original pieces. It is then re-dyed, normally in bold statement colours as has long been the tradition in Turkish kilims.
The wish knots you see on many of the pieces have their own secret story as each one was sewn into the original textiles by young girls from the east of Turkey each knot representing a wish that the young girl has for her future.
They also make very striking wall hangings.
Shyrdak felt rugs featured on our site have been painstakingly hand crafted by the highly skilled women of Naryn Oblast, Kyrgyzstan. Shyrdak felt rugs have long been a traditional part of domestic life in rural areas of Kyrgyzstan and the ability to make them is particular to the country women of Kyrgyzstan. Individual artisans make each felt rug which are then collected together by NGO's this is a valuable source of income for traditional herds people and helps them to support a traditional life style in remote places. Each Shyrdak felt rug is made by sewing contrasting patterns onto a felt base, the patterns usually have a positive negative theme which means that no felt is wasted as a reverse mirror image of the rugs is also created as you can see in the examples below. Designs seen on Shyrdak felt rugs are traditionally inspired by the natural environment which the makers are surrounded by. Here is an article about shyrdak felt rug symbols.
A bird in flight. 
A Kyrgyz comb symbolising cleanliness.
Bird tracks symbolising a persons interaction with their society and family, the lasting imprint they leave.
Night & Day 
Dogstail symbolising friendship.
Besh barmak (literally five fingers) refers to a traditional Kyrgyz meal eaten with the five fingers of the right hand and the symbol represents the feeling of contentment after consuming the meal.
This motif shows a person bestowing a blessing. 
The Jer symbolises the World.
A motif called eternal movement symbolic of the relentless movement of nature and the four seasons.
Kymyz flask, Kymyz is the national drink of Kyrgyzstan made from fermented horses milk. The motif is symbolic of success and generosity.
Three leaves representing summer pastures.
The seed symbolic of blessing and growth.
A double crescent moon depicting both the waxing and waning and representing good sleep.
The Morning Star. 
The Sun.
The symbol for soldiers standing to attention, protecting the homeland.
This pattern visually represents the lattice work on the frame of a yurt wall and is symbolic of protection and interdependency.
Saddle bags the symbol for faith, hope and trust. 
The Tree of Life.
Spring water symbolising new beginnings.
River water.
The Mountains of Kyrgyzstan sometimes depicted with a jagged edge which represents snow, this is a symbol of protection.
Mother & child symbolic of the keeper of the hearth and the safety of home.
The Rams horn symbolic of wealth and fortune. 
The rain also the symbol for victory.
The North Star. 
The Tulip representing spring.
A talisman common among Turkic people to protect from spirits.
The Pomegranate.
The Rib and Spine, used in repetition on a shyrdak to show strength and support.
All our rugs are eco friendly rugs, we only stock rugs that are environmentally friendly and made with natural and sustainable materials.
All the colour dyes used in our rugs our made using traditional natural dyes, mostly vegetable based.
Our environmentally friendly rugs are not treated with any chemicals to make them stain resistant or more durable.
Our patchwork rugs are made using entirely recycled materials.
Ethnicon Rugs represent a new interpretation of nomadic and tribal arts of Anatolia, old and traditional kilims are collected from around Turkey and used to create new contemporary and yet still alluringly ethnic pieces, this beautiful blend of both ethnic & contemporary design styles fits very nicely with modern minimalist design concepts. These stunning kilim rugs are made by a professional designer who pays attention to incorporating unusual and unique details into his rugs, such as beads tassels, wish knots and blemishes found in the original pieces. This mix of old and new also embraces modern day concepts of recycling, sustainability and ethical shopping. Ethnicon kilim rugs are made using pure wool and dyed using natural vegetable dyes.
To see our collection of Ethnicon rugs click here.
To watch a short video about Ethnicon “A new breed of Turkish carpet” click here.
Felt rugs have been made by nomadic tribes in the Taurus mountain region of central Anatolia(Turkey)for longer then recorded history. Felting is an age old tradition practised across much of central and western Asia, felting is thought to have its origins in the neolithic age, predating weaving. Felt has historically played an important part in the lives of nomadic peoples being used for shelters, blankets, rugs, clothing and even votive images. The Anatolian felt rugs available on this website are all semi antique and represent an opportunity to own a beautiful and historic vintage textile.
To see our collection of Anatolian felt rugs click here.
Felt rugs from Kyrgyzstan traditionally called shyrdak rugs are made by nomadic tribes in the Tien Shan Mountains. For years these striking rugs have been used to decorate yurts or passed along as gifts and heirlooms. Shyrdak felt rugs are famous for their bright contrasting colours and symbolic motifs Made by pressing two different coloured felt panels together and dyed using natural dyes, these beautiful rugs represent years of Kyrgyz culture and heritage. Shyrdak rugs fit in well in with contemporary design ideals and also score well from an ethical viewpoint as there production is not harmful to the environment and is made using 100% sustainable materials. They are suitable to be used as both rugs and wall hangings.
Making A Shyrdak Felt Rug
It takes the wool from approximately five sheep to make one shyrdak rug. The wool is picked clean washed, dried then dyed. Traditionally they have stuck with high contrast colours such as red and green, yellow and black, brown and white. Different colour combinations have different meanings, for example when you see red and blue together it represents the mountains and lake Issyk-kul. At this point a brightly coloured pattern is laid on to a plain background this is then liberal soaked with soap and water rolled up and literally pressed this process is repeated. Once the pattern starts to hold the rug is reversed soaked and rolled again after some hours the shyrdak rug is left to dry. Two contrasting layers of felt are the laid on top of one another and a pattern is then marked on the top layer in chalk. This is painstakingly and laboriously cut out with the felt maker frequently sharpening the knife which will blunt quickly. This creates a stunning positive/negative style visual image usually full of symbolic motif images that represent things around them i.e. the water, goat horns a yurt etc. The felt that is cut from the top layer is not wasted and is used to create another mirror image shyrdak with the reverse colours of the original shyrdak.
Care for your Felt Rug
Well looked after your Shyrdak felt rug can last you for 30+ years, the thick felt bases and patterns that are hand stitched into position make for a hardy long lasting rugs. As with all rugs the life expectancy depends a lot on the usage if your rug is in an area of very heavy traffic then it will probably not last as long as one in area with less foot fall.
It is not recommend that you wash or dry clean your Shyrdak felt rug, stain removers and sprays should also be avoided. If you accidently spill a drink on your Shrydak felt rug you should dab it clean with a clean dry cloth or blot it up with kitchen towel (do not rub as this may damage the surface). The natural lanolin in the sheep’s wool means the rugs have a degree of natural defence against water based liquids. It is not recommended that you use a vacuum cleaner on your rug as this can damge the stitching, instead occasionally beating your rug with a traditional rug beater or broom handle will help to revitalise the rug and removes any surface dirt.