Since the advent of the Internet which has turned communications upside down, reducing the world to a small village, the classical chain of distribution of merchandise has become obsolete (producer, wholesaler, middleman, merchant, etc.).

A good number of intermediaries have thus gone the way of the dodo, leaving in their stead direct contact between the producer of goods and the consumer.

Do you know that when you buy a carpet at an artisan's shop, an entire chain of intermediaries benefit from large commissions, passed principally on to you, the consumer? Starting with the travel agent, the guides and drivers you might hire, and ending with the carpet seller himself, percentages on the order of 20%, 10%, and 20% go to each of the persons mentioned above, without even counting hotel employees, taxis, etc.

The typical customer therefore ends up paying two or even three times more than the beginning price because of intermediaries, « Beznaz, » small middlemen, constantly on the lookout for the tourists who constitute their livelihood.

Our goal is to help you purchase the best quality carpet possible, directly from the artisan's atelier, with only a very small percentage for our services which will go towards the upkeep of our website, www.kairouan.org , thereby saving you at least 50% of the commissions you would ordinarily pay out to various middlemen.

As you can see, our mission is to eliminate intermediaries, allowing the artisans themselves to sell their wares at a reasonable price, thereby keeping an ancient and noble tradition alive

Our goal is also to demonstrate that we as well have come to understand what a powerful and fabulous tool the Internet can be, allowing potential customers to electronically browse our illustrated catalogue which has text explaining the origin or the carpets offered for sale, how they are made, and how to keep them looking new forever.

For internet users, this is a way to visit us in Kairouan without leaving the comfort of your armchair at home, and thereby discover the life and work of those individuals who produce the carpet you will add to beautify your home.

Soon we will offer the convenience of a digital camera by which customers will be able to elaborate and adapt carpet designs from a distance, follow the evolution of their own carpet as it is being made, and suggest corrections or adjustments while engaged in dialogue with the artisans.

All of our artisans are natives of Kairouan, home to the Tunisian carpet industry for over 13 centuries, and eager always to provide the best quality and most beautiful hand-knotted carpets at the best possible price.

The carpets shown on our website are only a few examples of the large and varied palette of natural wool Kairouanese carpets, « alloucha, » or dyed wool carpets, « zarbia, » available for purchase.

It would be our great pleasure to guide you towards the perfect carpet for your particular needs and home.
By purchasing an authentic Kairouanese carpet you contribute to keeping Tunisian traditions of craftsmanship, some of them over 3,000 years old, alive. At the same time, you encourage the use of natural and long-lasting primary materials, thus ensuring the aesthetic and authentic features of a genuine item.

Authentic Kairouanese carpets are the vehicle of age-old cultural traditions and embody both history and a rare beauty that signify true prestige

Last but not least, since it is difficult to judge and appreciate any article of true beauty and value without being able to physically touch and inspect it minutely and carefully, all carpets come with a money-back guarantee.

tapis@kairouan.org