As a historically welcoming crossroads for many civilizations, Tunisia has long been famous for its woven wares. In the 5th Century AD, Greek poets already praised the “embroidered carpets and pillows of Carthage,” and during the first centuries of Islam, the Aghlabite emirate of Kairouan paid dues to the Caliph of Baghdad partially in carpets. Thanks to Kairouan, the ancient art of tapestry weaving has flourished through the ages and continues to thrive today. Since Kairouan is the oldest and most famous carpet center in Tunisia, the selection of Kairouanese carpets is enormous. They are usually classified into four large categories: the Alloucha, the Zarbia, the Mergoum, and the Kilim.

Unfortunately, at the beginning of the 20th Century, the introduction of chemical dyes and their improper use somewhat altered the excellent quality of local carpets, causing a local Kairouanese family to create a new type of carpet, known as the Alloucha. This carpet, hand-knotted, uses only the palette of hues naturally found in sheep’s wool: white, black, and tones in between such as grey, beige, and brown. The carpets have wide borders composed of parallel bands dotted by stylized, geometric floral motifs. The center of the carpet features a hexagonal field with a lozenge at its heart. Today this carpet design is largely identified with Kairouan. The carpets of Kairouan are entirely handmade, starting with the shearing of the sheep, progressing through the selection and washing of the wools, the spinning of the thread, and ending with the weaving and knotting of the carpets themselves.

Furthermore, the creativity and artistic talent of Kairouanese artisans continue to improve on the basic designs through experimentation with an infinite variety of patterns and colors, often producing new masterpieces of harmony and elegance. An example is the Zarbia, a variation of high nap where reddish brown tones dominate. This ongoing desire to come up with new models and patterns results in an ever-greater treasure trove of Kairouanese carpets, all inspired by the rich heritage of Tunisia, and responding to the changing requirements of the clientele. Tunisian artisans have thus explored, with remarkable success, the marriage of a wide range of Tunisian traditional models to modern designs, creating a new line of carpets that satisfy even the most contemporary tastes. Between ancient, authentic Kairouan and the adaptations of the Persian model, some contemporary Kairouanese carpets are now receiving international recognition due to their originality, their high quality, and their exclusive ties to Tunisia and her traditions.

Another carpet of renown is the Mergoum, a model that uses a light geometric Berber design incorporating a multitude of hues.

The original Kairouanese carpet with 40,000 knots per m2 (20 x 20) has evolved into the high-end modern version that boasts 250,000 knots per m2 (50 x 50). Intermediary textures, such as those featuring 30 x 30 and 40 x 40, are today the most common and the most in demand.

With good reason to be proud of the excellent quality of their carpets, Tapis la Tunisie (Tunisian Carpets) has established an extremely rigorous system of quality control, and only those carpets that satisfy the high standards of the board are blessed with the coveted tag that reads “First Choice” (premier choix), delivered by the Tunisian National Office of Artisans. The tag is found on the underside of the carpet, and also describes the exact quality, texture, measurements, type, and production date of the carpet. This is our guarantee of excellence to you.