The Berber people traditionally use their carpets not only to cover the floor, but also as a mattress or a wall decoration, while the more precious pieces get only taken out for special occasions and celebrations. You will find that in the winter months a family might use their woolen carpet to keep warm at night, too.

A traditional handcrafted Berber carpet should not be compared to the idea we have of carpets in our latitudes. Berber carpets are hand-woven from natural materials such as sheep and camel wool, sometimes cotton, or recycled textiles.

The weaver is always a woman – unlike, for example, in case of baskets, which are woven by men. According to the complexity of the pattern and the carpet’s size it may take the weaver several months to complete one. In the end the carpet tells a story from a chapter in the life of its creator. Each of these carpets is a work of art, similar to a poem, novel, or a painter’s canvas.

You may have noticed that some of our carpets and pillows don’t look like new. It is because they aren’t.

Vintage pieces are prized for their unique look, but also for the quality of traditional handicraft and the material, which they are made of.

In some carpets you might not even notice its age, its only sign being a delicate patina, which renders the carpet its distinct character, and hints of the story it has lived. On the other hand, interestingly, some of the most valued vintage carpets may even host a few holes!

A Berber carpet is often made on the occasion of a special event in the family, such as the birth of a child or a wedding. This is, in fact, the only way to determine its exact age, by learning about its past.

But just like in life, age doesn’t matter when choosing your Berber carpet.

What matters is what you feel when you lay your eyes on it – wonder, excitement, delight… and the knowledge that you belong with one another.