In an industry where quality, design and heritage intertwine, Arad Carpet Company stands out as a brand that marries traditional sensibilities with modern machine-carpet manufacturing. We sat down with the company’s managing director, Mr. Saber, to discuss the origins of Arad Carpet, its philosophy, and where the Iranian machine-made carpet industry stands today.
From Silk Exports to High-Density Carpet Weaving
According to Saber, Arad Carpet’s roots go back decades — the “Saber family’s extensive experience in the textile and machine carpet industries” laid the foundation. The journey began with his grandfather’s silk exports, then evolved into machine-made carpets under his father, who produced 500-reed, 1000-density carpets.
Over time, the family expanded — launching a 700-reed, 2550-density production line. Ultimately, equipped with modern weaving machinery acquired in 2016, the current iteration of the business took shape as Arad Carpet Company, producing 1500-reed carpets with density reaching 4500 — a significant leap in technical specification.
“By purchasing up-to-date machine-weaving equipment in 2016 … we began to make 1500 reeds carpets with a density of 4500.”
What Arad Offers — Designs, Styles and Material Choices
Arad Carpet’s collection comprises high-density carpets woven from premium low-lint acrylic yarn. Their range comes in two styles: “classic” and “vintage.”
- Classic style includes traditional patterns — designs named after iconic Persian carpet traditions (Afshan, Tabriz, Isfahan, Kheshti). These are produced in calm, subtle color palettes, with eight distinct hues.
- Vintage style features bold, high-contrast color schemes or light, harmonious color blends — aiming for a modern yet traditional-inspired aesthetic.
The company showcased its latest vintage and classic collections at the 2021 International Carpet Exhibition, signaling its ambitions beyond domestic markets.
On the Importance of Original Design — a Critical View of Industry Trends
When asked about originality in carpet design, Saber didn’t mince words. While many carpet makers rehash common patterns and colors, he emphasizes the importance of authentic, unique design:
“We tried to show our products uniquely … so that we could feel the distinction between our carpets and the carpets on the market.”
Yet, he admits that the broader machine-made carpet industry still lacks truly creative designers:
“Every day, the field of carpet design advances, but there is still much more work to be done. We don’t have many designers who generate original designs … most … duplicate other people’s work.”
In his view, originality should not be a luxury but a standard — otherwise, carpets become mere commodities, indistinguishable across producers.
Export Ambitions & Industry Outlook
Though Arad Carpet is relatively young, the company already boasts “substantial performance” in export markets. Saber explained that their strategy rests on tailoring collections to the tastes of their targeted export regions.
Looking at the bigger picture, he sees strong potential for the Iranian machine-made carpet industry to become a major driver of non-oil exports — provided that the sector unifies behind consistent quality standards and export-oriented planning. Annually, Iran is said to produce around 140 million square meters of carpets; with domestic consumption modest, there’s ample product for global markets.
On Digital Sales — Early Days, But Eyes on the Future
Currently, Arad Carpet does not sell directly via online retail. Instead, they rely on virtual exhibitions through social media and maintain physical showrooms across the country. However, expanding into online sales in the near future is among their planned moves — especially to reach customers across the Middle East and North Africa region.
According to Saber, their competitive advantage is rooted in uncompromising quality at every production stage — from yarn selection to design and color coordination — believing that this gives them a real shot at international competitiveness.
