SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region – The hand-woven carpets made at a factory in the city of Sulaimani in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Region are of such quality that they are easily mistaken for the highly-prized Tabriz rugs made in neighboring Iran.
And that is just the way some customers like it: Iranian businessmen are among the main customers for the Kurdish carpets.
“They purchase our products on condition that we print Made in Tabriz instead of Kurdistan, where they are made,” said factory manager Rizagar Aziz.
“In order to continue to sell our products, we have to comply,” he said.
Since opening in 1997, the factory has trained many women to become professional carpet weavers.
Amina Abdulla, a longtime factory worker, in the factory, said, “I got promoted for my talents.”
Abdulla, 39, said that at first she knew nothing about carpet weaving. “Now, I can make a hand-woven carpet in less than two months.”
Aziz said that the factory is a place of opportunity for talented women who have no other jobs. “We want to give them a tool to unlock their potential so that they benefit from their talent,” he said.
Chiro Mahmood, who works at the factory all day, said women work harder than the men. “I have to raise children, satisfy my husband, and work,” she said.
Shiler Jamal, 36, said since she is single she is able to work in the factory and study.
Around 61 talented women work at the factory. While weaving Persian style carpets their artistic fingers move just as fast as the machines.
Women’s organizations find talented women here, and give them an opportunity to publicly showcase their creations.
Shno Jalal, mother of three, has been working there for three years. “My husband is doing labor work. Sometimes, he is out of work for three months straight. Despite this I can support the family with my work,” she said.
Jalal said, “I always recognize my work when I see it somewhere.”
But rug store owner Majid Hamamin said that, “Turkish rugs are in high demand, because customers don’t trust local products.”
He added that the government has not been supportive of the industry, as there is only one factory in the city. “The government needs to build more factories. We import rugs from Turkey because they have more than 18,000 factories there,” he said.
Aziz added, the government must consider talent and experience instead of education when hiring women for such work.
