Afghan Large Pattern War Rugs

Afghanistan has been invaded, on and off, since 300 BC — conflict is to Afghanistan what the cheeseburger is to the United States. As far as Afghan culture goes, the only thing that predates war is rug making.

It should come as no surprise then that Afghanistan would make its own version of the Whopperito™, combining an established national pastime with ethnic tradition. 

Handmade since the Soviet-Afghan war, war rugs are a bizarre cultural mash-up between Afghan pictorial weaving and images of conflict. Tanks, planes, guns, and explosions are painstakingly hand knotted into wool rugs in small Afghan villages and in refugee camps along the Pakistani border. Each rug is the unique result of over a month of work by the weaver and a valuable source of income for an Afghan family it supports.

Rugs labeled with the "Unique" pre-fix are one-off designs, and sold individually. The designs are available on a first come, first served basis.

Specs

• Hand-woven wool yarn
• Made in Afghanistan
• Rugs range in area between 1.25 Meters, up to as large as 6 Meters

Displaying Your Rug

These rugs are most frequently displayed on a wall. They can be placed on the ground, but it is more likely that they will be damaged or dirtied on the floor. 

If you place the rug on the floor, please use a high-quality carpet pad underneath it to prevent slipping and unnecessary wear.

If hanging your rug, we recommend you use a rod, or a long strip of 2" hook and loop fastener to evenly distribute its weight. There are several good tutorials online, and this small step will ensure your rug doesn't sag unevenly over time.

Cleaning Your Rug

DO NOT LAUNDER

If it gets dusty or dirty, hang your rug on a clothesline and beat it with a stick like it's 300 BC 2019 AD.

If you want to be less crude about things, please contact a professional rug cleaning service specializing in artistic rugs (not carpet cleaners). The hand-woven construction and natural dyes used in these war rugs require special products and techniques to clean without permanent damage.