05.05.2026 14:43
Handwoven carpets in the Demirci district of Manisa, intended to acquire a vintage antique appearance spanning half a century, are being aged using an unusual method. Laid on the main roads of the district, vehicles pass over these carpets for days, and through this technique, the texture becomes finer and the colors fade, leading to exports to mansions in Europe and America as well as palaces in the Arab world.
In the Demirci district of Manisa, world-famous Turkish rugs woven with painstaking hand labor are being brought into the economy through an unusual process.
TRUCKS, CARS, AND MOTORCYCLES PASS OVER THEM FOR ABOUT 10 DAYS
Newly woven rugs are laid out under the sun and on roads with heavy traffic to gain an antique value. For about 10 days, trucks, cars, and motorcycles pass over them; the rugs achieve a 60-year-old "lived-in" appearance thanks to the thinning of their texture and the natural fading of their colors.
KNOTS ARE TIGHTENED BY THE VEHICLES' WEIGHT
The rugs laid on the roads are turned over at regular intervals during the 10-day period to ensure even wear on both sides. With the tire pressure of vehicles, the knots interlock and the rugs lose their thick texture; they are then collected from the road and subjected to a meticulous cleaning process. After being dusted, the rugs undergo a special disinfection process exactly three times to become hygienic.
"EUROPE WANTS NATURALNESS, AMERICA WANTS A LIVED-IN LOOK"
Ali Sarı, the business owner who states they perform the aging process on an order basis, said, "When we lay the rug on the road, as vehicles pass over it, the knots stick together and the rug ages naturally. Without using chemicals, we give the rug a 60-year-old appearance solely through sun and traffic load. After this process, we wash, dry, stretch, and do the final trimming. The European market especially prefers chemical-free and natural wool rugs."
"THEY ARE USED IN LARGE PALACES AND MASSIVE MANSIONS"
Emphasizing that the Turkish knot technique is the only method that can withstand this process, Sarı stated that machine-made rugs cannot endure such pressure. Noting that they prepare approximately 1,500 square meters of rugs per year using this method, Sarı said, "These rugs are used in large palaces and massive mansions. Especially in Arabia, kings prefer these rugs. We also intensively export to countries like England, Canada, Germany, and America."