The History of Carpet Manufacturers

Have you ever wondered, whilst browsing for carpet retailers in Yorkshire, London or Leeds where carpet manufacturers originated and when carpets were first discovered?

The most crucial time in the long history of carpets dates back to Persian times.  They originated with the ascension of the Safavid rulers, who came to power between 1499 and 1722. To date the original discovery of carpets there are over 1500 historical examples which have been preserved by a number of museums and private collections globally.

It was in the reign of Shah Abbas between 1571 and 1629 that crafts and commerce started to prosper in Persia. The ruler, Shah Abbas encouraged trade and regular contacts around Europe and thus transformed the new capital of Isfahan into the most decadent and glorious cities in the whole of Persia.

Shah encouraged the creation of a court ‘or kingdom’ workshop for carpets which is probably one of the earliest examples of carpet manufacturers which saw skilled craftsmen and carpet designers working tirelessly to create the most lavish of carpets. The majority of the earlier carpets were made from real gold and silver threading for added embellishment and silk was also a popular material in the use of ‘court’ carpets.

It was only when the ‘Axminster’ period arrived in 18th and 19th century England that carpets in the UK began to appear more frequently in homes around England, however, carpet manufacturers were still hand making their carpets individually. Carpet materials changed towards the second part of the 19th century to make mass production possible, resulting in great carpet discount prices, and such materials as cut pile wool are still seen in carpet brands today such as Westex Carpets, Kingsmead Carpets, Cormar Carpets, Brintons, Woodward Grosvenor & other leading manufacturers.

During the Axminster period,  Devon was clearly on the map when it came to carpet manufacturing, however, in recent years due to the sheep farming industry which provided essential wool for the carpet making process meant that carpet manufacturers quickly started to spring up, resulting in carpets in Leeds and West Yorkshire areas of the country.