Handmade Kashmiri silk carpets have gained popularity in China as the carpets became one of the best-selling products at the 3rd China International Import Expo.
The expo was an unparalleled high-end world event full of business opportunities for Zahid Ahmed and according to the report published by China Economic Net (CEN) on Wednesday, handmade silk carpets from Kashmir became one of the best-selling products at the 3rd China International Import Expo.
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As per the statement of a Chinese man who bought a Kashmir carpet with RMB 60,000 from Zahid Ahmad of Woven Cashmere at CIIE, “Unlike ordinary carpets, for me the Kashmir one is an artwork worth collecting. That’s the reason why I bought it almost without any hesitation despite the high price.”
He said, “CIIE helped us a lot as our sales have got a 30% to 40% increase in China in the last three years. Our products are of superior quality, and via CIIE we have got potential customers well matched for our products.”
“Wool carpets are quite heavy. Silk carpets are smoother to the touch and their life span is longer than the woolen ones,” he talked about the unique strength of Kashmiri silk carpets at the 3rd China expo.
The Chinese market now is their major focus because of the country’s giant business potential. “China is a big market with a huge population. So even only 2% or 5% of the market is already a big number for us.” Furthermore, they have opened 2 shops in the capital of China Beijing.
Zahid Ahmed further told that he had cooperated with the Chinese partner Xu Chunhua who was an enthusiast for Kashmiri handmade silk carpets herself and that would expand his business in China.
Xu Chunhua said, “Kashmir carpets are artworks. As the mechanization in Kashmir improves, handmade products definitely will be rarer. They have a chance to gain in value. Increasingly more Chinese people are becoming interested in it because of its cultural and artistic value.”
