Lattakia, Syrian Coast (SANA)-Carpet industry has developed from a simple handicraft made in the houses through using looms to an integrated industry with a limitless artistic value.

Carpet industry is one of the handicrafts that has an artistic touch, particularly in choosing the patterns embroidered on the carpet, representing an artistic painting with a great value and new innovation.

In spite of the rapid development of carpet industry and using advanced machines, the traditional carpet handicraft is still very important.

Loom carpets have special beauty mixed with art and talent. Teacher of handicrafts at one of Lattakia schools Maha al-Ahmed who uses the loom for making wall carpets and covers, said that textile has many uses in the life of the modern man and that is why craftsmen in Lattakia have become experts in making carpets, using their wonderful artistic touch.

She added that the new shapes of decorative carpets endowed carpet industry with new dimensions regarding the shape, beauty and artistic value as new raw materials started to be used in this industry.

Silk, wool, cotton and linen threads are nowadays used for drawing artistic pictures through the stitches of the carpets as if they were made by talented sculptors.

In spite of the high cost of wall carpet, there is a huge demand on it due to the fact that it is closer to the arts of photography and sculpture.

Head of Social Affairs Directorate in Lattakia Province Ilham Zraik said that the woven carpets at Hand-made Carpet Department have a distinguished quality, adding that the investment plan for 2009 included 550 square meters of textile with an execution rate of 92%.

She added that 51carpets were sold while 84 men and women are working at the Department.

A craftswoman working at the Hand-made Carpets Department pointed out that the difference in the style of weaving creates unique textile pieces.

The artistic value of the carpet is influenced by the raw materials of which it's made. Several kinds of threads including wool, linen, natural silk and cotton are used in carpet industry.

 In addition to using the polyester, many artificial threads are used for making carpets such as fur, leather, beads and other materials.

Ruaa AL-Jazaeri /Rasha Milhem/ Zahra