Zollanvari carpets embody the spirit of Persian carpet design and weaving – an extraordinary art form that has been treasured across the world for more than 2,000 years. This profound understanding of the splendour and profusion of the Persian weaving aesthetic informs carpet production, making it unique and timeless – qualities that have established the Zollanvari name as a global trail-blazer in creating carpet art.
The story of Zollanvari began when Gholam Reza Zollanvari joined his father’s carpet business in 1947, a legacy that was handed down from his great grandfather. Initially he focused on the traditional products of the nomads of South Persia. Those colourful carpets with high piles, Gabbehs, were knotted only for use in homes as bedspreads and bedcovers. Appreciation and demand for Gabbehs grew over the years. Gholamreza Zollanvari began working with the Ghashgha’i and Luri nomads to start weaving new Gabbehs with more contemporary designs.
In 1985 Gholamreza’s son Reza established the company in Zurich to directly access the European market. The company expanded in 1989 when the weaving began of large and room-size Gabbehs, using naturally dyed, hand-spun wool – a step now recognised as a milestone in the history of Persian weaving. The ‘new’ Gabbehs exploded onto the world market, with fresh colours, sizes and patterns, woven to satisfy the demands of Western markets. Soon Gabbehs became synonymous with the Zollanvari name and the company’s innovative spirit.
Gholamreza’s second son Hamid took over in Iran where a second centre was built close to Shiraz to house under one roof design, dyeing and warehousing. Washing, finishing, customer services and shipping were then located in Tehran.
The sixth generation of Zollanvaris continues to be active in the family venture in Hamburg, Cape Town, Istanbul, Shanghai and Secaucus, NJ, USA
Zollanvari cultivates and nurtures extensive personal relationship with the various nomadic tribes in Iran. Zollanvari carpet production distinguishes itself by a sensitive regard for the traditional way
of life of the nomads and their natural environment. All Zollanvari products carry their own Label & Warranty, which guarantee that all their carpets and at-weaves are made from hand-carded and hand-spun wool, dyed using the highest quality environmentally friendly vegetable dyes at their central headquarters in Shiraz.
Zollanvari are the only Iranian handmade carpet manufacturer to be awarded the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 Certificate for “handwoven carpets (rugs, gabbehs, kilims, and jajims) made from hand-spun sheep wool and traditionally dyed with herbal natural dyes”. On inspection, the stated Zollanvari products were granted a Class ll certificate, affirming that they meet the human-ecological requirements of the standard established for products with direct contact to skin. This is a huge accolade for Zollanvari as decoration/furnishing items are normally granted a Class IV certificate, since the tests for harmful substances are based on the respective purpose of the materials.