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Legends of Carpets
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Legends of Carpets

Join us on this journey and discover our collection Legends of Carpets. Inspired by the archaic beauty of Africa, transferred into unique carpet images.

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Archaic beauty

The last rays of sun bathe the savannah in liquid gold. Zebras graze in a hollow, a giraffe emerges from the acacias. The changing incidence of light turns the veldt into never ending vastness.

 

 

In the beginning there was the inspiration

While family entrepreneur and Walter Knoll CEO Markus Benz has visited a lot of facinating places around the world, you will always see him returning to his place of longing, Africa, with a camera by his side. And it was his travels to various African countries that inspired our carpets. In the archaic beauty of this manyfaceted continent, Markus Benz found the inspiration to expand the collection with carpets. 

 

From the idea to the motif

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Creative together

Markus Benz was consumed by the idea and so he once again set out for Africa with his friend Helmut Scheufele, an artist and textile designer, to gather more specific ideas. Their journey to Marrakesh marked the start of the Legends of Carpets.

Abstract ideas

Based on the impressions and description of their travels, Helmut Scheufele started work in his studio: painting. Painting abstract pictures inspired by their common impressions. Later these pictures were translated into carpet designs. Structures intensified, yarns were selected, colors developed. Carpet for carpet, detail for detail.

The complete collection

Our Legends of Carpets collection consists of three lines: Patterned, Plain and Silk. Every carpet is given a name in Swahili, a language that connects many countries in Africa.

Patterned

Fascinating landscape images translated into abstract painting. Each carpet encapsulates a proverb that has been passed down from generation to generation.

Plain

The Plain carpets each shine in an exquisite shade, inspired by a specific landscape and its special light mood – in a way you will only find in Africa.

Silk

Finest Chinese silk in brilliant colors ensures a special shimmer and charming light reflections – like the crystals, minerals and precious stones from the depths of the Earth.
 

 

Badawi Pillows

Grounded seating: Nomadic peoples tend to use carpets and pillows not only to sit on but also as items to rest their weary heads on. The soft Badawi Pillows are adjust to the body’s shape and create a unique feel-good atmosphere. From the hand-knotted carpets we design carpet pillows in the tradition of sitting close to the floor from the oriental cultures.

Our materials: 100% natural

Wool

The basic material used in our carpets is wool from the Tibetan highlands – one of the best quality and most sturdy wools in the world. Brought down to the valley by the shepherds from the highland pastures with yaks, the sheep’s wool is washed in rivers, then carded and spun by hand. The high fat content of the fibers protects the carpets from dirt, in an entirely natural way.

Silk

Exquisite Chinese silk in brilliant colors bestows a special shimmer and charming light reflections upon our carpets. Taken from the cocoons of the silk-worm moth, natural silk is prepared and spun in silk-weaving mills before being hand-knotted into carpets. Extremely fine nuances of color are created, resulting in vibrant surfaces and patterns.

Nettle fiber

As native as cotton, as shiny as silk – that’s the yarn spun from nettles. An exceptional natural product that unites naturalness and individuality in equal measure. To produce this fine yarn, the stems are broken down into their individual fibers and the fibers are then handspun. Nettle fibers give our carpets strength and sturdiness.

The manufacturing 

Walter Knoll carpets are created by artisans who work in fair conditions where manufacturing methods are environment-friendly.

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Hand-dyed and hand-knotted

Following centuries-old traditions, the carpets are hand-dyed and hand-knotted in workshops in the Himalayas. The craftsmen prepare the wool, silk and yarn, dye the materials with 100 % natural eco-friendly colors and then process them by hand over a period of several months.

The label: STEP

Our partner workshops in Nepal follow the code of the STEP label: no child labor, compliance with hygienic standards and occupational health and safety measures. For fair and good working and living conditions and environmentally sustainable production methods. Furthermore, STEP promotes the craft of carpet knotting as part of the Nepalese identity.

Even more inspiration

We would be happy to send you our new Legends of Carpets brochure free of charge with lots of fantastic impressions and featuring all the designs in the collection.