Vintage Kilim Balikesir 124x81cm

Anatolian flat-woven kilim rug made of hand-spun sheep's wool. Unique vintage piece with collector's value!

Selected by Wild Heart Free Soul to the highest quality standards, naturally cleaned with the power of the sun and professionally restored.

Age-related patina and natural irregularities are characteristic of our handmade vintage rugs.

• Material: 100% hand-spun sheep's wool, highest quality
• Craftsmanship: Flat-woven by hand on a traditional, horizontal wooden loom
• Age: Semi-Antique. Approx. 1960-1970
• Condition: Vintage in like-new quality due to extensive cleaning and restoration process
• Origin: Balikesir, Anatolia
• Size: 124 x 81 cm, Height: 3 mm

REGION OF ORIGIN

Central Anatolia 

MANUFACTURING PROCESS

All our vintage kilims and carpets are entirely handmade. The sheep's wool yarn was hand-spun and dyed. Due to its high lanolin content, the high-quality sheep's wool has a particularly beautiful sheen. A sheen that cannot be achieved with industrially manufactured yarn. After the elaborate production of the yarn, the kilim was hand-woven on a traditional wooden loom. This process usually took several months, sometimes even over a year.

CLEANING AND RESTORATION

Our cleaning process takes place cyclically, in harmony with nature.
Our carpets are cleaned only once a year at the beginning of summer. For this, we use only water and pure olive soap. Afterwards, we use the power of the sun to intensify the cleaning process. The strong sun in Antalya between June and September bleaches out stubborn stains and discolorations, removes odors, is antibacterial, and keeps moths and insects away. By harnessing the power of nature, we can completely avoid environmentally harmful chemicals.
Subsequently, our kilims are mechanically dusted and sent to Istanbul. In our workshop in Sultanahmet, each carpet is individually stretched into shape, the ends are re-knotted using the Iranian knot technique so that the weave cannot unravel. In addition, holes and discolored areas are restored true to the original. The complete cleaning and restoration process takes between six months and two years, depending on the kilim.

MATERIAL

Sheep's wool is a natural and very high-quality material. All our rugs are woven from hand-spun sheep's wool yarn, which consists of long fibers and has a very high lanolin (wool fat) content. This makes the wool particularly dirt-resistant, water-repellent, and antibacterial.

Sheep's wool is also a living material that, through use and the influence of sun, air, and water, becomes softer and shinier over the years. It is a material that ages beautifully, is absolutely environmentally friendly and free of pollutants, and cleans and regenerates itself.

CARE

With loving treatment and regular care, a Wild Heart Free Soul kilim will look as good as new even after many years of use. Real kilims can thus last for several generations.

Our kilims do not require much care, but they do require the right kind. A kilim should be regularly and carefully vacuumed or beaten out. Stains can almost always be removed with a slightly damp cloth. Dried food residues can easily be scraped off or brushed out.

A kilim should not remain wet for long, as it can warp. Therefore, we do not recommend washing it yourself. If you feel the need to give your kilim a wash, please contact a professional, trustworthy rug cleaner or us. We offer all Wild Heart Free Soul customers discounted rates for rug cleaning and restoration.