The Velingrad carpet factory is a private organisation specialising in Kilim and floor carpet making. After 1990 the company took over the original carpet works built during communist rule.

Kilim carpets have been woven in Bulgaria for hundreds of years, but the communists introduced floor carpet making in the 1950s to establish an export trade, limiting production to certain colours and only making copies of old Persian carpets.

The Velingrad factory continues to concentrate on floor carpet making. For each carpet about two months must be reserved for preparations, including choosing the colours and appropriate design. It then takes about three months for a carpet of 20 sq m to be woven. The Velingrad factory produces a maximum of 25 carpets every year. Other factories, such as in Sveta Petka, are able to produce more of both floor and Kilim carpets.

Kilim carpets, also known as flat weaves, are usually smaller and lighter than floor carpets and can be hung on walls. A special technique practiced by ancient ethnic Bulgarian people is used to make the carpets, which consists of weaving in and out of wool strings, making the design visible on both sides.

The carpets are destined to go to palaces, castles, famous houses, or simply to your own home. Some have been sent to Vienna, Austria to furnish the Albertina gallery. Situated in a museum complex within an old Viennese palace, the gallery is used for conferences and exhibitions.

There is a big demand in the Dutch market for Ottoman-style carpets with white and blue colours alluding to water and porcelain. One famous figure who ordered about 15 different pieces with this theme in a more modern style is Mick Jagger.

Several carpets have gone to old castles in the UK, such as Castle Howard in Yorkshire. No new carpets had been installed for about 300 years and those they had needed replacing. The Velingrad factory was able to provide replacements that respected the castle's classical tradition and opulent furnishings.

Currently the factory is focusing on an association with the American Namati company to produce high quality carpets that introduce old European designs to the USA. These vary in style from French obsessions with over 100 colours to 14th century Indo-Persian, 18th century Chinese and modern designs produced in Velingrad that build on elements from the carpet's future home or existing designs.

Most customers who wish to renew the old carpets in castles after the intensity of colour fades have sold the original to the museums or private houses with interest for such lavish collections. Carpets that have been exposed to bad conditions, or been eaten by moths and mice may also be renewed.

Cotton and wool are used to make the carpets. Wool is bought raw from Gabrova market, which is the centre of wool gathering in Northern Bulgaria. Spinning the wool is left to the technical college in Gabrova, providing money to keep the college going. The wool is then brought to the laboratory at Velingrad for dying.

The laboratory has about 19 primary colours of dye from which they can produce around 6000 different colours and shades. From every colour made about eight optimum shades can be obtained and about 50 new colours and 100 variations of colour are made every year.

The primary colours come from Switzerland and contain pre-mordent chrome that sticks smoothly on wool and does not pollute the environment. Refusing to boil their wool during the dying process, which affects the quality, ensures it stays shiny and strong.

Floor carpets are made using a knotting technique following prepared drawings covered with a grid. This process enables the weaver to follow corresponding little squares by taking some wool, making a knot around two white background strings and cutting what is not needed leaving a short bit sticking out.

Once a carpet is finished, cut off the loom and the surface sheared, it is brushed and vacuumed to remove any debris. Unlike a Kilim carpet it is not washed as it stays in good condition for years.

The Velingrad factory is an example of a successful Bulgarian business obeying set standards. Their carpets go to numerous places around the world without advertising, instead they rely on personal recommendation by word of mouth.

Trained weavers work eight hours a day, are provided with bus transport to their homes, receive pensions and social security and there is no child labour involved.

The factory's use of environment-friendly dyes, readiness to make new colours, high quality wool and zeal to provide samples of their carpets beforehand is remarkable. Lastly, unlike production under the communists, the factory produces unique and interesting carpets fit for all tastes and today the business is better on all levels.