by Wang Xiaotong

SHANGHAI, Nov. 11 (China Economic Net) - Handmade silk carpets from Kashmir became one of the best-selling products at the 3rd China International Import Expo which concluded in Shanghai.

Chinese customers visited the booth of Kashmir handmade products in an endless stream at CIIE. A Chinese lady is trying on a scarf. [Photo/Wang Zhongqiang]

“Unlike ordinary carpets, for me the Kashmir one is an artwork worth collecting. That’s the reason why I bought it almost without any hesitation despite the high price,” said a Chinese man who bought an exquisite Kashmir carpet with RMB 60,000 from Zahid Ahmad of Woven Cashmere at CIIE.

Zahid Ahmad of Woven Cashmere interviewing with China Economic Net. The silk carpet behind him is 3 x 4 meters, which takes a craftsman around three years to finish. [Photo/Wang Zhongqiang]

This is Zahid Ahmad’s third journey to CIIE. The Expo is an unparalleled high-end world event full of business opportunities for him. “CIIE helped us a lot as our sales have got a 30% to 40% increase in China in the last three years. Our products are of superior quality, and via CIIE we have got potential customers well matched for our products,” he said.

The Chinese market now is their major focus because of the country’s giant business potential. “China is a big market with a huge population. So even only 2% or 5% of the market is already a big number for us. ” Now they've opened two shops in the capital city Beijing.

It takes about one year to complete the scarf in Zahid’s hands. All the needlework is hand made. It is of the finest quality in Kashmir. [Photo/Wang Zhongqiang]

This year Zahid Ahmad brought Kashmir carpets, scarfs and furniture with embroidery to CIIE. The carpets exhibited are made from silk rather than wool. “Wool carpets are quite heavy. Silk carpets are smoother to the touch and their life span is longer than the woolen ones,” he talked about silk carpets’ unique strengths.

Sofa stools with embroidered handmade cover. [Photo/Wang Xiaotong]

To further expand business in China, Zahid Ahmad is cooperating with the Chinese partner Xu Chunhua who was an enthusiast for Kashmir handmade carpets herself from the beginning. “Kashmir carpets are artworks. As the mechanization in Kashmir improves, handmade products definitely will be more rare. They have a chance to gain in value. Increasingly more Chinese people are becoming interested in it because of its cultural and artistic value,” Xu Chunhua said with deep affection for Kashmir products.