Persian velvet weaving (makhmal): a beginner's guide

What makhmal is

Makhmal is a warp-pile silk cloth. Extra pile warps are lifted over fine rods during weaving; when the rods are withdrawn the loops are either cut to form a soft pile or left uncut. Combining cut and uncut areas, and several pile colours, gives figured velvet its sculpted look.

Where it was made

Safavid-era Kashan and Yazd are the centres most often cited for figured silk velvets. Production fell sharply in the modern period; today only a handful of workshops keep hand-loom velvet alive, mostly as demonstration or commission work.

How to look at a piece

• Check the pile direction: brush lightly and watch the sheen change
• Look for crisp borders between cut and uncut zones
• Examine the ground weave where the pile is worn — it reveals the structure
• Note colour change in each pile area; more colours means more pile warps

Care

Store velvet flat or rolled pile-out on an acid-free tube; never fold along the pile. Keep it away from light and handle with clean, dry hands. Do not steam or press.

Buying today

Genuine hand-loom Iranian velvet is rare. Many 'Persian velvet' items online are machine-made upholstery fabrics with Persian-style patterns. Ask the seller for the workshop name, loom type and town of manufacture.

A note on this guide

This is a general introduction written by the CraftPersia editorial team and has not yet been reviewed by a specialist. Workshop practice varies between towns and families; treat dates and figures as approximate and confirm details with makers, museums or published scholarship before relying on them.