About our products

Our products are hand-made. Many are produced to the same pattern each time, but there will, of course, be slight differences from one version to the next. However, this is what hand-made is all about.

Being hand-made also has a benefit. When you view each product you will see details about it - size, colour, etc. However, if you don't see what you would like, for example if you want it in a different size or colour, please contact us. It is very likely that we can produce just what you would like. We will talk to our suppliers and let you know how long it would take - nothing could be easier.

Art products of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is a country where art flourishes. Artists are finding the challenge of interpreting their experiences of transforming the country to a modern state while addressing history and culture to be particularly stimulating. As a result there is significant creative talent.

We are able to supply a variety of art products from Kazakh artists. These are of high quality. You will see objects that are unusual and challenging and that would make a dramatic statement in any home.

Felt

Felt is the most characteristic material of the great Asian Steppes. It forms the main material of the traditional nomadic houses, the 'yurt' (or 'ger' in Mongolian), as well as decorative and clothing items. Kazakhstanforyou has a range of different practical and decorative felt items available for you.

Felt is made from wool. Unlike knitted garments, felt making does not require the raw wool to be spun, but it uses various methods to compress the wool fibres to form a thick, durable and warm material that lasts for ages. In Kazakhstan different methods are used for felt making and its decoration. Felt used for flooring or covering a yurt is made using a rolling technique. The raw wool is placed upon cloth, wetted and rolled tightly. It is then rolled (traditionally by being drawn behind a horse). Floor felts are also decorative and this is achieved by layering different colours (sometimes dyed with traditional dyes) on top of each other prior to rolling. This type of felt for floor coverings is called tekemet and the different tribes in Kazakhstan each have their own designs.

Where more decorative floor felt is required this is achieved by placing felts of different colours on top of each other and cutting a pattern through the layers. White is often favoured as a background colour, as it symbolises happiness. Felt is also made on a smaller scale through simple compression techniques. Once made the felt can be further decorated through stitching on thin patterns of felt of other colours in traditional designs, or through various forms of embroidery, such as with brightly coloured silk thread. Felt is, therefore, a highly traditional material with a versatile application. It is also being used to make more modern designs as artisans experiment with new ideas. Examples of these different types of work are available on Kazakhstanforyou.

Silk

Silk is a fine, soft, but extremely strong fibre from the pupal casings of the silk worm which feeds on mulberry leaves. For many years silk production was the closely guarded secret of China (with severe penalties for those who would try to export silk worms). As a result the peoples of Central Asia obtained their silk from Chinese merchants or intermediates. However, eventually silk making did leak out of Chinese control, such as to Persia, and other sources became available to Central Asia artisans.

Silk is used in different ways, many familiar to western users. General silk cloth is used for various garments, especially for the hot summers and important events such as weddings. Silk is also made into fine, almost gossamer material as seen with the scarves available through Kazakhstanforyou. The silk thread itself retains the colours of dyes extremely well, so that it is used for embroidery on other materials, such as felt. Examples of this type of work are also available on Kazakhstanforyou.

So, if you are looking for something special from the land of the Silk Road, what would be better than silk itself!