Can the internet save traditional rug-making in Kyrgyzstan?
by editors@theworld.org (Levi Bridges) from The World: Latest Stories on (#76T48)
Nobody knows how long the women in the village of Bayl have been making rugs. For centuries, at least. But with growing access to cheap factory-made rugs in the post-Soviet era, fewer people in Kyrgyzstan are practicing the art form. Now that artisans' patterns are finding their way onto clothing by big-name designers, though, some see a commercial future for traditional rug-making skills. Reporter Levi Bridges has the story.