5. Carpet Weaving

At the loom, weaver Milena Ordiyants transforms spun and dyed yarn into a living pattern—each carpet a culmination of months of labour, knowledge, and collaboration. Working from the WoolWay Studio in Argavand, Milena brings over 20 years of weaving experience, trained in both historic and contemporary Armenian techniques.

Photo credit: Piruza Khalapyan

Each of the eight carpets is woven using the traditional Armenian triple knot, a distinctive method that involves looping the yarn around two warp threads and securing it with an additional twist. This knotting technique results in an exceptionally durable and richly textured surface, emblematic of Armenia’s ancient weaving heritage.

Milena works with naturally dyed wool yarns, integrating regional symbolism with personal motifs. Every thread is tensioned manually, and each knot—part of a sequence reaching up to 180,000 knots per square meter—is placed with meditative precision. The full weaving cycle for eight carpets requires approximately 500 hours, with Milena averaging over 60 hours per piece, depending on scale and complexity.

Her process is guided by both inherited pattern systems and lived interpretation, making each carpet a tactile expression of identity, memory, and place. What begins in the pastures with a shepherd and sheep finds its final form in pattern and texture—woven not only with hands, but with story.

Each carpet’s design, material, production time, and maker are logged in the Digital Product Passport, creating an unbroken chain of provenance. Through blockchain, every finished piece carries the full record of its creation, connecting shepherd, spinner, dyer, and weaver in a transparent and lasting narrative.