Jan Kath - Back to the Carpet
When Jan Kath, in his early twenties, packed his backpack and set off from his home in Germany to India, he had no concrete plans. The only thing he was certain about was that he would not take over his parents' carpet business. A year and many adventures later, he found himself in Kathmandu. There, in the bustling district of Boudha, he happened to meet a friend of his father's, Martin. This friend invited him for a coffee. "At that time, coffee was a rare delicacy in Nepal, so I gladly accepted," Jan Kath recalls today. "And then one thing led to another."
The friend, a German carpet producer, was tired of travelling and offered Jan the opportunity to take over quality control in one of his weaving workshops. For the young man, whose travel funds were depleted but whose wanderlust remained strong, this was a tempting offer, and he immediately accepted. Quality control was easy for him. "After all, I practically grew up on carpets. My father and grandfather travelled the souks of the world, bringing back the finest carpets for their clients in Germany. So I knew the ropes," Kath says. "It didn't take long before the friend offered me the chance to take over his entire production. Through a roundabout way, I found my way back to carpets, but this time in a new role—transitioning from carpet dealer to carpet designer."
Today, Jan Kath is one of the most important designers of contemporary carpets, with his designs in high demand worldwide—from Paris, London, and Berlin to New York, Vancouver, and Sydney. Despite his success, quality remains the most crucial aspect of his work. In terms of design, he has radically broken with traditional visual conventions and consistently developed his own style. However, when it comes to materials and production, he remains true to old traditions. Jan Kath uniquely combines traditional craftsmanship with modern, often avant-garde designs. His carpets are not just functional items but true works of art that set new standards in quality and attention to detail.
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The friend, a German carpet producer, was tired of travelling and offered Jan the opportunity to take over quality control in one of his weaving workshops. For the young man, whose travel funds were depleted but whose wanderlust remained strong, this was a tempting offer, and he immediately accepted. Quality control was easy for him. "After all, I practically grew up on carpets. My father and grandfather travelled the souks of the world, bringing back the finest carpets for their clients in Germany. So I knew the ropes," Kath says. "It didn't take long before the friend offered me the chance to take over his entire production. Through a roundabout way, I found my way back to carpets, but this time in a new role—transitioning from carpet dealer to carpet designer."
Today, Jan Kath is one of the most important designers of contemporary carpets, with his designs in high demand worldwide—from Paris, London, and Berlin to New York, Vancouver, and Sydney. Despite his success, quality remains the most crucial aspect of his work. In terms of design, he has radically broken with traditional visual conventions and consistently developed his own style. However, when it comes to materials and production, he remains true to old traditions. Jan Kath uniquely combines traditional craftsmanship with modern, often avant-garde designs. His carpets are not just functional items but true works of art that set new standards in quality and attention to detail.
Want to read more of this article?
We are proud to be a subscriber-funded publication with members in 185 countries. We know our readership is passionate about textiles, so we invite you to help us preserve and promote the stories, memories, and histories that fabric holds. Your support allows us to publish our magazine, and also ‘what's on’ information, and subscription interviews, reviews, and long-read articles in our online blog.
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? CLICK HERE TO ACCESS CONTENT
OR...to continue reading….
*Magazine subscribers automatically get free access to all our online content. We send the access code by email with the publication of each issue. You will also find it on the envelope containing your magazine. Please note the access code changes every issue.*