For many years in Kyrgyzstan, shyrdak production was traditionally for household use. A large, ornate shyrdak was the pride of a household, but in modern times, the tradition began to be forgotten.

That was until the winter of 1996, when a group of women in the Naryn Oblast of Kyrgyzstan realized that making traditional carpets was a resource for assisting them in difficult economic times. These women had the needed skills and they had the will to work hard, but they lacked business and marketing experience. So that spring, the group began receiving assistance from the Helvetas Agro-project, the predecessor of the Rural Advisory Services in Naryn.

Soon they had their first sales exhibition and they had a terrific response from clients in Bishkek. Their feedback encouraged the group to introduce new colors and patterns into their repertoire, as well as emphasizing the need for quality management in production. These adjustments led to increased sales in the bi-annual exhibitions, and in the summer of 1997, the group produced 100 small shyrdaks for export, confirming that a market for their goods existed outside of Kyrgyzstan. Encouraged by their success, the women set about improving their skills.

In the autumn of 1997, more than 100 of them attended sewing training in Kochkor. As the group grew, and the members increased their skill, it became clear that a formal organization was necessary. In the spring of 1998, more than 200 women formed Altyn Kol, an NGO with the aim of generating income by producing and selling felt carpets and defending the interests of private felt carpet producers. Soon, other producers became interested. The women of At-Bashy, Ak-Talaa and other Naryn regions participated in Altyn Kol’s seventh exhibition.

Despite the success, each shyrdak produced by Altyn Kol remains a unique thing. It is designed and prepared individually, using the indigenous knowledge Kyrgyz of patterns, symbols, coloring and sewing techniques. When making a shyrdak, the women act together, keeping carpet production as a social and economic role in their lives.

The women Altyn Kol invite you to visit their places of production throughout the Naryn Oblast of Kyrgyzstan. Each summer they provide many opportunities to those traveling in our country to learn how they might also create their own unique memory of Kyrgyzstan in the form of a shyrdak.