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May 20, 2013

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Belgian weaves unlikely Qinghai carpet tale

WHEN Jozef Pandelaere came to northwest China's Qinghai Province a year ago, the 60-year-old carpet industry veteran was seeking nothing but a new life. Now, he has a bigger dream for Qinghai and himself.

"I want to enhance the status of Chinese Tibetan sheep carpets around the world," Pandelaere said." It is my dream to see Qinghai become the genuine home of Tibetan sheep carpets."

Last month, Pandelaere won the International Cooperation Award in Scientific and Technological Development in Qinghai, for his contributions to technological innovation in the production of Tibetan sheep carpets.

Born in Belgium in 1953, Pandelaere has worked for carpet companies in Belgium, the United States, Indonesia, Turkey and India. In March 2012, he became the manager in charge of production and management with the Qinghai Tibetan Sheep Carpets Group.

"The Tibetan sheep carpet is an artifact unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau," he said, praising the fine texture and bright luster of wool from Tibetan sheep. "What I'm doing here is combining technological innovation and managerial expertise with tradition."

Tibetan carpets are made of the hair of sheep, cattle or camels. It is a distinctive product popular both here and abroad.

Pandelaere and his team are doing research on printing patterns onto the carpets, instead of the traditional method of weaving.

"This innovative breakthrough will improve productivity and bring about more vivid patterns," he said, joking that it would be as if the carpet was equipped with a high-definition screen.

The initiation of the project, according to Pandelaere, derived from the necessity of meeting customers' needs.

"Both people in the West and here in China now have a demand for quality products. Price is also important," he said, explaining that the project will deliver high-quality products at a reasonable price.

The program's initial achievements have already increased the company's output value by 80 million yuan (US$12.88 million).

"The innovation will of course not impair the prospects for traditional hand-made Tibetan sheep carpets," Pandelaere said, explaining the company only targets customers who don't want to buy costly hand-made carpets.

"Without innovation, there would be no impetus for further development," the award winner added.





 

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