Zhenping Carpets

Zhenping Carpets

　　Zhenping County is located in the southwest of Henan Province, on the northwest side of the Nanyang Basin and at the southern foot of the Funiu Mountains. It governs 12 towns and 11 townships, with a total population of 930,000 and a total area of 1,500 square kilometers. It is one of the “Provincial Comprehensive Reform Pilot Counties” and “National Model Counties for Rural and Village Civilization Construction,” and has been officially named by the state as the “Hometown of Chinese Carpets.”

The production of Zhenping carpets began in the 1970s. After more than 20 years of pioneering efforts, Zhenping carpets have developed into a large-scale enterprise group with international markets as the leading edge and countless households as the foundation. This has created an integrated development path combining science, industry, agriculture, and trade, making it another distinctive pillar industry of the county’s economy.

Zhenping carpets are made from silk and wool through meticulous processes including pattern design, dyeing, weaving, washing, and shearing. The designs are exquisite, the colors vibrant, featuring various motifs such as landscapes, figures, flowers, and birds. Suitable for both wall hanging and floor use, the carpets have smooth surfaces and fine textures, making them widely used for interior decoration with high ornamental, artistic, and practical value.

Especially notable is the 1000-count ultra-thin washed silk carpet, which achieves an effective combination of Persian and Iranian artistic patterns and the highest knot density per unit area in the world, setting a precedent in carpet history and filling a gap in the global silk carpet industry. It caused a great sensation at the world’s largest carpet fair—the Hannover Carpet Exhibition in Germany in January 1998—and was recorded in the Guinness World Records.

In 1989, through bold exploration, the chemical washing silk carpet research team of Zhenping Carpet Group Company successfully developed an ultra-thin silk carpet process with unique artistry and value retention. The product features clear patterns, bright luster, soft texture, and elasticity. It is foldable, portable, resistant to rodents and moths, and remains unchanged in quality or color over long-term storage. This innovation filled a gap in the history of Chinese silk carpet development. Upon entering the international market, it was highly welcomed by foreign buyers, with sales prices increasing by over 43%. The product was awarded the Second Prize for Provincial Light Industry Scientific and Technological Achievements and the First Prize for Excellent New Products, as well as the Science and Technology Progress Award from the Ministry of Light Industry and the First Prize of the China Arts and Crafts Hundred Flowers Award.

During technological research, the company also successfully developed silk-wool blended carpets. These products feature readily available raw materials, short production cycles, and fast capital turnover. They offer both ornamental and practical value. Upon entering the market, they were well received by middle- and lower-income consumers in Japan and the United States, becoming another flagship product of Zhenping carpets. Subsequently, the company also successfully developed high-count thin silk carpets and ultra-thin washed silk carpets, winning seven provincial and ministerial-level awards for scientific and technological achievements and new processes. On September 23, 1993, during the Frankfurt World Carpet Exhibition in Germany, merchants from various countries showed strong interest in Zhenping carpets. German carpet magnate Tokas specially held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and invited Li Qingbiao, Commissioner of the Nanyang Regional Administrative Office, and Wang Jinsheng, General Manager of Zhenping Carpet Group Industrial Company, to attend. The development of high-count silk carpets not only saved one-third of raw materials but also increased the selling price to four times that of low-count silk carpets, generating an annual economic benefit increase of over 10 million yuan for the company.

To date, the company has developed six product lines including silk carpets, silk-blend carpets, wool carpets, and spun silk carpets. It has created 360 series of high-end, precision, and cutting-edge products, with over 1,400 styles and patterns. Among these, 56 have won provincial, ministerial, or national-level awards for technological progress and invention. In 1990, the company won the National Highest Quality Award—the Golden Cup Award. Washed silk carpets and ultra-thin silk carpets of 500, 600, 700, 800, and 1000 counts have filled 62 domestic and international gaps. The “Huaxin” brand carpets from Zhenping have become a globally renowned carpet brand.

Throughout the development of the carpet industry, leaders at all levels have shown great concern for the growth of the carpet company. Party and state leaders such as Li Lanqing, Song Jian, Li Changchun, Li Desheng, and Yuan Baohua have visited the company for guidance and spoke highly of its rapid development. Li Desheng personally inscribed the name for Yulong Economic and Trade Company, while Yuan Baohua wrote after his visit: “Quality first, variety first, develop technology, strengthen management.”