Baotou Sanlan Carpet

Baotou Sanlan Carpet

　　Baotou Sanlan Carpet

　　If you come to Baotou without taking home a few carpets, it’s like visiting Inner Mongolia without trying the lamb — you’ll feel like something’s missing. Indeed, just as lamb is iconic to Inner Mongolia, carpets are one of the symbols of Baotou.

　　Baotou was the first region in Inner Mongolia to weave carpets from wool, and the most famous of all are the Sanlan carpets. They are woven from wool dyed with local earth-blue indigo produced by Fushengyuan, a dye works in Baotou. Legend has it that these carpets never fade, and the longer they age, the more vibrant their colors become. Thus, the “Sanlan” (Three Blues) carpet, woven with deep blue, light blue, and travel blue, has become one of Baotou’s most renowned travel souvenirs.

　　Such a famous souvenir is naturally available at many places in Baotou. If you’re in the old town area, head to Zhongshan Road in front of the train station, where you’ll find plenty of small shops selling handicrafts and local specialties. Compared to the skyscrapers in the new district, prices here are much more affordable. However, it’s not recommended to buy large carpets over 200 yuan here — after all, for us amateurs, picking out high-quality pure wool products is best left to reputable, larger retailers. But Zhongshan Road is definitely a paradise for small gifts: a fluffy pure wool chair cushion costs only 30 yuan, a handmade pure wool car steering wheel cover is at most 20-something yuan, and an exquisitely crafted 30 cm square ethnic tapestry is less than 50 yuan — truly great value. If you’re buying souvenirs for friends, it’s worth coming here to browse and maybe even do a group purchase to negotiate a price you won’t believe.

　　If you’re looking to choose a beautiful pure wool carpet for your living room, it’s still better to go to the major malls in the new district, as the quality is more guaranteed. Of course, prices here are much higher than in the old town, but compared to other cities, you still get the advantage of buying directly from the production area. In the new district’s major malls — such as Wangfujing, Baotou Department Store, Lantian Shopping Plaza, and Nalin Commercial Building — there are counters specializing in Mongolian wool textiles. As long as the product is labeled as pure wool, you can be certain it’s 100% wool, and the quality is absolutely reliable. The larger the size, the higher the price: generally, a one-square-meter carpet costs between 500 and 800 yuan, a two-square-meter one is around 1,000 yuan, and a three-square-meter carpet goes for over 2,000 yuan. It’s best to shop during mall promotions — with discounts and vouchers, you’ll definitely get more than your money’s worth.