Qasemabad

Qasemabad is a village located in Oshiyan rural district, Roodsar cityو in the east of Gilan province. The name of Qasemabad always evokes the happiness and color for the Iranians. Various kinds of handwoven colorful fabrics and the traditional cloths of people in this region with the horizontal colorful strips have made this village as the center of fabric weaving in Iran. The most important fabric that is produced in this village is called Chador Shab. Chador Shab, or locally Chorshab or Lavan, is a kind of cotton, silk or woolen fabric that is woven in Gilan and Mazandaran provinces by the hands of women using a weaving handmade machine namely Pachal. Considering the wide employment of women, in this region, in Chador Shab weaving craft, the high quality of the products and establishing several local centers dedicated to this handmade art, Qasemabad village was nationally inscribed as the village of Chador Shab weaving in 1397 SH.

This village is the second national village of handicrafts in Gilan, after Fashtakeh Khomam. But the tied relationship between this art and the lifestyle of people in the region, its authenticity, innovation and creativity, also brought a world title for it in the next year. After evaluations and visits of the World Crafts Council’s inspectors, Qasemabad village was inscribed on the list of UNESCO world cities and villages in Bahman 1398 SH, (January 2020) as the World Village of Chador Shab Weaving. Due to their beautiful patterns that are mostly imaginary weaving (without any pattern), Qasemabad Chador Shabs are highly popular among the Iranians. Interesting among these patterns that are mostly driven from the nature are Shaneh-Gol, Qali-Gol, Sarv-Gol, Chehel-Cheragh, Parand and Booteh-Charkh. The women in north of Iran tightened Chador Shab around their waist while working on the rice field in the past, but today some new functions have been made for Chador Shab, like using it as table cloth, curtains, bed linens and as some part of the modern cloths.

Currently more than 600 women in this village are occupied with the art of Chador Shab weaving and many centers are active in education, introduction and promotion of this handmade art including the Forum of Innovative Textile, Chador Shab Weaving workshops, handicrafts’ shops and the specific Museum of Chador Shab Weaving. It also should be said that this 2000-year-old product is also woven in some of other villages in the east of Gilan and Mazandaran such as Band-e Bon.