Abstract
A handmade carpet is one of the most well-known handcrafts around the world. Iranian handmade carpets are known as luxury products in domestic and international markets due to their strength and product value. The main objective of this research is to apply a geographical information system (GIS)-based, spatially-explicit approach to assess the sustainability of handmade carpet production in the East Azerbaijan Province of Iran, which is internationally famous for the diversity and quality of its handmade carpets. To achieve this goal, we employed 23 criteria in four main clusters: population characteristics, education status, employment status, and business activities related to the carpet industry. In order to determine the significance of each criterion, an integrated approach of fuzzy and network analysis processes was applied. Accordingly, the GIS aggregation function was employed to map and identify the areas that are suitable and of high potential for handmade carpet production. The results indicate that there is a very high potential for handmade carpet production in some areas of Tabriz, Osku, Marageh, Heris, and Meyaneh counties. However, high sustainability also extends to some areas in Marand, Bonab, and Kalaybar counties. The obtained maps present the potential of each city and village for handmade carpet production. The research also aims to evaluate and suggest relevant policies and practices to overcome the identified challenges in order to promote, develop, and preserve the handmade carpet sector. The results of this research are of great importance for different stakeholders in the handmade production and for decision makers and authorities in the East Azerbaijan Province. The results can be used to determine the potential of each area for handmade carpet production and to highlight potential challenges. This research also presents a new approach for sustainability assessments in studies on handcrafts and, in particular, carpets.
Highlights
Based on an official report issued by the Organization of Planning and Management of East Azerbaijan Province (EAP) (OPM–EAP), about 35% of all Iranian handmade carpets (HCs) are produced in the province
The substantiality assessment for the handmade carpet (HC) production was done based on the geographical information system (GIS) aggregation function
Handcrafts are known as important products that represent societal cultures and traditions
Summary
Handcrafts are among the most important products of human societies, representing patterns of culture, art, custom, tradition, and events that characterize a society. In this context, handcraft products can be considered as cultural heritage. Some significant and unique aspects of cultural heritage are retained in handcrafts [1]. The term “handcraft” is employed to denote “craft artefacts”, which are associated with the lifestyles and social and cultural structures of each society at a given time and place
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