Termeh is one of the traditional and expensive Iranian fabrics that has many uses. It is the handicraft of Yazd city, which is also bought as a souvenir. Today, we try to make you more familiar with this valuable hand-woven fabric. Persian Termeh or cashmere is a patterned and delicate fabric, most of which is known for its pattern of wool and is woven from wool and silk.

The applications of Termeh fabric

In ancient times, kings and rich people used Termeh to sew clothes, curtains, funerals, etc. Today, high and middle-income groups give each other gifts as gifts, as well as applications such as Mattresses and quilts, tablecloths, rumbles, etc.

Persian Termeh Fabric 

One of the Iranian arts to decorate tables is to use of Termeh Handwoven Persian Fabric made of two strands of woven yarn, the warp, and the weft. The weft is usually woven more loosely than the warp.

Weaving Termeh Handwoven fabric is not an easy job. On traditional machines, weaving this fine fabric can take a long time and needs dexterous hands and much precision. Using traditional machines about 20 to 25 centimetres of fine Termeh can be woven per day

It had a variety of uses in the past, including making fine clothes for courtiers and noblemen and women, curtains, praying rugs, wedding gifts, and so on. Today, Termeh is used in furniture, backrest pillows, and tablecloths. It's Fabric was used in the past mostly by kings and nobles but today it is used mostly by the middle and upper class. It is usually presented as a gift for weddings, and formal and family ceremonies.

Luxurious Iranian Handwoven Textile

Today, with the new wave of welcome and luck to handicrafts in everyday life, we are witnessing the growth and variety of Termeh fabric used in various forms. This luxurious Iranian handwoven textile is used in the industry of making bags, backpacks, handbags, furniture, cushions, stylish gift boxes, tablecloths, runners, decorative frames, bedspreads, and many other goods.

 

In short, Termeh is one of the textiles that is woven from high-quality wool with long fibres or silk. Its fabric is one of the most important and beautiful handicraft products in Iran, which has a long history and originality, elegance, and unparalleled variety. There is no exact and clear origin for Termeh as handwoven silk and wool fabric and according to most relevant experts and the available evidence, Iran and Kashmir are two homelands and the main birthplace of this lasting art.

White wool is the most common wool used in Termeh weaving. Silk is another fibre used by weavers. it has various designs, the most important of which are flowers, paisley patterns, the deer antler, hunting grounds, historical buildings, and other historical elements in Iran. The colour and paisley patterns are mentioned as two main elements in recognizing the authenticity and validity of Persian Termeh. Each colour has its potential and energy that have an immediate effect on the beauty and originality of this Persian fabric. The three main colours used in Termeh weaving are blue or indigo, which ranges from light blue to dark blue, which is one of the most important colours used with a calming and eye-catching effect. mignonette is the second colour to be considered, which is obtained by combining yellow with blue. Red is the third and last main colour used, which is derived from rhubarb root. It should be noted that all the colours used in Iranian fabric are derived from nature. The roots, trunks, leaves, flowers, fruits, and bark of plants are among the items from which plant dyes are produced.

The applications of Termeh fabric

In ancient times, kings and rich people used Termeh to sew clothes, curtains, funerals, etc. Today, high and middle-income groups give each other gifts as gifts, as well as applications such as Mattresses and quilts, tablecloths, rumbles, etc.

Termeh weaving steps

First raw materials

For Termeh weaving, the first task is to prepare the raw materials, which include wool and silk. White wool is mostly used in Termeh weaving because it is much easier to dye it in any colour they want. After preparing the wool, it must be washed and spun to turn into yarn and then dyed to prepare for weaving.

Second, washing and bleaching wool

Shepherds usually wash their sheep in water for a few minutes before cooling and then dry their wool. To clean and bleach the wool, it should be washed with detergent, then dried and spun. Of course, in ancient times, to whiten wool, it was spread on greens to absorb the dew and then evaporate to whiten.

Third Dyeing:

Yarns ready for weaving should be dyed, which are dyed with plant and natural dyes, which are obtained from the roots, leaves, flowers, fruits, … of plants. For example, the orange colour of Ronas is used for the brown colour of walnut bark and mulberry root, the indigo colour of the saffron flower, and yellow wood. One of the difficult tasks of weavers is to match the colours together, of course, the Termeh background of one colour and other colours are used in its patterns and drawings. After dyeing the yarns, for the colours to be durable and in order not to be destroyed quickly, the materials that make the dye last longer in the wool should be used. One of the most famous materials is white alum, which is a chemical substance, and the other is sumac leaf which is a plant substance. The designs and patterns of cashmere, which were traditionally woven by hand, have kept their originality until now with the paisley (a distinctive intricate pattern of curved, feather-shaped figures based on a pine-cone design from India.), and now that it is also woven by machine, the designs of paisley are used in most parts of the fabric. In this section, we will deal with different types of Termeh fabrics.

Types of Termeh fabrics

Silk

This type of Termeh, which is the most original type of this fabric, uses silk thread in its texture, which creates very clear and beautiful designs in the fabric, which fascinates every viewer for a few moments.

Polyester

Other types of Termeh include Termeh woven polyester. The texture quality of this fabric is as high as silk Termeh, but due to the use of polyester in the texture, it is not as transparent as silk. This type of Termeh has a much higher application than other types of Termeh and this is due to the very reasonable price and acceptable quality of this fabric.

Cotton

This type of Termeh is woven from completely cotton fibers, which has an opaquer effect than other types of Termeh. Applications of this type of Termeh can be used to cover the backs of pillows, and pillowcases, use to cover tombstones, and so on. One of the outstanding features of this Termeh is its very low price.

Texture

The machine with which Termeh is woven is similar to the machines of other wood weaving industries and is made by craftsmen in the same area, It has four words, the words of which are moved by the pedals under the weaver’s foot, and like other machines, the yarn is spun. This is called weaving, and they put the spindle inside the shuttle and start weaving. Termeh is damaged in a wet place and in a place where there is a lot of light. Too much light causes it to turn pale. Also, an insect called willow is the enemy of this fabric because wool is used in it, and to protect this insect, naphthalene must be used. Important note: Don’t wash with a strong detergent and hot water!