Introduction
By studying historical documents and reviewing recorded data on fabric production across different centuries, one can trace the deep-rooted history of the textile and weaving industry in Iran. From ancient times to the present day, the textile industry has been one of the country’s most important sectors due to its role in job creation, production growth, and foreign exchange earnings, and it is regarded as an age-old craft.From the very beginning of weaving in Iran—which dates back to the late Parthian era and early Sassanid period—the production of silk fabric began with the import of silkworms. Later, in the 17th century, during the Safavid era in Iran, fabric weaving was considered one of the most significant traditional crafts of the country. Eventually, in the year 1229 AH, about 172 years ago, the first European-style textile factory was built in Iran, and soon after, Iran became a pioneer of the textile industry in the Middle East.
Around one hundred years ago, with the improvement of purchasing power and public culture, access to comfort facilities became possible for most people. Among these facilities were clothing and household essentials. Before that, only kings and high-ranking social classes used domestically produced fabrics for clothing and basic furniture — such as tables and chairs — in their homes.
Following the increase in demand and the advancement of tools, ultimately in 1946 (1325 in the Solar Hijri calendar), the first chipboard (particleboard) factory was established in Chamkhaneh, using forest and agricultural waste to produce panel furniture such as wardrobes, chests, tables, beds, and more.
As a result, with the development of the furniture industry about a century ago, the production of upholstery fabrics initially began using sheep and goat wool and the warp-and-weft weaving technique in the cities of Yazd and Mashhad, which were the first centers of upholstery fabric production in Iran.
Today, despite technological advancements and all the difficulties imposed on the country’s textile industry, Iran still showcases its textiles in global markets by relying on the long-standing experience of industry veterans and the strong determination of its younger generation. This ensures that Iran’s centuries-old textile industry continues to be regarded as one of the pillars of the national economy. For this reason, this article provides an overview of the history of Iran’s textile industry with a focus on upholstery fabrics.
Keywords: history of textiles, weaving, furniture, upholstery fabric
History of the First Textile Production in Iran
In 419 BCE (about 2,700 years ago), silkworms were imported from China to Iran for the first time, marking the beginning of textile production in the country. Around 300 CE (1,900 years ago), which roughly corresponds to the Sassanid era in Iran, domestic silk production began, giving rise to Sassanid fabrics. From the 3rd century CE onward, the production of clothing textiles brought about a significant transformation within the country. Moreover, from the late 5th century CE to the early 7th century CE, the production of textiles and garments steadily increased. According to historical records, later in the 17th century (about 500 years ago), fabric weaving, carpet weaving, and embroidery were considered among Iran’s traditional crafts during the Safavid period.
A century later, during the Qajar era, silk and wool textiles, weaving, and embroidery reached their peak in Iran. One hundred years after that, in the 19th century, Russian fabrics entered the Iranian market. With technological advancements and studies conducted on imported textiles, in the year 1229 AH (172 years ago), the first European-style factory was established in Iran. It was among the country’s first institutions to utilize modern technology for producing cotton fabrics.
Given the favorable conditions, spinning factories were established in Semnan in 1281 AH and in Tabriz in 1287 AH. In addition, between the years 1310 and 1317 AH, at least 29 large-scale textile factories were founded by the government and private investors. During the same period, eight workshops in Isfahan, followed by two in Yazd, as well as workshops in Kerman and Sari, launched knitwear and hosiery production units.
In 1319 AH, the number of spinning factories reached 76 units, and modern textile factories employing 24,500 workers became operational. By 1328 AH, domestic textile production supplied more than 55% of the country’s needs, reaching its peak in 1329 AH when fabric consumption doubled. At that time, most of the raw textile materials were supplied through cotton cultivation. However, a few years later, in 1340 AH, an economic recession led to a decline in demand, resulting in the closure of many factories. Consequently, industry professionals urged the government to ban textile imports.
Between 1341 and 1345 AH, the government prohibited foreign investments, which pushed the textile industry toward export activities; by 1351 AH, exports had reached 6%. Despite this, the textile industry continued to grow due to high domestic demand and strong government support. Between 1359 and 1372 AH, production capacity increased, yet still did not fully meet domestic demand. Between 1363 and 1376 AH, approximately 55 million pieces of fabric were produced in Iran.Iran’s textile industry—which included spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing, and printing companies—experienced remarkable growth in the production of natural fibers and later synthetic fibers. After a period of recession caused by excessive textile imports from China, the heavy fabric production sector was revitalized. With the introduction of modern machines and new technology in late 1396 AH, the private sector established one of the largest production lines in the Middle East. Today, the production of warp-knitted and weft-knitted polyester fabrics stands as one of Iran’s national achievements in the region.
History of Upholstery Fabric Production
Based on artifacts preserved in museums and historical texts, a small wire-frame chair discovered in Amlash, dating back 3,500 years and kept in the National Museum of Iran, indicates that chairs and seating structures were used in Iran thousands of years ago. Generally, in Iranian culture and tradition, for many centuries people sat, ate, and slept on the floor, while elevated seating was reserved exclusively for kings. As a result, the use of various kinds of tables, chairs, beds, and sofas became common among the upper class only about a hundred years ago.With the development of the furniture-making and woodworking industries over the past century, the production of upholstery fabrics initially began in the cities of Yazd and Mashhad, using sheep and goat wool and traditional warp-and-weft weaving techniques. Later, with the introduction of synthetic fibers, the weaving of various fabrics for royal and classic (steel-frame) furniture expanded, and due to market demand, such fabrics were also imported from Turkey and China.Decorative and curtain fabrics were woven using looms equipped with horizontal and vertical wooden frameworks, producing warp-and-weft structures. After clothing fabrics, the invention of the warp-drawing device (Tārgorzān) enabled their application in upholstery and curtain fabric production as well. From the early Pahlavi era onward, these fabrics were used for different types of chairs, sofas, table covers, bedspreads, curtains, and mattress and pillow covers. With the advent of the railway, they were also utilized for train seats and, subsequently, for automobile seats.
From the 1930s (1310s in the Iranian calendar), the production of wooden goods—especially furniture—began to move toward industrialization. In 1946 (1325), with the establishment of the first particleboard factory in Chamkhaneh, using forest and agricultural waste, the production of panel furniture, cabinets, chests, tables, beds, and similar items significantly increased. Although the furniture industry did not have the same historical depth as the textile industry, it experienced rapid development due to the wide variety of wooden products and their use in various sectors.
In the late 1970s (late 1350s in the Iranian calendar), due to the Iranian Revolution, and later in the 1980s (1360s) because of the war with Iraq, Iran’s furniture industry was removed from the basket of essential goods and entered a period of stagnation. However, from the 1990s (1370s) onward, with the introduction of modern machinery and growing market demand, the Iranian furniture industry began to recover and gradually permeated the culture of small towns and even rural communities. Consequently, related industries—such as chemicals, foam and sponge production, and upholstery fabrics—experienced a significant increase in demand.
The production of upholstery fabrics from cotton yarn (natural fibers) and linen (Santuk, also a natural fiber), and later velvet—which was initially made from natural fibers and subsequently from synthetic fibers such as viscose and polyester—experienced significant demand. At the same time, with the rapidly increasing use of modern furniture, especially fabric-based types such as sofas, armchairs, dining chairs, office furniture, various bedroom sets, curtains, and fabric wall coverings over past decades, the demand for warp-knitted and weft-knitted fabrics grew relative to traditional woven fabrics.
Today, synthetic fiber fabrics with knitted structures, incorporating nanotechnology, and featuring high-quality properties such as antibacterial, water-resistant, flame-retardant, and fire-resistant characteristics, alongside Iran’s furniture industry, create high value-added export products.
Some Recorded Statistics of Iran’s Furniture and Upholstery Fabric Industry
Based on data extracted from the websites of the Statistical Center of Iran, the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, the Iran Chamber of Commerce, and the Iran Guild Chamber, as well as an analysis of activity and job codes (ISIC), the following statistics have been compiled (up to the end of 1400 AH):
1. Large Units: There are 238 large units with more than 50 employees each. With an average production of 15 seven-seater sofa sets per day, assuming 300 working days per year, these units produce approximately 1,170,000 seven-seater sofa sets, including dining tables and chairs.
2. Medium and Small Units: There are 2,871 medium-sized units with fewer than 50 employees and workshops of around 10 people engaged in production, repair, upholstery, and covering of furniture. On average, they produce 2 seven-seater sofa sets per day; over 300 working days, this amounts to 1,722,600 sets.
3. Exports: The export share of various furniture—including sofas (both comfort and classic/steel types), dining and kitchen chairs, panel furniture such as cabinets, beds, kitchen cabinets, office furniture—reached approximately 60 million USD in 1400 AH.
4. Imports: Furniture imports have been banned over the past five years, though some semi-finished parts or contraband items have entered the consumption cycle via western and southern borders.
According to the provided statistics, Iran has the capacity to produce approximately 70 million square meters of heavy upholstery and decorative fabrics, including woven (warp-and-weft), warp-knitted, and weft-knitted types. Considering the production of one million seven-seater sofa sets, both classic (steel) and modern (fabric comfort sofas), and assuming 65% are modern with an average of 40 meters per set, the consumption of woven fabrics would be about 26 million meters. For 35% classic sofas, with approximately 15 meters per set, consumption would be around 6 million square meters. Adding 32 million square meters and approximately 10 million square meters for reupholstery and fabric replacement, the total estimated consumption reaches around 50 million square meters. The remaining production capacity can be allocated to decorative curtains, fabric-covered wall panels, and upholstery applications.
Conclusion
From ancient times to the present, the textile industry has been one of the pillars of Iran’s economic strength. It can be confidently stated that the impact of this industry on employment, foreign exchange earnings, and consequently production growth is far greater than that of many other industries. In addition to its high influence, the textile industry is also highly sensitive to social factors, such as excessive imports, the spread of foreign goods consumption culture, high production costs, aging machinery, and similar challenges. Considering these obstacles, the growth and continuity of any industry can be difficult. Based on the conducted studies, just as Iran was one of the world’s leading exporters in the 4th and 5th centuries AH, it can regain its former position today. Accordingly, the country’s young workforce, with determination and supported by the experience of industry veterans, can bring this vision to fruition.
Additionally, Iran’s furniture industry, as a fast-yield and high value-added sector, has the potential to produce goods with strong export opportunities to the Gulf countries, Iraq, and Central Asian nations, generating significant foreign exchange earnings. Furthermore, within the country, this industry can not only support positive employment trends but also promote initiatives such as material recycling, efficient use of resources and energy, cost reduction, and consequently, more affordable prices for consumers.
References
1. Rabi’, Davood (2004), Another Birth, Wood & Paper Journal, Issue 10, p.16.
2. Sadri, Nasrin (2008), Weaving in Iran: From Traditional to Industrial, Ayaz Journal, Issues 2 and 3.
3. Iran Guild Chamber website, ISIC Codes of Industries and Trades: otaghasnafeiran.ir
4. Statistical Center of Iran website: www.amar.org.ir.php
