Like the Beni Ourain, Beni Mrirt rugs are originally woven in the Middle Atlas, the northernmost of the three Moroccan Atlas mountain ranges.
They bear the name of the tribe that created them centuries ago, the Beni - meaning "children of" - Mrit.
You will find them under the name of Berber rugsbut as you know at Casa Amar we have made the choice to use the precise and correct names rather than using the common and fashionable ones.
Authentic Beni Mrirt rugs – which are the ones you will find with us – are made essentially in the Khenifra region (which includes the village of Mrirt).
Historically, the style of Beni Mrirt was similar to that of the classic Beni Ourain: minimalist and essential designs, geometric figures. Today you can find Beni Mrirt rugs with colorful and bold designs, whether traditional or recent innovations.
But what really sets contemporary Beni Mrit rugs apart and gives them their solid reputation in the design world is undoubtedly their sophisticated appearance.
Why are Beni Mrirt so different from other Moroccan rugs? There are three reasons and we bet the third reason will surprise you!
- The raw material: The craftswomen who make authentic Beni Mrit rugs work with high quality wool.
- The workmanship: the wool is knotted with precision, with very tight knots, for a rugs that is always very dense. The density of Beni Mrirt rugs is a fundamental aspect. Copies of Beni Mrirt rugs never have the same density.
- Meticulous washing. This is where the mystery of Beni Mrirt rugs lies.
Their washing is a secret process. In the country, there are few who know how to wash a rugs like a Beni Mrirt and those few keep the steps and ingredients used for washing secret. In many places in Morocco they have tried to reproduce the same techniques but with little success. A trained eye - like the one we have managed to have after years of experience - immediately recognizes a Beni Mrirt washed in an authentic way, with mastery.
At Casa Amar, we are fortunate to work with several cooperatives specializing in Beni Mrirt rugs. Over time, these cooperatives have shared with us many of the secrets of washing, allowing us to also witness the stages of transformation of the rugs, and we are very honored by their trust.
In these cooperatives, women are responsible for making the rugs while men take care of the washing.
Washing is a male task, because it is very physically demanding. Imagine having to hang up a 20 kg wool rugs completely wet to dry in the sun!
One of these men is called Mohamed and we can call him a "rugaddict"! We asked him how often he washes a carpet. His answer was amazing " It's the rug that tells me when to stop washing it ". Mohamed has a difficult job. And he does it beautifully, with a passion that has excited us since our first meeting.
The result of this meticulous workmanship and this particular wash is a dense, soft, silky rug, which makes every space it inhabits luxurious.
You can admire them in the Beni Mrirt section or come and see them live in our showroom in Milan, in via Pestalozzi 4.
Updated: 08/13/2024