Azerkhalcha Carpet Gallery

Why it matters: Azerkhalcha’s roughly 500 female artisans, aged 18 to 80 and working across 14 studios in rural Azerbaijan, hand-knot every carpet sold here, with the organization’s mission centered on preserving traditional weaving techniques while supporting the livelihoods of the women who keep the craft alive. The Old City showroom doubles as a small museum of the art form, whose UNESCO-recognized techniques are on full display. Browse the collections by region – Karabakh, Guba-Shirvan, Tabriz – even if you’re not buying, and ask staff to explain the symbolism woven into the patterns.