Founded in 2009 in Pirot, a town in southern Serbia, Damsko Srce is an all-women artisan cooperative committed to preserving the ancient craft of Pirot rug weaving. This distinctive technique, unique to the Pirot region, is famous for its double-faced weave with no visible reverse and is officially recognised as part of Serbia’s intangible cultural heritage. The Pirot rug is protected by a geographical indication, meaning it can only be made locally using traditional methods. .

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Once a thriving hub of traditional crafts, the Pirot region has seen many of its artisanal practices fade under the pressures of industrialisation, and Damsko Srce is working to reverse that trend. Under the artistic direction of Slavica Ćirić, the atelier has so far created over 4,700 handwoven rugs with pure wool dyed with natural pigments, which feature symbolic geometric patterns passed down through generations. Slavica and four other women behind Damsko Srce have received numerous national and international recognitions for their contribution to the preservation and promotion of Serbian cultural heritage.

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