Why the 1,000-year-old Turkish rug industry is hanging by a thread

The 1,000-year-old Turkish rug industry is hanging by a thread — but these weavers are keeping it alive Marisa Palmer and Tam Hunt 1 hour ago   Weavers in Turkey are trying to keep the 1,000-year-old tradition of hand-weaving rugs alive. The industry has been hit hard by a dwindling economy and the pandemic. Handwoven Turkish rugs can cost thousands of dollars, and a single rug can take over a year to make. Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories. It can take nearly a year to hand-weave a traditional Turkish carpet, which can often cost thousands of dollars. But now, because of Turkey's stalling economy and the COVID-19 pandemic, an industry that relies heavily on tourist dollars is shrinking. More:Why the 1,000-year-old Turkish rug industry is hanging by a thread