Which crafts really decorate homes on the Costa Blanca?

Two crafts still genuinely dress up interiors on the Costa Blanca: the hand-woven carpets of Crevillent, inland in Alicante province and nicknamed the "Ciudad de la Alfombra" (Carpet Town) for its past as Spain's national carpet leader in the 20th century, and the wicker (mimbre) and esparto basketry of Gata de Gorgos, a village in the Marina Alta where plant fibres have been woven for more than a century. Two villages, one shared root: fibre-work, documented in the region as early as the Middle Ages (sources: the municipal site crevillent.es and the portal visita.crevillent.es; craft players and press for Gata de Gorgos, data gathered 30/07/2026).

Why is Crevillent nicknamed the "Carpet Town"?

Crevillent carries this nickname because it became, in the 20th century, Spain's leading national centre for carpet production and export. It goes back a very long way: the local textile craft dates to the Middle Ages, with documented references as early as 1411 to the braiding of plant fibres such as esparto and rush (source: Wikipedia "Industria textil en Crevillente", cross-checked with crevillent.es). The activity stayed family-run and artisanal for centuries, then, at the end of the 19th century, the first workshops specialising in hand-woven carpets on wooden looms appeared. The first mechanical looms arrived from 1920, and the town then shifted into production capable of reaching well beyond Alicante province.

One name sums up this history: Alfombras Imperial. The factory was founded on 12 November 1923 by Antonio Pérez Adsuar, initially as an espadrille workshop with four workers and a single hand loom, before turning to carpets (source: tourism portal visita.crevillent.es). In 2023 it celebrated its 100th anniversary, a longevity that says a lot about how deeply carpets are woven into the town's identity. If you are after a piece that tells you something about the area, a Crevillent carpet ticks the box for local know-how and traceability.

Where can you find wicker and esparto basketry on the Costa Blanca?

The reference point is Gata de Gorgos, in the Marina Alta, a village known for a basketry tradition of more than a century, working mimbre (wicker), esparto and straw. Here the craft has not been lost: baskets, mats, hampers and large baskets (capazos) are made and turn up in homes, on terraces and at markets along the coast. The Artesanía Rosario workshop, for example, has made and sold straw, esparto and wicker items since 1965 (source: specialist craft sites intercomarcal.com, tierrasvivas.es and esparte.es, to be treated as secondary sources documenting a local craft, not as an official statistic).

Good news if you are curious to get your hands into the fibre: there are demonstration and taster workshops where you can learn "punto capacho", the traditional weaving technique used to build baskets, mats and large baskets. It is the kind of outing that makes a change from the beach, and explains, stitch by stitch, why these objects last for decades.

What links these two crafts?

The common thread is plant fibre. Crevillent and Gata de Gorgos share the same regional origin: the working of esparto and rush, mentioned in the region as early as the Middle Ages (source: crevillent.es for Crevillent). This is not a direct historical link between the two villages, no source documents that, but rather a shared culture of weaving and fibre-work that took two different forms depending on the area: carpets in Crevillent, baskets and mats in Gata de Gorgos.

To round out the picture of the craft that really decorates the province's homes, there is a third neighbouring hub, ceramics: the village of Agost has shaped clay for centuries, a subject covered in full in our guide on Agost pottery and ceramics. Three villages, three materials, one same idea: bring home an object made here rather than an imported souvenir.

Where can you go hunting for these craft pieces for your home?

Closest to the source, head to the workshops themselves: Crevillent for a carpet, Gata de Gorgos for basketry and, if you fancy it, a taster workshop in punto capacho weaving. Along the coast, you will also come across these objects at stalls and in decor shops. The usual approach stays the same: ask about the origin and favour local handmade work.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Crevillent called the "Carpet Town"?

Because in the 20th century it became Spain's national leader in carpet production and export, hence its nickname "Ciudad de la Alfombra" (source: visita.crevillent.es).

Since when has the Alfombras Imperial factory existed?

Since 12 November 1923, founded by Antonio Pérez Adsuar initially as an espadrille workshop, with four workers and one hand loom; it celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023 (source: visita.crevillent.es).

What is Gata de Gorgos basketry?

A weaving tradition of more than a century, working wicker, esparto and straw to make baskets, mats and large baskets; the Artesanía Rosario workshop has produced and sold these since 1965 (sources: specialist craft sites, data from 30/07/2026).

Can you learn to weave on site?

Yes, in Gata de Gorgos there are demonstration and taster workshops where you learn "punto capacho", the traditional technique for building baskets and mats.

Sources

Wikipedia, "Industria textil en Crevillente" (consulted 30/07/2026), cross-checked with the municipal site crevillent.es and the tourism portal visita.crevillent.es (Alfombras Imperial founding date: 12/11/1923; centenary in 2023; references to fibre weaving from 1411); specialist craft sites intercomarcal.com, tierrasvivas.es and esparte.es for Gata de Gorgos (Artesanía Rosario since 1965; punto capacho), consulted 30/07/2026 and cited as secondary sources documenting a local craft.

Information verified in July 2026. The Daily Costa Blanca is an AI-assisted publication with human editorial review and responsibility.