Visiting a Silk Carpet Factory in Turkey:
Silk Carpet Factory in Cappadocia
On any tour of Turkey, you can be sure of being taken to a carpet factory, usually in Istanbul, and we’ve done our share of carpet factory visits on our various trips to Turkey. When our tour left Istanbul without a carpet factory visit, I thought that we had been spared, but not for long. Out in the unique Cappadocia region with its moon-like landscape and fairy chimneys, our guide manages to find a carpet factory to visit.
After our visit to the Göreme Open Air Museum and the fairy chimneys of Monk’s Valley we drove to Ortahisar (Ürgüp) to visit a carpet factory. This was not a part of our itinerary and as we were pushed for time, our guide made arrangements for us to have Turkish pizzas at the carpet factory – TL 3.00 per person for the pizza which wasn’t bad.
Carpet Factory Visit
Thankfully, our Cappadocia carpet factory visit was a little different from the ones that we’ve been too before. Normally, you get a presentation about the various types and grades of carpets in a showroom, followed by a pitch for sales. On this Cappadocia trip, we visited a silk carpet factory.
Silk Reeling at a Carpet Factory
We started our visit with a demonstration of how silk cocoons are formed and saw how silk is reeled from the cocoons to make silk threads. This was interesting as I’ve never before seen how silk is produced. Sitting on the floor in the next room are some women, with colourful scarfs, weaving their carpet. Here we have an explanation of carpet weaving, including the difference between wool and silk carpet weaving. We get to see the women doing their craft and even in their early stage of production, the silk carpets that these women were weaving looked exquisite. Although they didn’t display any strain, it must be back-breaking sitting for hours, without any back support, weaving their carpet.
Reels of Silk
Some Carpet Showmanship
We next went to the familiar showroom where a range of carpets are brought out for display and to entice customers. If you haven’t been to a Turkish carpet factory before, it is entertaining. The presenter first starts with the cheaper carpets, so you won’t think that the Turkish carpets are beyond your budget, and he then gradually works up to the more expensive silk ones. Visitors are urged to feel the carpets, sit on them, walk on them and hopefully to fall in love with them. And as he’s going through his presentation, his helpers display their carpet showmanship by flinging open rolls and rolls of floor carpets, as if they were weightless. And while carpet after carpet are unfolded before you, some of the showroom staff are carefully looking out for individuals who display some interest. At the end of session they make a few sales, not many, but I give them A for effort for their untiring energy in putting on the carpet display.
Women Weavers in the Carpet Factory
This Cappadocia carpet factory is a cooperative and the prices are supposed to be cheaper than buying carpets in the shop. One lady who was on the verge of buying said that she didn’t think the price was cheap and that she could probably have bought just as nice a carpet back in Australia.
Shopping for Turkish Carpets in Turkey
If you’re in the market for a Turkish carpet, do your homework and have an understanding of what carpet costs are back home. But price is not the only consideration. Two carpets may have the same pattern, but the finer and more expensive carpet has more knots per square inch. Then again, handwoven and silk carpets fetch a higher price than machine produced ones.
In Turkey, you’ll certainly have your pick of the finest silk, rare antique, oversize rugs or Anatolian kilims, but you’ll need to know what price you are prepared to pay as bargaining is expected. We bought a nice traditional Turkish carpet years ago and it is still sitting in our living room, a reminder of our wonderful tour of Turkey.
You can see more photos of our Silk Carpet Factory visit Here.
Take Better Digital Photos eBook
Guerrilla Travel Photography eBook
Sorry, we don’t sell carpets ourselves and are not agents for any carpet sellers in Turkey.
I purchased a carpet on the 6th October 2013 from your good selves size 2.9 x1.98 = 5.82 square metres PRICE PAID £1600
I HAVE JUST PUT THE CARPET DOWN IN THE NEW DECORATED ROOM ONLY TO FIND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF FLAWS IN THE CARPET WEAVE,
ON ONE OF THE SHORTER SIDE BOARDERS THE PATTEN IS OUT BY ABOUT 15 MM OUT OF SQUARE.
COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE ME THE TELEPHONE NUMBER OF YOUR AGENT IN U.K. YOU TOLD ME ABOUT SO THAT I CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM SO THAT THEY CAN CHECK OUT THE CARPET.
Trusting you will look into this matter seriously and i await your reply.
Regards
Keith Honour
Hi Keith,
We are Travelsignposts, a travel information website, and not the carpet factory that you bought from. Please check your invoice for the correct name of the carpet factory and contact them directly.
Kind regards,
Helen Page
When you say a co operative of carpet weavers,I want to know what percentage of the sale or profit goes to the weavers.
It’s a cooperative of carpet businesses not weavers. I very much doubt if the weavers are on any kind of profit sharing.
Dear Helen
I’ve tried everywhere to get the address of the carpet factory of the man sitting on the carpet on your web site.
It’s not got the factory Name on the invoice just the No of the carpet.
If you can give me the name of the factory on your web site i would be very grateful.
I await you answer please,
I’ve been trying now for over 2 years to get the address please help me.
Many thanks
Keith Honour
Dear Keith,
As we were not in the market for a Turkish carpet during our Cappadocia visit, we did not ask for the name of the shop that we were brought to. The only name we could make out was from the certificate on the wall which refers to their membership of the Hereke Carpet Weavers Association. At the bottom of that certificate is the name Yuksel Hali Carpets.
http://www.travelsignposts.com/destination/Turkey/Silk-Carpet-Factory/turkish-carpet_DSC5744
As all the Turkish carpet shops do pretty much the same presentation, the picture on our website may not be the same place you bought from. If you paid by credit card, you should be able to get the name of the merchant from your credit card company.
Once you’ve established the name of the merchant, and if it’s Yuksel Hali, you can then contact them online, through the Hereke Association, or through a UK agent that sells Hereke carpets.
Hope that helps a little.
All the best,
Helen
Hi,
I was wondering if you know about a carpet that has light that reflects through it. I saw it during a visit to a carpet factory in Cappadocia. The carpet was hanging on the wall and the shopkeeper turned off all lights except one bulb which was fixed behind the carpet. The carpet then had the light coming through it and created a very unique design. I can’t seem to find it online anywhere and was hoping if you could guide me.
Hi Faiza,
The carpet you mention sounds interesting, but unfortunately I can’t help you here. Carpet shops are always very eager to sell so if you start by asking a few carpet dealers, they could possibly do the research for you.
Kind regards,
Helen Page
Hi Faiza,
Just a thought, try asking at the Hereke Carpet Weavers Association (hereke.com) and someone might be able to help you.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Thanks so much for getting back. I’ll ask around carpet shops.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Good luck Faiza. As mentioned above, also try contacting the Hereke Carpet Weavers Association.
Kind regards,
Helen