We Have a Voice in the World Carpet Market with $2.8 Billion in Exports
The winners of the National Carpet Design Competition, organized by the Istanbul Carpet Exporters’ Association (IHIB) for 17 years, have been announced. Speaking at the night where sector representatives who contributed to the export of the carpet sector in 2023 were also awarded, Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM) President Mustafa Gültepe said; “We have a voice in the world carpet market with an export of 2.8 billion dollars. We must expand this success by bringing production together with design and innovation.”
The winner of the 17th National Carpet Design Competition was İnan Burhanlı, while Esma Deniz came in second and Yaren İleri came in third. The awards for those who contributed to the carpet sector’s exports in 2023 were distributed to 10 companies each in the categories of Machine-Woven Carpet, Tufting Carpet, Velvet Carpet and Prayer Rug and Hand-Made Rug. Mine Gökbuket Erbek was deemed worthy of the İHİB Special Award and presented her award to Turkish women weavers. The Carpetmaker of the Year Special Award went to Erhan Ör, the founder of Hereke carpets.
Speaking at the ceremony, Istanbul Deputy Governor Cengiz Karabulut emphasized that the carpet is a cultural heritage extending from the past to the present; “There is history in each of its stitches, a story in each of its patterns. Each design has great importance in introducing the richness of our culture to the world. I believe that the works presented here today will be remembered for generations not only as designs but also as works of art.” he said.
“We Must Bring Production and Design Together”
Emphasizing that carpets have a special place in Turkish culture, Mustafa Gültepe noted that when we look at 2,500 years of history, we can see that Turks are one of the nations that know the genetics of carpets best. Mustafa Gültepe, who stated that Turkiye carries out 16.4 percent of global carpet exports, continued his words as follows: “Last year, we realized $2.8 billion worth of carpet exports. This year, we closed the January-November period with a 5% increase. Carpet is a 2,500-year-old cultural heritage that we need to protect and develop. At the same time, it is one of the sectors in which we have the most advantages in the world. Therefore, we must dote on these sectors. In order to achieve greater success in exports, we have to bring production together with design, innovation and high technology.”
“Turkiye is the World’s First in Machine-Woven Carpets”
Expressing that they brought together both the deep-rooted cultural heritage and strong commercial potential of the carpet sector, IHIB Chairman Ahmet Hayri Diler said: “We are proud to bring together the leading representatives of our sector, Turkiye’s talented designers and the young people who will build our future. The carpet sector is one of the brightest pages of Turkiye’s worldwide success stories. Today, Turkiye ranks second in the world in total carpet exports and first in the world in machine-woven carpets. This success has been achieved with the solid infrastructure of our sector, its innovative vision and its determination to carry the values of our culture. Value-added exports are the key not only to economic success, but also to bringing our cultural richness to the world by combining design and technology. The 17th national carpet design competition we are organizing is the best example of how innovation and creativity are the lifeblood of the sector. Our designs are not just products, they are guides that shed light on the future of Turkish carpet making. Turkish carpet making is not only an economic value but also an art element that should be recognized in the world.”
