Decor_OcakSubat_2019

“Dyes and wool quality should be standardized…”
Kirkit Rugs has gained strength in the European and American markets with its custom design products,
thus continuing Turkey’s heritage of hand-woven carpets .…
Ahmet Diler, Owner of Kirkit Rugs
Company and vice-president of IHIB
(Istanbul Carpet Exporters’ Association),
started with a small rug shop in Avanos,
Nevşehir. He developed his business
from Avanos to Istanbul and now in New
York and Paris. Mr. Diler talked to Decor
Magazine about Kirkit Rugs and the
tradition of weaving carpets.
What factors allowed your growth?
We are one of the few companies in the
handmade carpet domain that works
with designers. We are constantly in
search of new ideas and work with
different materials such as wool, hemp,
cotton and goat hair. If you want to
succeed in this business as in any other,
renewal is imperative. Anatolia has a
long history in carpet weaving and our
old products are really exceptional such
as the Hereke, Bergama and Kumkapı
carpets. There is a great know-how in
the profession. Although the number
of carpet weavers has decreased, some
still perpetuate the craft. We are trying
to encourage these weavers to develop
design-oriented products. However
due to the strong economic growth of
Turkey, weavers’ wages became too low
and unsatisfactory and weavers were
not given social security. Thus they preferred
simpler jobs causing the number
of weavers to decrease over time.
The carpet production industry in Turkey
should be rethought.
The government must participate in
encouraging this industry as the cost
of labour in our country is expensive
compared to competitor countries (Iran,
India and Pakistan). The government
should establish an organization in
order to compete with them. Our carpet
culture should be protected. We need
research into what foreign markets
are expecting and produce products to
meet these expectations. Dyes and wool
quality should be standardized.
The Istanbul Carpet Exporters’ Association
(IHIB) is a pioneer in this venture.
IHIB organize conferences, exhibitions
and contests. Recently, with the sponsorship
of IHIB, historical kilims were
brought out of storage and exhibited at
the Vakıflar Carpet Museum. Rug production
provides employment in rural
areas and prevents migration to the
metropolitan cities.
IHIB has identified many benefits in
this project .A meeting was held with
the Ministry of Economy to speak of the
subject. There are good intentions but
so far, nothing concrete. Such a project
could have a beneficial effect on the
economy of the country.
You have journeyed from Avanos to
New York and Paris. What kind of products
do the foreign markets expect
from us?
We work with designers and produce
rugs taking into account the expectations
of the market. Turkish rugs have
come part of life in Europe and elsewhere,
be it in homes ore museums.
Where do you export your carpets to?
We mostly export to Europe but recently
we have started exporting to America.
The Turkish Trade Centre opened in
New York and we have a small space
there. We have started participating in
trade fairs using this location as our
basis and we are expanding our share of
the market.
Do you working on an order basis?
Handmade rugs take time to weave
but working on orders is the way to go.
Before, we produced stock were desperately
waiting for the customer to
come to us. Now we are taking orders
from customers via samples and we are
trying to improve our deadlines.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
Certain pilot rural areas should be
selected and action should be taken. To
encourage women entrepreneurs and to
benefit regional development,, IHIB gave
awards to projects in Tatvan and stands
at the trade fair.
58 DECOR • January - February 2019