Hereke carpet regains fame with TV dramas

Famous Hereke carpets, with their features differentiating them from other handmade carpets, gain popularity again thanks to TV dramasTurkey's famous Hereke carpets, which are displayed at the Ottoman sultans' palaces, mansion and pavilions, including the Dolmabahçe Palace, have regained their lost fame thanks to Turkish TV dramas, according to the head of a carpet firm. 

The Hereke carpets have lost their fame because of cheaply-made lookalikes and the lack of effective promotions in the international arena. But recently, the carpets, which have been used as a décor in Turkish dramas that draw viewers in many countries, have risen in fame along with the shows. 

Director of a carpet firm in the northwestern province of Kocaeli, ?smail ?a?d?m said the production of Hereke carpets began in 1843 with the establishment of Hereke Fabrika-i Hümayun, in order to meet furnishing and curtain needs of palaces that were built in the final years of the Ottoman Empire. 

He said Hereke carpets are as valuable as artifacts because they are hand-made, and added the carpets had become well-known in the world. 

Knot makes it different  

"What makes a Hereke carpet special is its knot. Traditional carpets have two types of knots, single and double. Double knot is a hard process but it gives strength and a visual quality to the carpet when it is finished. This is why carpets are made with double knots in Hereke," ?a?d?m said. 

Another distinctive feature, he added, was their thinness in comparison to traditional hand-made carpets. "Our carpets, which have the least number of knots, have 36 knots. Even these carpets are two- to three-times thinner than traditional carpets. When using silk, they are even thinner. They...