HEREKE CARPET AND SILK WEAVING FACTORY

Founded in 1843 in Hereke, a town on the northern coast of the Gulf of Izmit, the factory began production in 1845 under the name "Hereke Imperial Factory" to meet the upholstery and curtain needs of the newly constructed palaces. The Hereke Factory, the most comprehensive silk weaving factory established by the Ottoman Empire up to that time, began production with jacquard looms and designers brought from France. During the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, carpet weaving units were added to the Hereke Factory, which produced silk upholstery and curtains for the palaces, thus laying the foundations of the world renowned Hereke carpet industry. It is known that at that time, a weaving workshop, known as the Hereke Weaving Workshop, operated within the Dolmabahçe Palace. The most exquisite products of the Hereke Factory were used in the decoration of palaces, mansions, and pavilions, which served as a showcase of Ottoman industry, and also found their way into European palaces through gifts given to members of foreign royal families.