Buldan: Home Of Fabrics
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Buldan is a town in Turkey’s Denizli province marked by two signs welcoming guests.The first of these reads “The land of factories without chimneys” (’Bacasız Fabrikalar Diyarına Hoş Geldiniz), referring to the textile machines and weaving looms set up in the streets. The second sign states “’The wedding dress of Yıldırım Bayezıd’s daughter, the shirts of Genç Osman and the shawl of Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha were woven in Buldan.” The names mentioned on this second sign transports guests entering the town on a trip back to the days of Ottoman palaces. Buldan cloth, a fabric popular for making Ottoman sultans’ clothing, has become the trendy pick of presidents and prime ministers around the world. Buldan cloth can be found in the luxurious homes of US President George W. Bush, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Australian Prime Minister John Howard and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark. The cloth, which is named after the town, is all natural, even being made with natural dyes. Although many factories have been set up for Buldan fabric production, traditional handmade cloth weaving has survived to this day. Such woven cloths are exported to at least a dozen countries including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Israel, Canada, Puerto Rico, Japan, the US and Europe. The history of weaving in Buldan is almost as ancient as the history of the province. The practice is believed to stretch back to the weaving industry in Tripolis during the Roman period in 2 B.C. An archeological research group from the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA) conducted studies in Buldan and the surrounding area and uncovered primitive weaving looms. Their study revealed old travelers and historians frequently mentioned high-quality Boğası cloth weaving during visits to Denizli. While there are many sources discussing cloth weaving in the district, renowned traveler İbni Batuta (1333) also recorded important information about the town in his travel journal. “Its bazaars are very fine, and in them are manufactured cotton fabrics edged with gold embroidery, unequalled in their kind, and long-lived due to the excellence of their cotton and strength of their spun thread,” Batuta wrote. Evliya Çelebi also speaks highly of the cloth woven in Buldan in his journal, where he refers to a Boğası cloth. However research has turned up historical documents proving Boğası and Buldan are the same type of fabric. During the Ottoman period, Buldan clothes were extremely fashionable and valuable. The white cheesecloth of the first Ottoman sultan, Osman, as well his clothes, undergarments and outfits for the women around him (known as “akalem”) were made in Buldan. Murat Khan I also donned ensembles made from the fabric. In addition to a domestic market, Buldan fabric has also joined the wardrobes of various world figures. In the US alone, former US president Bill Clinton, Hollywood stars and state leaders have acquired Buldan fabric. Additionally, First Lady Laura Bush wears handmade silk shawls with Ottoman motifs. Buldan Chamber of Commerce Chairman Halil Baştürkmen says about $5 million in Buldan fabric products is exported annually. Referring to the weaving sector in the district, Baştürkmen says: “Every house functions like a workshop. Give them thread and they will make a product.” The weaving of soft, sturdy, beautiful and natural Buldan fabric requires hard work and patience. There are very specific procedures for making the thread of the fabric appropriate for weaving. The fabric must be washed, dyed, dried and then spun. While chemical dyes have replaced natural dyes from tannin, laurel, walnut leaves, chestnuts, and onion peel, acorns are still often used to make the cotton a golden-yellow color. How the dye is extracted from the acorn changes between expert weavers and is kept a secret by most. The dried, dyed threads are wrapped around a spool with handmade traditional spinning looms. The last but most important step in making Buldan fabric is the weaving procedure on the handlooms. Fabrics woven on these looms are said to be of better quality than fabrics made on automatic looms and in factories. Traditional cloth woven in Buldan includes waist cloths, tops, towels, sheets, napkins, tablecloths and hand cloths.Many of the traditional homes in Buldan still function as weaving workshops, and every family member has a task. Because of the great strength required, men do the weaving while women spin the thread, decorate the hems of the fabric and make the lace. Children fold the towels and tablecloths. Buldan is one of the few towns where wooden hand looms are still used. Buldan Governor Ahmet Ufuk Hasçakal said: “We get requests for Buldan handlooms from all over the world. People prefer cloth from here because even after years of use, the looms retain their original quality and strength since they are made from Pamukkale water and natural dyes.” The district governorship opened the Buldan Handmade Arts Center (BELSAM) to promote their textiles to tourists and locals. Noting that handmade products are exported, Hasçakal said: “Buldan has become a brand name. Every product is made with care and great effort. We founded BELSAM to motivate others and to show the importance of handmade art. We are also offering the world custom products.”
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