Gardens to be set up to use natural dyes in nomad carpets

BALIKESİR

Special gardens will be set up in the Aegean province of Balıkesir’s Sındırgı district to grow plants in order to obtain the natural colors of a traditional carpet, handwoven by Turkish nomads.

World-famous handmade carpets, known as Yağcıbedir rugs and passed down from generation to generation in line with a tradition, are works of art that reflect the customs and traditions of Turkish nomads.

Made of 100 percent sheep wool and stand out with their naturalness, Yağcıbedir rugs can maintain their durability for many years thanks to 35 loops it contains in just 1 square meter.

Special gardens, with plants whose roots are used to obtain the natural colors, will be built by local authorities in an attempt to preserve the art of this traditional carpet making.

“The geographical sign of the Yağcıbedir carpet, which has a history of nearly 3,500 years, belongs to the Sındırgı Municipality”, said Ekrem Yavaş, the mayor of the district.

“We want young people to strengthen their sense of belonging [to the city], through the story of these rugs. It is necessary to know what is in each pattern and dye of these rugs,” Yavaş added.

The underlying reason for municipalities to decide on private gardens is that nomads now prefer chemical dyes instead of natural.

“The villagers told us that it is now very difficult to weave the way it used to be, so they do it with chemical dyes,” Yavaş said, adding that the surface of the famous carpet, therefore, lacks shine and is more on paler tone.

As it is difficult to collect these plants whose roots are used to make the natural dyes, they will be grown in the gardens instead.