ANTEP KUTNU WEAVING

There is information in various sources that kutnu weavings, which are based on the same root with the words “kutn” in Arabic and “cotton” in English, have been woven since the 16th century. Kutnu weaving, which started to be woven in Gaziantep by the families immigrating from Syria in the 16th century, developed over time as a characteristic weaving of the region. It is known that Antep Kutnu was used fondly not only by the public, but also by the Ottoman Palace and its surroundings, especially in the 17th century. “Antep Kutnu Weaving” unique to Gaziantep, which has warps and wefts made of cotton and silk, is woven as a striped fabric in plain or warp atlas weaving, the warps being dyed with the ikat technique to form patterns. Warp atlas, twill, and plain weaving and ikat technique are used in Kutnu weavings. They are named differently according to the weave, the material used, their warp-weft density and patterns. There are many types such as Mecidiye, Meydaniye, Moire, Plain, Flowered, Hindiye, and Kemha. It is known that kutnu was woven in places such as Bursa, Çorum, Diyarbakır, Edirne, Erzincan, İzmir, Manisa, as well as Gaziantep. White, yellow, red, purple, green, burgundy, orange, pink (rarely), blue, dark blue, and black colors were also used in kutnus. Three-piece skirts called üçetek, gipons, loose robes, shalwars, linings, bundles, quilt covers, pillows, and cushions were made from kutnu. Antep kutnu weave was generally used as üçetek in traditional women’s clothing in Anatolia and Thrace. For its protection as of 19.01.2015 within the scope of the Industrial Property Law no. 6769, the geographical indication no. 199 has been taken by Gaziantep Chamber of Industry.