Traditional Weaving
A new Social Mission by Orta Blu
Buldan is a small village of 15000 people built on a hill side in the inner Aegean region of Turkey. The town’s tradition of handwoven textiles dates back to the 13th century. By the end of the 19th century, there were over 1500 looms accounting for the largest textiles production of its time. With the advent of modern textile machine manufacturing, Buldan’s capacity has shrunk down to a few looms that cater mostly to the local shops and a few international clients. Orta Blu wants to revive the traditional weaving craft. Increase the amount of looms, provide better salaries for the weavers, empower the community. It also wants to create a more viable business model so that the weavers and their products will be able to take advantage of a more global system of sales and distribution.