Fırat Neziroğlu: From Tradition to the Future with the Anatolian Textile Network

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The Mardin Design and Innovation Center project, spearheaded by Mardin Artuklu Municipality and partnered with Mardin Artuklu University, was brought to life through the support of the Mardin Development Agency’s Guided Project Support program. A nearly 200-year-old monumental building in Mardin’s historic district was meticulously restored and transformed into a design and innovation center. This center features workshops dedicated to four craft disciplines: weaving, glassmaking, felt, and jewelry design.

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The primary goal of the project is to breathe new life into Mardin’s endangered traditional crafts by integrating them with contemporary design and innovation, thereby enhancing their value and producing items suited to the needs of the modern world. It aims to foster a culture of design and creativity, establish quality and production standards for craft products, and strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem for women and young people in the region. By reviving these nearly forgotten crafts, the project aspires to increase their economic value and contribute to Mardin’s social, economic, and cultural development.

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This initiative ensures the survival of crafts that are at risk of disappearing.

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In the field of weaving, looms were installed under the guidance of Fırat Neziroğlu and brought into operation with participants who had no prior experience in the craft. Those who completed the weaving training are now on their way to becoming master weavers.