Gazenne Fabric: How Kemaliye Women Revived a Fading Craft
Women in Erzincan's Kemaliye revived Gazenne weaving, which gained geographical indication status in 2023.
Gazenne fabric, a traditional weave from Kemaliye in Erzincan province, is being kept alive by local women. According to a report published on 19 October 2026, the craft had nearly disappeared after the 1960s. Women in the district revived it by founding an association in 2010.
The fabric received geographical indication status in 2023. That legal recognition ties the product to its home district and helps protect its identity.
How Kemaliye women revived Gazenne weaving
Kemaliye is a district of Erzincan in eastern Türkiye. Its Gazenne fabric is made with traditional methods and is known for its texture and patterns. The report presents it as one of the district’s cultural treasures, carrying the region’s past into the present.
After the 1960s, the weaving tradition slowly faded from daily life. In 2010, local women came together and formed an association to bring it back. The report says the association and its members now run various projects to protect and spread the craft.
The source does not name the association. It also gives no production figures, so this article does not add any.
What geographical indication means for Gazenne
A geographical indication (in Turkish, coğrafi işaret) is an official registration. It links a product’s qualities and reputation to a specific place. In practice, it means the Gazenne name belongs to the identity of Kemaliye.
The report says the 2023 registration secured the fabric’s identity as tied to the region. For a handmade textile, that kind of protection can help distinguish genuine local work from imitations.
Passing the craft to new generations
The women involved aim to hand the weaving culture to future generations. They also want to promote the district’s wider cultural values. The report describes the craft as sustained by handwork rather than industrial production.
For readers who follow Turkish historical dramas, crafts like this are a reminder of the everyday textile traditions behind period costume and Anatolian material culture. The report itself, however, makes no link between Gazenne and any television series.
Source: SonDakika (İHA report)
Featured image: Mehmetaergun / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
