Abstract:

Usak district was a traditional center of carpet weaving before the nineteenth century. Carpet production increased gradually during nineteenth century, especially after 1860’s, depending on international demand. This increase caused the employment of an important part of Usak population in the sector. The increased carpet production brought about manufacturing yarn that was an important input of carpet production in factories using inorganic energy to meet the demand in 1890’s. Indeed, three yarn factories were established by Usak notables such as Tiritzade Mehmed Pasa, Hamzazade Hüseyin Hüsnü, Hacı Gedikzade Hafız Mustafa, Yılancızade Osman ve Bacakzade Ali at the beginning of early twentieth century. Ottoman central government also supported notables’ initiatives. It endowed tax exemptions. The factories, went into production in short time, brought about radical changes in carpet production. This radical economical change constituted one of the main reasons of revolt in 1908 in which weavers of carpets destroyed the factories, and brought carpet production to a standstill. In this article, the establishment reasons, processes and founders of factories are examined in detail based on archival material.

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