The Best in the World The town of Hereke has gracefully lent its name and provided a new technique to fine carpets making, is just a 30 minutes drive from Istanbul, and is situated on one of the most beautiful bays of the Gulf of İzmit. Hand weaving has been common in this territory before the Hereke Imperial Factory was established, however, the new weaving technique dubbed as “Turkish Knot” surpassed all other traditional styles when it first emerged. Since the town was blessed with ideal settings for a flourishing industry such as direct water transportation, Sultan Abdülmecid, who wished to connect with the developing countries of that period, did not hesitate to choose and establish Hereke as the place where the Ottoman industry would evolve. The following years precisely justified the excitement that the Sultan felt at the presence of the factory, which he toured while accompanied by the commander-in-chief and minister of war Admiral Rıza while travelling around in the gulf waters.After the visit, additional atelier was established in Dolmabahçe Palace in order to meet the increasing demand. Moreover, Hereke carpets were so adored that when it was time to relocate to Dolmabahçe Palace, the officers only relocated the carpets to the new palace and placed them in their new spaces whereas all other furniture was left behind in Topkapı Palace that would be commemorated as “The Old Palace” later on. On the other hand, as European countries were gradually becoming mechanized, and their production increased they started to face raw material shortages; as a remedy they imported vast amounts of wool and cotton from Turkey. However, the situation in turkey was just the opposite; weaving and dyeing became very dominant. It is obvious that these positive achievements did not emerge suddenly all at once. Several legal regulations had already been set up in the reform years in order to support the Ottomans traditional manufacturing methods and industries.As the first major initiatives, a commission was established, industrial exhibitions were held and an industry school was founded. The first steps towards industrialization were always legislated and applied by the Ottoman government as it was done in the Hereke factory. The government’s development efforts were considerably successful despite the extraordinary political agendas of that era. Hereke carpets enabled the Ottoman government to win a great number of prestigious prizes in several world capitals exhibitions such as London and Paris. Without a doubt, Hereke always made a huge contribution to the economy of the empire.