International interest in Turkish entrepreneur's felt products

Handan Ünlü, who began practicing felt work after receiving a loan in Harran, a district of southeastern Şanlıurfa province, has managed to achieve renown in London. Ünlü, who receives orders from a boutique business in the U.K., tries to both teach women felt work in the Public Education Center and catch up with orders.

Ünlü, 39, started felt work at the suggestion of one of her friends 15 years ago and rapidly learnt and improved her craft. The seamless clothes that Ünlü creates with felt have been attracting great attention both in Turkey and abroad.

Ünlü, who is also a trainer in the Public Education Center of the Harran District Governorship, teaches 16 trainees felt work. She also helps women to contribute to their family budgets by selling their pieces.



Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Ünlü said she had to leave middle school after she got married at 17. She continued to practice felt work and received an education through distance learning courses.

"Some of my family members are interested in handcrafts and I was interested in them since a very young age. I continued training at the public education center, but I had to quit after I got married. But, I didn't give up. First, I evaluated a job offer, then some of my friends suggested that I should get a micro loan. The amount was very small, but I started to practice felt work at home. With the money that I got through this job, I covered both my own and my daughter's education expenses," Ünlü said.

Saying that she first learned the subtlety of felt work from the craftsmen in the city in addition to the training, Ünlü said she has researched the topic. During this period, she realized felt was being used to make clothes in Russia.


Ünlü was interested in felt work from a very young age. She continued training at the public education center, but she had to quit after getting married. But, she didn't give up. She got a micro loan. The amount was very small, but was enough to start practicing felt work at home.

"Felt is a part of our culture. I asked myself, 'Why don't we use felt to make clothes?' Then, I started to make clothes that are made of felt but then I realized clothes should be seamless. Even though I received training from several people about it, I couldn't learn what I exactly wanted to learn. I met felt artist Mehmet Girgiç one and a half years ago. I mastered making seamless clothes made of felt from him. I have been working on seamless felt since then," she said.

Ünlü said the clothes they produce have been attracting widespread attention in Turkey and abroad.

"We sell our products online. We also sell our products in some stores in Şanlıurfa, Istanbul and Ankara. Sabancı University has ordered 500 scarves. It seems like we will have a few very busy days ahead. We also got in touch with a boutique business manager in London and they ordered a vest. We are trying to catch up with the orders now. These developments made us very happy," she said.