With roots tracing to the ancient Silk Road, the Kutnu fabric, a blend of cotton and silk arranged in vivid, striped weaves, is unique to Gaziantep, Turkey. Once celebrated and coveted in Ottoman palaces and European courts, by the 21st century, this textile neared its extinction. The labour-intensive procedure and the dexterity required to realise this once-storied cloth no longer aligned with contemporary industrial production. This is where Jülide Konukoğlu, a cultural advocate and entrepreneur, found her creative mission. In 2017, she turned a municipal preservation initiative into a private expedition to rescue Kutnu as a living tradition, a symbol of Gaziantep's past. Her vision culminated in Kutnia, a brand born of social responsibility entrenched in local culture and elevated by modern design thinking.

Since its founding, Kutnia has become known for its innovative workmanship, elevating Kutnu through extensive research and development. The fabric’s weave width and durability have now been improved and adjusted for both fashion design and interior applications, while preserving its distinct silk-cotton blend and vertical stripes. With cultural celebration at its heart, Kutnia abides by international standards for elegance and sustainability. It now connects with the world by offering Turkish handcrafted quality through its weaving ateliers in Gaziantep as well as collaborations with international brands and fairs such as Dior, Studio Lugo and Salone del Mobile.

In an interview with STIR, Konukoğlu elaborates on the company’s genesis, its contribution to social and cultural renewal as well as Turkish heritage and the timeless appeal of traditional textiles. She takes the dialogue behind the loom, revealing how Kutnu evolved from a craft that was all but forgotten, to a global symbol of handcrafted, sustainable design. Following are edited excerpts from the conversation

Anushka Sharma: Kutnu fabric was on the brink of extinction before Kutnia was founded. Could you tell us how the brand emerged in that context, and what Kutnu's revival has meant—socially, culturally and economically—for Gaziantep?

Jülide Konukoğlu: Kutnu fabric entered my life in 2014 as part of a social responsibility project. I served as the president of the Gaziantep Kutnu Promotion Group for three years to support and promote its sustainability. The biggest challenges were the lack of new Kutnu masters being trained and the inability of the fabric to adapt to the modern world through contemporary design.

During my time as the head, I realised that someone from the private sector needed to invest in this cause. That is when I went on to create Kutnia in 2017 with the mission of creating beautiful and sustainable products from our brand’s Kutnu fabrics. I wanted to prove that traditional, artisanal fabrics could be versatile, [including their applications] in home collections and women’s fashion, while ensuring that the special skills required to create Kutnu would thrive.

Beyond reviving a nearly forgotten craft, the brand has contributed to Gaziantep’s visibility and identity. Kutnia has become the city’s global ambassador, and with outlets including the USA, Italy, France, Germany and Saudi Arabia, we are introducing Kutnu to the modern world in a way that remains true to its original essence.

Anushka: The brand is rooted in balancing tradition with innovation. What interventions and R&D milestones helped you modernise Kutnu fabric while preserving its historical identity?

Jülide: We made a conscious decision to preserve the two core characteristics of Kutnu fabric: its signature vertical stripes and its composition of silk and cotton. Even traditional artisans had already begun shifting to vegan silk—specifically floss silk—and we continued with this more sustainable material. We never altered its essence, but instead, focused on improving its adaptability. One of our key innovations was increasing the fabric’s width from 50cm to 120 – 140cm, which opened new possibilities for usage, from fashion to home textiles and even upholstery. We also made the fabric more suitable for stitching and contemporary tailoring needs. To ensure Kutnu could compete globally, we made sure that all our fabrics were rigorously tested and certified to meet international textile standards for quality.

However, the chief thing is that Kutnia’s Kutnu remains a hand-produced and hand-woven fabric, created through a meticulous and highly specialised process. Although we have modernised the process, it still requires eight weeks from weaving to final quality control to create a 50-metre length of fabric.

Kutnia has fulfilled its original mission: to revive, protect and reintroduce Kutnu fabric to the world, but [it] is more than just Kutnu; our brand is truly a celebration of centuries of Anatolian art and culture. – Jülide Konukoğlu, founder and director, Kutnia

Anushka: From just two artisans to a team of 25, how did you go about rebuilding a skilled weaving workforce? Could you also outline the key stages in creating Kutnu—from yarn sourcing to the final woven textile?

Jülide: Rather than industrialise the process, we focused on human transmission. Our weaving team was built step by step through an apprenticeship model, where young trainees learned directly from experienced masters who taught them the nuances of Kutnu weaving—from loom setup to the unique tension techniques specific to this fabric.

One of the turning points was working with Nuray Hoca who brought deep academic and practical insight into the craft. She worked closely with our experienced artisans and helped us establish a structured training model. Together, they mentored and shaped a new generation of Kutnu weavers, ensuring that the skills were passed on authentically and sustainably. In many ways, this model became a form of social sustainability, creating dignified employment, preserving cultural identity and empowering local artisans through meaningful work.

At Kutnia, our sights are set on continuing our trajectory of global expansion while creating the highest quality products which are both beautiful and sustainable.

Handweaving is laborious and artisanal, and the production of Kutnu is a detailed journey. It begins with sourcing high-quality cotton and vegan (floss) silk yarns. These are dyed using globally certified dyeing processes to ensure safety, quality and environmental responsibility. The dyed yarns are then hand-prepared and woven on traditional wooden looms. Each stage, especially warping and alignment, requires deep expertise, patience and care.

Anushka: Kutnia has carved a distinct presence in both fashion and interiors. Beyond your collections, could you tell us about recent collaborations, where Kutnu met the language of global design?

Jülide: Today, there is a growing awareness around the value of authenticity, craftsmanship and sustainability. As people increasingly move away from fast consumption, there is a renewed appreciation for natural, traditional and historically rich fabrics. While there have always been those who have cherished heritage, we now see this mindset becoming more mainstream, especially in fashion and interior design.

At Kutnia, we deliver premium, hand-crafted product designs that fit the demanding requirements of our customers, be they individuals or brands. This is true for our branded Kutnu but also our beautiful one-of-a-kind traditional (Bağlamalı) Ikat fabrics, created by a painstaking process of hand-dying and weaving. We truly value the creative process, and this includes working collaboratively with brands such as Dior and On The Island, for whom we created bespoke Kutnu and Ikat fabrics.

We were also delighted this year to work with Turkish design brands, Rüya Akyol and Studio Lugo, for Salone del Mobile, who both presented a natural extension of our mission to bring traditional Turkish artisanal techniques into dialogue with global design. When a fabric carries centuries of meaning while offering contemporary elegance, it resonates across disciplines, and that’s exactly what we aim to represent through each partnership.

Anushka: Finally, how do you envision Kutnia’s future?

Jülide: Kutnia has fulfilled its original mission: to revive, protect and reintroduce Kutnu fabric to the world, but Kutnia is more than just Kutnu; our brand is truly a celebration of centuries of Anatolian art and culture. All of these special fabrics and designs pay homage to our Turkish heritage, but they also help sustain a new community of artisans and creatives in Gaziantep.

At Kutnia, our sights are set on continuing our trajectory of global expansion whilst creating the highest quality products which are both beautiful and sustainable. Kutnu has endured for centuries, and we see Kutnia continuing to evolve and grow, while maintaining our roots in Gaziantep and the artisanal, handweaving culture of Turkey.