Ottoman odyssey

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Lotus tile.

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Scala tiles from Ege Seramik.

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Tiles by Ege Seramik.

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Tiles from Graniser’s Victoria range.

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Kristal-rystal tiles from Kaleseramik.

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Covering the globe, one tile at a time, Turkey is competing to be the world's number one tile exporter.

Home to some of the world's oldest and best-preserved prehistoric ceramic artefacts, Turkey boasts an unbroken tradition of ceramics production that can be traced back at least eight thousand years.

Each passing year, Turkey advances rapidly down the road to becoming the world's leading exporter of ceramic and porcelain tiles. It currently produces more than 180 million m2 worth each year.

This makes Turkey the fifth leading ceramic tile producer in the world and third largest in Europe, constituting 3.5% of world production and 11% of European production.

The accelerating performance of the Turkish ceramic sector was on display during this year's Unicera 20th International Ceramic and Bathroom trade fair, held in Istanbul during April.

Organisers of the show, the Ceramic Federation, Building Material Suppliers Association (TIMDER) and TUYAP, brought together the largest ceramic manufacturers in the region, attracting more than 54,000 visitors from over 50 countries around the world.

The overriding theme throughout the fair was the comeback of designs, materials and patterns associated with the Ottoman Empire. Individual designers have interpreted this trend in different ways.

A good example of this was the ‘Orientile' range by Canakkale Seramik - Kalebodur, created in collaboration with award winning designer Can Yalman.

"These shapes come from the Ottoman designs - tiles from over 300 years ago are being taken, and re-introduced to the market in an innovative way," said Aysen Uz, brand communication manager for Canakkale Seramik.

The ‘Orientile' range offers similar shapes and designs to the way [tiles] were years ago.

"Not yet launched and first showcased here at the exhibition, they have received a huge amount of interest," she said.

Part of the Kale group, the largest tile manufacturers in Turkey, Canakkale Seramik's ‘Orientile' range includes ‘Aya', a droplet shaped tile representing designs traditionally used on kaftans worn by Sultans centuries ago.

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