“HALAT İN REED” Rug
by Ethnicloom · Istanbul, Türkiye

Ethnicloom was founded as the natural continuation of its creators lifelong passion for texture, pattern & color as well as her talent for beautifying spaces. These first manifested in Ethnicloom founder Elif Gönensay’s career with the concept store she opened in İstanbul, where she often peppered the design of rooms with an artisanal kilim or a throw native to the region, mostly imports . Over the course of her travels and encounters with traditional heritage, she noticed an increasing demand for this kind of artisan weave and thought it a shame that the product should be so distanced from its location of origin and fabrication process.

That’s why she created Ethnicloom, a brand of luxury weaves (in terms of wool, dyes, handcrafts) and accessories all hand-woven by artisans from Anatolia region of Turkey. She returns the focus to the craft with her tireless search for the perfect texture, yarns along weaving techniques and individual collaboration with the weavers. Ethnicloom tries to draw the international attention on the concept of the loom back to its local roots, while also sharing the unique craftsmanship of Anatolian women with a global community.

Ethnicloom is releasing a line of bags that embody the same style and spirit of its woven products. Created by recycling and repurposing fragments of vintage yarns, the line aims to bring the beauty of traditional weaving back into everyday use. This project is fueled by a sense of appreciation for the creativity that surrounds us and highlights the involvement of women in all steps of the process – from the artisans who weave the looms, to the designers who conceptualize the products, to Elif’s daughters assisting with PR, photography, and copy!