The role of Geographical indication in brand making of Turkish handcrafts

Abstract

Handcrafts reflect the cultural, natural and historical features of a region and society. These handcraft products are also used as souvenirs. Turkey has a rich and culturally diverse potential for handcrafts. While especially carpets, rugs, and hand woven fabric, are found in all regions of Turkey, other products depend on the resources found in the region and include woodcraft, basketry, stone craft, precious metal crafts and ceramics. Through globalization and machine manufactured products, the production of handcrafts is decreasing. To allow handcrafts that make use of idle labor, spare time, and leftover resources and materials to develop and compete with imported goods, it is important to raise the producers’ awareness of geographical indication. Geographical indication in handcraft goods affects brand making and trust on the market. This study, which focuses on the development of handcraft in Turkey, geographical indication practices, and its importance in marketing, reveals an increase in registration of geographical indication (GI) in handcraft products in Turkey. In fact, 30% of products registered with GI consist of handcraft products. GI should be considered an important instrument in making Turkish handcraft products a world brand.