Kutahya

Kütahya inherited an industry when its competitor died. In 1716, İznik's tile workshops—which had decorated Ottoman mosques and palaces for 250 years—ceased production entirely. Kütahya, the second center with its own rich clay deposits exploited since Phrygian times, absorbed the demand. Today, çini (Turkish ceramics) production continues here in workshops that trace lineage through five centuries, their cobalt blues and coral reds decorating surfaces from Istanbul to international museums.

The ceramic tradition preceded the Ottomans. Phrygian, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine potters had already worked Kütahya's clay before the first Turkish tiles appeared in the 14th century. This geological foundation—quality clay accessible near population centers—created path dependence that survived political transitions. When İznik specialized in imperial commissions under Suleiman the Magnificent, Kütahya supplied secondary markets. When İznik collapsed from quality dilution and economic disruption, Kütahya's diversified customer base provided resilience. Succession, not competition, delivered dominance.

Below the clay deposits lies a different resource: boron. The Emet district contains one of Turkey's largest colemanite reserves—part of the deposits that give Turkey 73% of global boron reserves and 63% market share. Eti Maden extracts and processes boron products used in glass (36%), ceramics (31%), detergents (9%), and agriculture (7%). In 2023, Turkey opened its first boron carbide manufacturing facility, adding military-grade armor to the export mix.

By 2026, Kütahya's dual identity—artisanal ceramics and industrial extraction—faces divergent pressures. Heritage tourism and luxury tile markets favor tradition; boron's electric vehicle battery applications favor scale. The province that inherited İznik's kilns may find that ancient clay and ancient boron demand opposite development strategies.