Islimye Çuka Factory

IslimyeÇuka The Sliven Çuka Factory was a state-run woolen textile manufacturing facility established in 1835 in Sliven (within today’s borders of Bulgaria) by the Ottoman State. It was the first modern factory established by the Ottoman State in Rumelia. The factory’s primary objective was to meet the Ottoman army’s demand for çuka fabric—particularly used in winter uniforms—through domestic production and reduce dependence on imports.

Çuka Factory Today (Oink)

Çuka is a durable and thick woolen fabric type. During the Ottoman period, this fabric was widely used in military uniforms as well as various official and civilian garments. The Sliven Çuka Factory was among the major state investments of the 19th century dedicated to the production of this fabric, alongside the Feshane-i Âmire, İzmit Çuka Factory, and Hereke Weaving Factory.

Establishment of the Sliven Çuka Factory

The Sliven Çuka Factory was established in 1835 to meet the Ottoman State’s military textile needs. The establishment process began with Dobro Celasko, a local entrepreneur in Sliven, who studied çuka factories in Germany and Russia. Following these visits, Celasko established a small-scale weaving workshop in Sliven using his own resources.

The Ottoman State supported this initiative by allocating 200,000 guruş in capital to Celasko and guaranteeing to purchase the çuka fabric he produced at a fixed unit price. Under the agreement, the state accepted payment of 21 guruş 10 pare per zira (approximately 68 cm) of fabric. According to the terms of the contract, Celasko committed to producing 20,000 zira of çuka annually. The core of the factory in its early years consisted of 12 weaving looms and basic wool-processing machinery. Production began in 1836, but output in the first year was limited to only 900 zira due to the lack of experience among local workers in çuka weaving.

To increase capacity and improve quality, the Ottoman administration provided technical support and invested in modernizing production equipment. In 1842, 10 new machines were purchased from France for 80,000 guruş. In the same year, additional buildings were constructed and the process of expanding capacity was initiated.

Mechanization and Technological Infrastructure

From its inception, the Sliven Çuka Factory operated as a partially mechanized facility aligned with the industrial standards of its time. The production technology used in the factory’s early years was modeled after modern çuka factories in Europe. Over time, the factory’s machinery was upgraded and expanded to increase output and improve fabric quality. In 1836, the factory’s initial machinery consisted primarily of 12 weaving looms and various wool-processing machines, all inspired by examples from Germany and Russia.

The machines used in the factory’s early period included:

• 1 yarn winding spindle
• 1 carding machine (to regulate the surface fuzz of çuka fabric)
• 2 wool carding machines (for combing wool)
• 2 batt-making machines (to convert combed wool into batts)
• 1 cleaning and opening machine (to clean and separate raw wool)
• 7 coarse yarn spinning machines (to convert wool into coarse yarn)
• 12 fine yarn spinning machines (to turn coarse yarn into fine yarn)
• 12 yarn weaving supports

With these machines, all stages of fabric production—wool cleaning, carding, spinning, and weaving—were carried out within the same factory.

The mechanization process accelerated significantly in 1842, when an additional 10 machines were purchased from France for 80,000 guruş. These included:

• 1 hallaç machine (to aerate and clean wool)
• 1 coarse yarn carding machine
• 2 fine yarn carding machines
• 2 bobbin winding machines
• 1 combing machine (to ensure yarn uniformity)
• 1 coarse yarn drawing machine
• 1 fine yarn drawing machine
• 1 napping machine (to ensure fabric surface smoothness)

Parallel to mechanization, new buildings were constructed within the factory complex. These included yarn storage rooms, fabric drying areas, soap and glue vats, a carpentry workshop, an ironworks, a foundry, and machine maintenance workshops. The factory’s energy needs were met by a large water-powered shaft system. Water-driven shafts powered the weaving looms and spinning machines.

The acceleration of mechanization increased both the quantity and quality of production. Output rose from only 5,500 zira in 1837 to 20,000 zira by 1839. By 1844, following new building and machinery investments, the targeted annual production capacity was set at 100,000 zira.

The factory’s technological infrastructure also reflected the Ottoman State’s dependence on imported machinery and technical expertise. However, during the same period, local artisans began developing prototypes of some machines, achieving partial success in domestic machine production.

Production Capacity and Financial Structure

The Sliven Çuka Factory began operations with an annual target of producing 20,000 zira of çuka. Production reached 5,500 zira in 1837, 12,000 zira in 1838, and 20,000 zira in 1839. By 1844, output had reached 50,000 zira, and after the Tanzimat reforms, the goal was raised to 100,000 zira, though this target was never consistently achieved. The factory’s financial structure was largely supported by capital from the Hazine-i Hassa. The initial funding of 200,000 guruş allocated to Dobro Celasko increased as the factory expanded. In 1842, 588,051 guruş were spent on construction and equipment for expansion, and an additional budget requirement of 583,742 guruş was identified for further buildings and machinery. Thus, the total investment cost during the expansion phase reached 1,171,793 guruş. Sales prices for the fabric were determined based on production costs and market conditions. In 1842, the selling price of the produced çuka was set at 24 guruş, with 16 guruş for coarse quality and 28 guruş for high quality.

Production, Expenditure, and Revenue Graph 1836–1849 (Source: Mehmet Salih Çoban)

Management System and Operational Model

The factory’s operational model was managed under varying administrative structures over different periods. Initially, management was handled by Dobro Celasko, who was responsible for producing çuka according to specified samples and quality standards. He received payment of 21 guruş 10 pare per zira produced, with an annual production commitment of 20,000 zira. In 1842, Mustafa Kani Bey, the local governor of Sliven, was appointed as factory manager, merging the roles of governor and factory director. Mustafa Kani Bey received a salary of 7,000 guruş for both positions. After Kani Bey’s death in 1844, Ali Rıza Efendi was appointed director, and the production model shifted to a contracted production system. Under this system, the director committed to producing fabric at a specified average cost and covered any excess costs from his own income. In 1852, Salih Efendi was appointed director and accepted a target average production cost of 14 guruş per zira, with a production target of 60,000 zira for that year. This cost was lower than those of previous directors: Mustafa Efendi had operated at 17.5 guruş, Ali Rıza Efendi at 17 guruş 4 pare, and Hurşit Ağa at 16 guruş 2 akçe. This system incentivized directors to achieve lower production costs but required continuous administrative oversight to ensure market conditions, raw material prices, and production quality were maintained.

Raw Material Supply and Merino Sheep Breeding

The factory’s primary raw material, wool, was sourced from Sliven and surrounding regions including Silistra, Dobrich, and Karınabad. Each year during the sheep shearing season, approximately 50,000 kıyye (about 64,000 kilograms) of wool were purchased; by the 1850s, this amount had risen to 80,000 kıyye. To meet the demand for high-quality wool, the Ottoman State purchased 1,500 Merino sheep for the Vidin Mushir and 500 Merino sheep for the Silistra and Rumelia Mushirs in 1842. These sheep were placed in nearby pastures—Hamza, Berat, Azab, Eğriboyun, and Sekban—and a systematic breeding program was implemented. By 1847, the total number of sheep in the pastures reached 12,227, of which 37 percent were Merino. By 1849, the total number rose to 13,725 and by 1851 to 16,804, with the Merino proportion increasing to 50 percent. However, due to high costs and maintenance difficulties, Merino sheep breeding was discontinued in 1853. That year, the state decided to sell all sheep in the pastures through public auction and revoked the tax exemption on wool from Merino sheep.

Economic Data and Production Costs

According to the factory’s financial records, in 1845 total expenditures amounted to 74,437 guruş and revenues to 59,295 guruş, resulting in a deficit of 15,142 guruş covered by the Sliven kaymakamlık. In 1849, revenues reached 147,657 guruş and expenditures 131,013 guruş, yielding a surplus of 16,644 guruş transferred to the treasury. The year with the lowest production cost was 1852, when director Salih Efendi achieved an average cost of 14 guruş per zira. In previous years, costs generally ranged between 17 and 18 guruş. However, by 1855, rising wool prices—reaching 13–14 guruş per kıyye—and increased labor costs raised the average production cost to 20 guruş. The selling price of the produced çuka varied over time: in 1842, it was set at 24 guruş, with 16 guruş for low quality and 28 guruş for high quality. The total cost of construction and technical equipment amounted to 588,051 guruş, with an additional 583,742 guruş spent on supplementary buildings and equipment, bringing the total expansion cost to 1,171,793 guruş.

Economic Data and Production Costs (Source: Mehmet Salih Çoban)

Factory Closure and Current Status

From the 1860s onward, the factory gradually reduced its operations, and production volume declined sharply. By 1890, its production capacity had been halved, and some production lines were completely shut down. In 1895, the factory effectively ceased operations; most workers were dismissed, and a significant portion of the machinery was dismantled and transferred to the İzmit and Hereke factories. By 1900, the Sliven Çuka Factory had closed entirely.

After its closure, the buildings and land were used for various purposes for many years. In the early 20th century, the factory structures were repurposed as military depots and barracks. By the mid-20th century, some buildings were demolished while others were converted into local industrial facilities or storage spaces.

Today, some structures of the Sliven Çuka Factory remain partially standing within the city of Sliven, in modern-day Bulgaria. Certain sections of the former factory buildings have been restored and are now used as a municipal museum, cultural center, or exhibition hall. However, the majority of the factory has been destroyed or surrounded by modern constructions. Local authorities have undertaken various initiatives to preserve the industrial heritage of the past. Cultural memory of çuka weaving is still alive in Sliven, with small-scale production and exhibitions of these traditional techniques carried out in local artisan workshops.