Textiles, Silk, and Leather

Turkish textiles—known around the world—are the country's biggest industry and a source of local pride. While Turkey was once a major manufacturer for Victoria's Secret and other international clothing labels, competition from China has forced local clothing-makers to change tactics: Turkey now focuses on producing its own labels, in the hopes of competing in the world market. These new clothing brands, such as Mavi Jeans, are well-made and affordable. Go beyond the Old Town, to the New District and other uptown neighborhoods, to get the best merchandise. Istiklal street and the Taksim Square area are your best bets. The cotton T-shirts you'll see around the Old Town and in the Grand Bazaar make decent souvenirs or gifts, but are usually low-quality—they'll likely fade and shrink after a few washes.
Many people associate Turkey with pashminas—high-quality shawls made from a particular kind of goat fleece. And, in fact, the Old Town is a pashmina paradise, with every color of the rainbow. But beware: Turkey doesn't produce pashmina wool, so the ones you see here are fakes. Still, they're practical and fun, and cheaper than the fakes sold in the States.
A peştemal (pehsh-teh-mahl) is a large, thin, cotton bath towel that Turks wrap around themselves at the baths; nowadays they're also used as curtains or tablecloths. Bathing Turks scrub away dead skin and dirt with kese (keh-seh)—simple rectangular mittens made out of raw silk or synthetic fabric. Look for these two authentically Turkish items at the Eğin Tekstil shop on Yağlıkçılar street in the Grand Bazaar .
Turkey produces wonderful silk, but be careful: In the Grand Bazaar and other Old Town shops, scarves and other items billed as silk are often made of polyester, or at best, low-quality silk. For real silk scarves and shawls, go to the New District. The store called İpek (ee-pehk; "Silk"), near St. Anthony's Church on Istiklal street, carries a range of qualities, and the staff is honest about which items are made of real silk.
Most leather goods are a better deal in the US than in Turkey. Shoes are the exception: If you're into Italian-style leather shoes, you're in the right place. Shop for these on Istiklal street in the New District; shoes sold in the Old Town are usually made with cheap glue and synthetic materials. If you're in the market for cheap, knock-off designer handbags, head to the Grand Bazaar and other Old Town vendors.

Carpets and Kilims

If you want to buy a Turkish carpet, it's worth knowing a bit about what you're looking for—if only to avoid advertising your inexperience. For example, folding a carpet to check the knots will not only give you away as a novice, but can actually ruin the carpet if it's silk. Rubbing a carpet with a piece of wet tissue to test its colorfastness is akin to licking a shirt before you buy it. And beware of shopkeepers
who stress "authenticity" over quality. Authenticity is an important consideration when shopping for traditional wool-on-wool carpets. But for wool-on-cotton or silk-on-silk, it can actually be better to get a piece made with newer techniques—for tighter weaves, brighter and more durable colors, and more intricate patterns.
Carpets can range in price from several hundred dollars to several thousand or more, depending on the age, size, quality, and uniqueness. Merchants will ship them home for you, though many tourists find it cheaper and more foolproof to carry them back (the carpets can be folded tightly in a squarish bundle).
Wool-on-wool carpets, which are made of wool pile on a wool skeleton, are the most traditional kind of Turkish carpet. Although becoming less common, these are still woven in countryside villages. Each region has its own distinctive centuries-old design and color combination. In general, wool-on-wool carpets cost less than other Turkish rugs. The best way to gauge the authenticity of a wool-on-wool carpet is to look for the natural, less-vibrant colors that come from vegetable dyes obtained from local plants. Density—the number of knots per inch—is less important to the quality of a wool-on-wool carpet. Fewer knots does not signify a lower-quality wool rug, but it does mean that the rug is more likely to stretch over time.
Newer kinds of carpets, made of wool-on-cotton (wool pile on a cotton skeleton) and silk-on-silk, first appeared in the 19th century. The new materials allowed weavers to create more intricate floral and geometric patterns than traditional designs. (A weaver can fit more knots onto a cotton skeleton than onto a wool one.) Professional designers make these patterns with the exact thickness of the yarn in mind—so irregular hand-spun wool won't work. Wool-on-cotton and silk-on-silk carpets are colored with chemical dyes, which can be as good, or even better, than natural dyes. So if someone tries to sell you a new wool-on-cotton carpet by advertising that it's "made with hand-spun wool," "dyed with vegetable colors," or "features a traditional design, passed from mother to daughter," walk away. Unlike wool-on-wool carpets, density is important in assessing quality for wool-on-cotton and silk-on-silk carpets.
Hereke and Kayseri are two towns that are each famous for producing a certain type of carpet. Hereke (heh-reh-keh) carpets are of a higher density, require much more workmanship, and are more expensive. Authentic Hereke carpets are becoming rare, and cheap imported knock-offs are in the market nowadays—watch out. Kayseri (kay-seh-ree) wool-on-cotton and silk-on-silk carpets generally have floral designs. Their wool-on-wool carpets are favored for their unique patterns and lively colors.
Kilims (kee-leem) feature a flat weave without the pile (knots), similar to a Navajo rug. These also have traditional designs and natural colors. Used in the past as blankets and bedspreads, they're mainly popular now as decorative items (and can be used as wall hangings). Kilims are generally inexpensive, but old and rare pieces can cost several thousand dollars. For a wearable, affordable kilim, consider a vest made out of the material; you see these at the Grand Bazaar and elsewhere.

Tiles and Ceramics

A Turkish specialty is çini (chee-nee), which is usually translated in English as "tile" (or "quartz tile"). The word çini can be used to describe flat tiles used for architectural decoration, and also functional items such as bowls, vases, cups, and so on. While English-speakers might sometimes use the word "ceramic" to describe these functional items, çini technically has a higher quartz content than ceramic, and is therefore more difficult to work. Strictly speaking, while "tiles" (çini) are very traditional in Turkey, "ceramics" {seramik; seh-rah-meek) don't have much of a history here—though you will find them sold in markets. You'll also see pottery (çömlek; chom-lehk): simple, fired earthenware objects shaped on a wheel, usually without any design or glaze.
Many stores sell copies of old, authentic tiles, as well as new designs, both in a range of qualities. When comparing tiles, keep these tips in mind: Recycled clay has a creamy, darker look, and costs much less than the higher-quality white clay. To check the clay and glaze for cracks, hold the item up from the center on your fingertips (or your hand, if it's heavy), and flick the edge with your finger. If the sound is clear and the piece rings like a bell, it's free of cracks. The quality of the workmanship, combined with the chemical formula of the glaze, clay, and dyes, primarily determines the value. Superior-quality tile or ceramic has quartz (or kaolin) in the clay, little or no lead in the glaze, and metal oxide dyes. Also check whether colors have smeared over one another. Designs that are intricate, multi-colored, and hand-drawn are the most valuable.
High-quality items are often too costly for regular stores to carry. If you are seriously interested in the best ceramics and tile, try the İznik Foundation, which carries on Turkey's long-established tile tradition. They have a small store in the Grand
Bazaar . Their main store is in the Kuruçeşme neighborhood, north of the New District, by the Bosphorus Bridge at Öksüz Çocuk Sokak .
If you're looking for something simple, you'll find plenty of inexpensive, pretty pieces at souvenir stores all around the Old Town and Grand Bazaar.

Gold

Gold is a good buy in Turkey. Prices change with the daily rate of gold; when you ask the price of a piece, the shopkeeper will weigh it for you. The Grand Bazaar's many displays of 22-carat gold bracelets reflect Turkey's distrust of banks—many people literally wear their life's savings on their sleeves in the form of these bracelets. These simple bangles often cost little more than the gold itself.
Most mass-produced jewelry is made from molds with 14-carat gold, as it is harder and cheaper. Handmade items are the most expensive; in some pieces, the fine workmanship is more valuable than the gold itself. While the cheaper items cost around $14-20 per gram, the price can go as high as $35-50 for finely crafted ones. Precious and semi-precious stones are generally paired with 18-carat gold.
Silver Jewelry and Beads
Silver jewelry, with or without semi-precious stones, is a good and affordable alternative to fancy gold jewelry. As with gold, silver pieces usually won't have a price tag, but are sold by weight. Look around a bit in the Grand Bazaar to get an idea of what's available and the range of prices. The government-managed Dösim shop, located near Hagia Sophia (just before you go through the Imperial Gate into Topkapi Palace), carries traditional tribal designs.
You can also find beads to make your own jewelry. A few shops in the Grand Bazaar (specifically in and near Cevahir Bedesten) carry silver jewelry and semi-precious stone beads.

Souvenirs and Trinkets

The Grand Bazaar is filled with stalls hawking endless mountains of junk, most of it made outside Turkey. This stuff sells well, as it's cheap and looks "Oriental." Those hats with tiny circular mirrors embroidered in them are so common not because they're crafted by local artisans—but because the merchants know tourists will buy them (they are made outside of Turkey). Fortunately, the bazaar is also filled with plenty of affordable, authentically Turkish trinkets that make wonderful gifts.
You can't miss the "evil eyes" (nazarlık; nah-zahr-luhk)— blue-and-white beads that look like eyes. Traditionally thought to ward off negative energy from jealous eyes, these are a kind of good-luck charm popular among Turks. You'll see them on doorways, hanging down from a car's rear-view mirror, or anywhere else people want protection. Babies wear them, adults wear them, and teenage girls braid them in their hair. Nazarhks are authentically and uniquely Turkish, which makes them good gifts. They come in various sizes—some with a metal frame, others on a hooked pin, still others embedded in tiles.
Turkish tea glasses, made of clear glass and shaped like a tulip blossom, are easy to find. Buy them toward the end of your trip, to minimize the risk of breaking them as you carry them around.
Machine-made textiles with traditional designs make good tablecloths, pillowcases, bedspreads, and sofa throws. Some are velvet, with silky-looking, colorful embroideries.
Coffee and pepper grinders don't break easily, since they're made of brass or wood.
The same goes for backgammon sets and inlaid wooden boxes. The best are inlaid with mother-of-pearl, while the cheapest are inlaid with plastic.
A glass water pipe (nargile; nahr-gee-leh) may attract your attention, but keep in mind that these items are fragile. If you decide to buy one, get the kind that separates into parts and is easily re-assembled.
Mined in central Turkey, onyx is plentiful, affordable, and popular in decorative objects such as vases and bowls, as well as chess sets (but not so common in jewelry).
Gifts for children are more limited. Consider Halloween costumes. You'll find tiny, colorful Turkish princess outfits for girls, with coins adorning the sleeves and trousers. Cheap knock-off soccer jerseys also abound.

Copperware
Antique copperware can be very expensive. Newer items, however, are also available, at more affordable prices.

Jewellery
Jewellery includes pendants made from gold, silver, semiprecious stones and other materials. A simple blue glass eye is said to ward off evil.

Ceramics
Ceramics form a major part of Turkey's artistic tradition. The style varies according to the area of origin. Blue and white pottery is in the İznik style ,- other areas of production include Kütahya and Çanakkale .

Pipes
Classic nargiles (bubble pipes) are still used by older Turkish men. They make attractive ornaments even if you do not smoke.

Miniatures
Istanbul has a history of miniature painting, examples of which can he seen in the city's museums, especially Topkapi Palace . These tiny works of art, often depicting the sultan at court, were once bound in books. Those for sale are copies of originals.

Textiles
Hand-woven cloths, including that work (where the cotton is dyed as it is woven), fine embroidery and knits are just some of the range of textiles that can be bought.

Local Delicacies
Delicious sweets such as halva, Turkish delight and baklava are very popular. A huge range of fragrant spices,  dried fruit and mils tire sold loose by weight in the city's bazaars,