Kepenek

{{Short description|Traditional Turkish felt robe}}

{{for|the village|Kepenek, Horasan}}

{{More citations needed|date=August 2021}}A kepenek is a thick, tent-like Turkish traditional shepherd's outer garment. It is a sleeveless, buttonless garment made of felt worn on the shoulders and covering the whole body from the shoulders down. It is made of three parts: one for the back and two (the same as the back, cut in half along the length) for the front. The parts are stitched together along the shoulder lines and all the way down. Usually white, a kepenek may have some adornments.[http://www.millifolklor.com/tr/sayfalar/94/18.pdf KONYA KEÇECİLİĞİNDE ÇOBAN KEPENEĞİ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222151007/http://www.millifolklor.com/tr/sayfalar/94/18.pdf |date=2014-02-22 }} (Shepherd Kepenek in Konya Felting), by H. Nurgül BeGiç, Millî Folklor, 2012, Yıl 24, Sayı 94 (retrieved February 15, 2014) Made from wool, or a combination of goat hair and wool, kepenek are also waterproof.{{Cite book |last=Glassie |first=Henry |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2-j8IhiVYYsC |title=Turkish Traditional Art Today |date=1993 |publisher=Indiana University Press |isbn=978-0-253-32555-6 |pages=360 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Fouchier |first=Sabine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bcUbC60NQbsC |title=Felt |date=2009-02-12 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=978-0-7136-8494-0 |pages=20 |language=en}}

A kepenek can be as much as one centimeter thick, and is sold according to weight. The dry weight of a kepenek is typically around 6kg, however if a kepenek is rained on its weight can increase to 10kg.{{cite book | last=Ryder | first=M.L. | title=Sheep & Man | publisher=Duckworth | year=1983 | isbn=978-0-7156-1655-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJkiAQAAMAAJ | access-date=2023-10-24 | page=218}} A kepenek is stiff enough to stand erect without any additional support.{{cite book | title=Textiles Magazine | publisher=Textile Institute | issue=v. 28-33 | year=1999 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=69ZOAAAAYAAJ | access-date=2023-10-24 | page=15}} While usually worn as garments, they may also function as a makeshift tent, allowing mobile shepherds to sleep in cold environments.{{cite book |last1=Sümer |first1=Faruk |title=The Book of Dede Korkut: A Turkish Epic |date=26 August 2013 |publisher=University of Texas Press |isbn=978-0-292-75834-6 |page=253 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ld6GAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT235 |language=en}}