Osmanbey Textile Businessmen Association (OTİAD) has had business people among its members who carry on business at textile, ready-to-wear sector and sub- industry fields in İstanbul especially Şişli county since the day it was founded in 1999.
OTİAD, being one of important supporters at the commercial activities of the members, has a great contribution for textile and ready-to-wear sectors to overtake many cities in the sense of the export realized from Osmanbey in the present day.
Chairman of the Board of the association, İlker Karataş who shared special information about the activities and the developments at the sector for our publication group, gave place to the following explanations; “OTİAD which was founded in 1999 as a regional and sectoral non-governmental organization has 700 members. As it accepted just the business people from Şişli County within the scope of textile and ready-to-wear sectors and sub- industry as the members first, with the change it made on its regulations, it started to accept connected line of works at this sector (public accountant, legal consultancy, designer- stylist, patent etc.) in İstanbul. By its mission and vision, OTİAD has close contact and relation with official, semiofficial and all special institutions and organizations in compliance with general benefits about its region and sector. It has signed under many successful activities at many fields especially in the meaning of illumination and leading up of its all members and regions (fair organizations, corporate and vocational education activities, employment and working life, human resources, environment and security regulations) within years by completing institutionalization within short time and it is keeping on these services by developing these activities.”
The Export of Osmanbey Is Increasing
Karataş who states Osmanbey has a special position at Turkey’s ready-to-wear sector, explains the importance of the region in the sense of ready-to-wear, sub- industry and accessory production and export as follows; “Osmanbey has a feature to tend registered and official export as potential. While it was the supplier of Anatolian ready-to-wear artisans with a wholesaler market specialty until the middle of 90s, as being Zeytinburnu (Leather sector), Laleli and Osmanbey (then Merter), it concentrated on production and marketing within the scope of Shuttle Trade to Eastern Europe, Balkans, Russian Federation, Caucasus and Turkic Republics . However this situation continued as flowing till 2015, when we come to the truths of 2018, Shuttle Trade from the mentioned regions fell one to third especially for Osmanbey. Parallel with this fall, export rates carried out within the scope of registered and official are going on increase.”
Export To 140 Countries
Karataş who shared the detail that 1.494 million dollars export to 140 countries was made from Osmanbey and nearby regions according the records of TİM, said “Osmanbey is one of Turkey’s leading regions at export. In 2017, at ready-to-wear export, 9.18% of İstanbul and 5.94% of the share of Turkey was carried out by our region. We need to state by boasting without being humble, the export number of Osmanbey is more than the numbers of our 69 cities. Realizing 5 billion dollars export to 5 continents from our country is our target in the end of 2023.”
Chairman İlker Karataş who emphasizes that the intense export is done to Iran, Middle Eastern countries, Turkic Republics, Arabian peninsula, North Africa and Middle African countries from Osmanbey region, records that the events and fairs abroad they participate have important effect at this field.
Karataş who states they will continue to follow new markets in 2018 as well, gives the place to the following words; “Opening to the new markets from classic and traditional markets is among the prior targets of Osmanbey. On this issue, we will continue to recommend by OTİAD to the exhibitors to participate to all sectoral fairs which İHKİB organizes abroad in the name of Turkey as it was same in the previous years. Again, we will continue our members to encourage for participation to the buying committee and board of trade programs organized by İHKİB by announcing them.”
Fashionist Is the Candidate of Being Sector’s Biggest Fashion Fair
OTİAD’s one of most important events, Fashionist Evening Dress, Wedding Dress and Wedding Suit is getting ready to be realized for the fifth times. Karataş who records that they target to gain a big fashion fair to textile and ready-to-wear sector which is the driving power of export with Fashionist, says “One of the most important events that we have carried out is international-based Fashionist Evening Dress, Wedding Dress and Wedding Suit Fair that we have been organizing in last four years. By organizing this fair successfully, we contributed to the trade and export potential of our country as well as our region. Our dream is to gain a big fashion fair to our sector with Fashionist.”
Karataş who finally adds his words that Osmanbey is a region which absorbed the notions such as branding, design and institutionalization and where Dynamics and productive firms settle, gives place to the following explanations; “When we look at the window of Osmanbey, here is a showcase which has 40 years old trade culture. Fashion changes fast in the world, therefore we are the single centre of the understanding of fast fashion production. Here a concurrent follow and production with the world is the topic. Many national and international brands are produced in our country.”
