Şenol Şankaya, Chairman of Association of Apparel and Garment Exporters (UHKİB), states Turkish apparel sector has started to work with value-added products and luxury brands in today's world. "Those cheap items are associated with Bangladesh, Pakistan, Far East. We started to work with more value-added products in brands that are categorised in very valuable and luxurious segment", says Şankaya, reminding the fact that Turkey was a big player producing for a relatively cheaper product group 10 years ago during a statement he gave for Anadolu Agency.
Şenol Şankaya, Chairman of Association of Apparel and Garment Exporters (UHKİB), states the sector has made very prominent investments to value-added production thanks to the government's recent support for such areas as design, R & D promotion, and Turquality.
Stating the fruits of investments in R & D, design and innovation are to be seen more clearly in the near future, yet they have already covered significant distances, "10 years ago, we were around 16-18 dollars worth per export kilogram. Now, we are around 24-26 dollars. It is a relatively big increase. Turkey was a big player in the very cheap product group we called 'basic' 10 years ago. Those cheap items have now moved to Bangladesh, Pakistan and Far East. We have now started to work with more value-added products in brands that are very valuable and luxurious", explains Şenkaya.
Export Kilogram Value Increases
"The incentives made are all very appropriate and we will see the outcomes of these incentives in the upcoming days. Besides, the point we have reached from 16-18 dollars to 24-26 dollars is pretty high, a very serious added value", suggests Şenkaya, pointing out that the sector tends towards products with specific designs more and more every day.
Şankaya adds the apparel and garment sector have a very serious share in terms of employment and points out these sectors are very strategic for Turkey. Şankaya also notes cotton, one of the most import inputs, can be produced in Turkey and that farmers should be further supported for the production to meet the needs.
Role Of Brands Is The Key
"24-26 dollars range we have reached is around 48-55 dollars in Italy and France. It is almost two times of our value. The role of brands is the key at this point", concludes Şenkaya, suggesting that the number of brands should be increased to achieve bigger numbers in exports. Works of the Turkish apparel sector to create a world brand still continue.
