The '2021 Silkworm Export Awards', organized jointly by Uludağ Textile Exporters' Association and Uludağ Ready-made Clothing and Apparel Exporters' Association, was held at the Uludağ Exporters' Association headquarters.
The most prestigious awards of the textile and ready-to-wear sectors, which are among the strategic sectors of Turkey with their value-added production, contribution to employment and the net foreign exchange income they bring to the country's economy, have met their owners. To the 2021 Silkworm Export Awards Ceremony, jointly organized by Uludağ Textile Exporters' Association (UTİB) and Uludağ Ready-made Clothing and Apparel Exporters' Association (UHKİB), in which 206 companies were awarded; Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) President Mustafa Gültepe, Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BTSO) President İbrahim Burkay, UTİB President Pınar Taşdelen Engin, UHKİB President Nüvit Gündemir, Southeastern Anatolia Exporters Union (GAİB) President Ahmet Fikret Kileci, Uludağ Exporters' Association (UİB) Coordinator President-Uludağ Automotive Industry Exporters Association (OİB) President Baran Çelik, Uludağ Fruit and Vegetable Products Exporters' Association (UMSMİB) President Özkan Kamiloğlu, Uludağ Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association (UYMSİB) President Prof. Dr. Senih Yazgan and members of the board of directors of the unions and company representatives attended.
While Yeşim Satış Mağazaları ve Tekstil Fabrikaları A.Ş. ranked as first in the textile sector, as in the previous year, Fistaş Dış Ticaret Pazarlama A.Ş. and Zorlu Dış Ticaret A.Ş. has become the most successful companies. In the field of ready-made clothing and apparel, Yeşim Satış Mağazaları ve Tekstil Fabrikaları A.Ş., EDT Dış Ticaret A.Ş. and Öz Tekstil Sanayi ve Tic. Ltd. Sti. shared the first three places by achieving the most of exports.
‘There are Great Opportunities in the Industry’
Expressing that they are proud to host the ceremony in which successful member companies are awarded together with UTİB, and noting that UHKİB, which reached an export figure of 1 billion dollars with an increase of 32 percent in 2021, while breaking all-time records, UHKİB Chairman of the Board Nüvit Gündemir said, “The point we have reached is the result of our investment in R&D, Innovation, branding and fashion field. Great chances are on our way in textile and confectionery in the coming years for Turkey. In order for us to turn this chance into an opportunity, we need to attach importance to design and digitalization in production. In the recent period, the integration of the industry into Industry 4.0 will contribute to the competitiveness of our companies in the international arena, increase the market share and make it easier for them to adapt to the world.’’
'Green Production and Sustainability Emphasis'
UTİB Chairman of the Board Pınar Taşdelen Engin underlined that they will continue to contribute to Turkish textile also in 2022 as the Union, and said, “We give priority to projects that will raise awareness about green production and sustainability. We will continue our efforts to involve technology and innovative methods in production, to design innovative products, to strengthen university-industry cooperation, and ultimately to increase added value in textile exports, with our TechXtile Platform, Turkey Home Textile Design Competition and P & D projects.’’
“We Must Eliminate the Need for Positive Discrimination”
Stating that another issue they attach importance to as UTİB is women's employment and gender equality, President Engin said, “Our women are the pillars of this country and they should see recognition and value that they deserve in every field. I will say it at every opportunity until I see that in my country it has turned from rhetoric to action and there is no need for positive discrimination. For this reason, in order to encourage the increase in the female employment in the sector, we have launched a special award application for the female representatives of our business world within the last two years in our TechXtile Start-Up Challenge program. We also witnessed that this award encouraged our women even more. Even in 2020, when the pandemic was intense, we received 174 project applications, with an increase of 66 percent compared to the previous year. 64 of the projects came only from our women entrepreneurs. Also, one of our women entrepreneurs won the title. We will also continue our work while diversifying such special award applications.” After speech, Engin attended a photo session with all the female industry representatives whom attending the ceremony.
“We Will Achieve Successes”
Turkish Exporters' Association (TİM) President Mustafa Gültepe, who has recently taken office, said that he has been talking only about textiles for 32 years, but from now on, as TİM President, they will put a different mark on Turkey's export future together with all sectors. Gültepe said, “The textile and ready-made clothing industry has been one of the leading sectors in Turkey with an export figure of over 30 billion dollars. These two sectors lead all sector stakeholders with their successful work as well as their ability to map common strategies and projects. We should always strive to carry our achievements forward by keeping our dynamism and motivation.” Stating that Bursa is one of the most important cities in both the ready-to-wear and textile sectors, Gültepe said, “Bursa, which recorded foreign trade surplus and achieved a huge success, has a distinct place in Turkey's exports. In such a close synchronization with Istanbul, in an environment where distances are getting shorter, we will achieve much more successful projects altogether.”
206 Companies Awarded
A total of 206 companies, 148 from the textile industry and 58 from the ready-made clothing and apparel industry, were entitled to receive awards at the 2021 Silkworm Export Awards, in which a total of 206 companies were awarded. UTİB; awarded top three exporter companies with a platinum award, 13 companies with gold, 25 companies with silver, 26 companies with bronze, and 81 companies with a "Certificate of Contribution to Export" for their successful work. UHKİB, on the other hand, awarded the top three exporter companies in ready-to-wear and apparel with a platinum award, 11 companies with gold, 19 companies with silver and 23 companies with bronze.
