“Fabric is Passion”

By following the trends offering its worldwide customers a fabric portfolio with various designs and blends, Olly Tekstil has been able to make its name successfully in a short period of time with its innovative and quality approach. Mr. Erhan Yılmız, Founder Partner of Olly Tekstil A.Ş. defining the secret of their success as ‘Everyday setting forth as though you are making a new start’, provided significant information to Textowear Magazine.

Established in 2014, Olly Tekstil continues its activities within the textile sector via its production facility in Adana, export showroom and administrative office in Güneşli. Indicating that they were focusing on continuous development and meeting the demand of their customers in the most accurate way through their quality production approach, Mr. Erhan Yılmaz explained their strategies that enabled them to achieve significant success within the sector in a short time period, quoting as follows; “Our aim as Olly Tekstil is to shape the Turkish fashion and even if a small amount, to make a contribution on the export rates. As a company exporting a hundred percent, we focused on meeting the demand of our customers in the most accurate way possible. The success that we have obtained in such short notice also reflects this. We are very aware of the deficits of the regions we are working with, what are lacking, what the customer expectations are, what awaits fashion, we perfectly analyze all of these issues. We started this business with the belief that we could perfectly fill this gap within the sector. Naturally, it’s hard to gain without spending. Starting this business as a small company, with our investments that we carried out we have reached to very good position today. Owing to our philosophy, I believe that we have reached to a level where even our competitors say ‘bravo’ today.”

Mr. Yılmaz stating that 80 percent of their product portfolios were produced from polyviscose fabric that appealed to groups such as; women’s outerwear, trousers, jacket suits and skirts, quoted as follows; “Apart from this, naturally we are also trying to give place to designs that appeal to customers. We receive different designs and fabric demands from our customers. Within the bounds of our machinery equipments as well as our product range we are also producing these demands. And yet, there is subject that is very important for us; “We don’t place fabrics or any products to the market so easily that we don’t own. If it is a product that we can’t stick by with and be a reference to then offering it to the customer can create serious problems. For this reason we are trying not to go so beyond of our product range.”

“Fabric is a Passion, You Can’t Let Go Once You Have Touched It”

Mr. Erhan Yılmaz indicating that he had established his own company after many years of experience within the textile industry and that they placed great importance to design, quoted his wordings as follows; “I have 17 years of experience within the textile industry whereas my partner Gürcan Kılıçcı has 25 years of experience. Fabric is a passion, you can’t let go once you have touched it. We set off on this journey so as to convey our experience we have gained in the textile sector to our own business. Our production is based on quality and innovation. We have 2 designers abroad. For almost 3 years, once every 6 months they have been transmitting designs devoted to the new seasons patterns and models. We reflect the colour and patterns of the new season showcased at the Premiere Vision Paris Fair, which is followed by the world, through our means in to our designs.”

Olly Signature in The Collections of Russian Designers

Olly Tekstil, which does not generate sales domestically, exports its entire production to the foreign markets. Mr. Yılmaz indicating that they exported more than 50 percent of their production to the Eastern Bloc countries, notably to Russia, stated as follows; “Russia and other autonomous countries constitute more than 50 percent of our exports. The Eastern Bloc countries are 1 year behind regarding the fashion that is followed today by Europe. This provides us with the opportunity to work constantly with more comfort. While everyone in Europe compete with each other over a new product, we can easily sell a product that has been produced the previous year. Among the most preferred product groups are the plaid and striped groups.”

Mr. Yılmaz emphasizing that alongside significant Russian designers, they were also working with European brands, continued his wordings as follows; “The brands we work with are quite diverse. Particularly we are working with the most important designers and brands of Russia. Every month without any exceptions 2 or 3 fashion designers from Russia comes and complements the collections of the firms that they work with, with our fabrics. In Europe from time to time we offer our products to the Inditex Group Zara as well as its other brands. Moreover in America we offer our products to the brand ‘White House & Black Market’.

Olly Tekstil Focuses on Growth With Quality

Mr. Yılmaz adding that their production capacity as of today had reached to 300 thousand meters per month emphasized that their focal point was growth with quality, not rapid growth. Mr. Yılmaz continued as follows; “As of today our production capacity has reached up to 300 thousand meters per month. In the face of intense demand, this situation causes us from time to time to engage in contract manufacturing besides our own production. However, we watch over not to exceed our production capacity. Because anything can happen at any moment and we don’t want our production to go beyond our control. Currently we are carrying out our production activities at the maximum level.”

The philosophy of Olly Tekstil, which, unlike many companies, is the primary goal to maintain quality, emphasizes that quality should be equivalent with growth. In his statement quoting his wordings as ‘producing high quality products is more important than anything else’ Mr. Yılmaz indicates that they had realized twice as much of growth in 2017 in comparison to 2016, however among their targets for 2018, they were not giving place to further growth.

“As you grow so do your problems grow” says Mr. Yılmaz and stressed that companies while growing shouldn’t ignore factors such as staff, customer satisfaction and product quality. Mr. Yılmaz stating that he believed that growth would bring efficiency only if it was conducted in a systematic and controlled way, shared the following assessments quoted as; “I see growth in such a system: What makes a company a real company, is the people contained within its structure. In order to sell more goods, you need more staff. But the satisfaction level of the staff you work with is also important. We know companies that generate high revenues, however due to the small mistakes that are made; steps taken without thinking, firms can fall into disrepute. I think it’s best for us to remain in our current position. In the textile industry, if you have more workload you have more sleepless nights. Naturally we are aiming a more profitable sales target for 2018, but in terms of growth we prefer to remain within the figures of this year and preserve our current position as well as our quality. Yet, owing to our current state we see how successful we already are in the sector.

‘Everyday We Set Forth As Though We Are Making A New Start’

Olly Tekstil succeeded to make a name for itself in the fashion world in a short period of 3 and half years.  The secret of this outstanding success that has been achieved in such a short period takes place amongst one of the most exciting topics that is wanted to be revealed. Mr. Erhan Yılmaz believes that the main indicator that differentiates them from their competitors is that they listen to the demands of the customers at first hand. “Our greatest asset actually is the fact that company owners can engage and speak with their customer one-to-one in a foreign language” says Mr. Yılmaz and continued his wordings quoted as follows; “Knowing a foreign language is such an important attribute, I exonerate our honoured industrialist brothers. Naturally most of them know a foreign language, but when customers have a problem and the firm owners do not directly learn this from them but from third parties, this creates the fact that they are not aware of the actual problem. Our first priority is; to react to the demand, the problem over what they want at first hand. And the second aspect is that we are within this sector for many years. There are many firms bigger than us but we see our business as a new born baby. Every day we set forth as though we are making a new start.  It is not possible to overcome these financial challenges unless we engage with innovation. One of our greatest principles is starting the day with the thought of ‘how beautiful the day is everyday’.”

Mr. Yılmaz stating that the textile sector had to have faith in innovation, added that the path in competing within the international markets was to believe and to value your business. “All of our dear friends within the sector need to be open to innovation, to invest and to add something new to their business every day, because we nowadays have very challenging international competitors” quotes Mr. Yılmaz and concluded his wordings as follows: “Russia, one of the biggest textile markets in the world, has now started to produce its own textile. Moreover we also receive offers such as ‘Come and let us move your facility to Russia. To a certain degree we also shared these with the state. We are definitely placing obstacles to this, because if is the slightest means of technology, trained staff goes there, the textile fabric sector will come to an ending point. For this reason let us always be innovative, secretive and always be on the world’s agenda. I believe that the state already provides the necessary means to achieve this.