Speaking in the online session at the Virtual Hometex Turkey 2021 event, Uludağ Textile Exporters Association (UTİB) President Pınar Taşdelen Engin said that the textile industry is an indispensable treasure, therefore it is necessary to focus on new technologies with R&D and development. Engin underlined that despite the negative effects of the pandemic, the export figures once again demonstrate the potential of the textile industry.
Engin argued that Turkey and the textile sector successfully managed the pandemic period, and continued by saying; “Textile sector in Turkey has realized an extremely successful market diversification. We agree that the dynamism in foreign trade of both textile and ready-to-wear sectors will continue. We are all aware of the importance of virtual and hybrid activities we will do to ensure the continuity of this new normal. As UTİB, we continue to carry out all our work without slowing down for the sustainable production and export of our industry. In order to improve our exports; we continue our activities in the digital environment without cancelling any of our activities such as; fair participation, training seminars, development projects, trade and purchasing delegations; that we have realized until this period”.
We support industry participation
Emphasizing that they care about the participation of designers and entrepreneurs for the future of the textile industry; Pınar Taşdelen Engin reminded that they carry out important studies on this subject. Engin announced that they will realize the 11th Turkey Home Textiles Design Competition under the name of ‘Master Class’; as a long-running event where training and mentoring are prominent. Engin said; “The projects we have taken; in the fields of smart and technical textiles, sustainability and artificial intelligence; make us very hopeful about the future”.
Stating that in the last quarter century, the transition to a sustainable production process; which allows more efficient use of resources with recyclable materials; has become important; Engin said that they are continuing the ‘Ecological Textiles’ development project with 22 companies; in order to follow the change closely and to catch up as soon as possible.
Touching on the subject of recent home textile exports; Pınar Taşdelen Engin particularly emphasized that Turkey is one of the first countries to come to mind in the world markets; especially when it comes to home and contract textiles. Stating that the home textile industry focuses on high quality throughout the whole process; Engin continued her words as follows; “The home and contract textile sector; which has exported 2.5 billion USD as of the end of 2020; gets a 4% share from the world contract textiles market; with a total market size of approximately 65 billion USD. This is a very important rate for us. Compared with other exporting sectors of Turkey; it is one of the leading countries in terms of world market share in our industry. The average kilogram export value of the sector in 2020 is 7.6 USD”.
Pınar Taşdelen Engin stated that the countries; to which the home textile industry exports the most are; Germany, the USA, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Italy.