Turkey Clothing Industrialists Association (TGSD)President Şeref Fayat, shared his evaluations on 2016 and ready-to-wear sector’s goals for 2017 with our press group.
Şeref Fayat said: “We need to make a change from ready-to-wear production to fashion industry in order to carry our competitive position in the world to a better position.” and added that in order to reach that goal faster, they are preparing an acting plan which focuses on design, branding and innovation and they worked for the same goals this year.
Fayat stated that the ready-to-wear sector will close the year 2016 with 17 billion dollars worth export and shared his predictions about 2017 as follows; “In 2016 there will be 8% growth and over 60 billion Turkish liras will be spent in ready-to-wear sector. In 2017 there seem some important risks both in domestic market and abroad. In domestic market, with the scope of political expectations, the market will have a growth rate of 8-10%, for the abroad developments in EU,USA and neighbor countries will have effects on it.”
“The Sector Has Really Assertive Goals”
Fayat stated that the Euro-dollar parity will be one of the most important factors that will effect the exports badly in 2017 and added: “In 2017, probably there will be higher exchange rates. But we, as the sector, have some really assertive goals. For example, we determined our 2023 export goal as 60 billion dollars. We predict that we can create positions for 1 million new employees just in the production part until that time.”
“The region we live is like a fire circle. Things that happen in that area affect our sector bad.” said the TGSD President Şeref Fayat and announced that the 2023 goals might be updated under these conditions.
Despite all negative effects, Fayat stated that the sector should keep its competitive position in the global area and said: “We need to change our ready-to-wear production with fashion industry in order to carry our competitive position in the global area. We prepared a plan which focuses on design, branding and innovation to reach that goal faster. We will continue with the same goals this year as well. Our product scale and our innovative production will become bigger in accordance with the increase in Research-Development studies. The faster we develop in branding and innovative production, the faster we can reach our goal of 50 dollar per kg in exports.”
President Fayat said that in order to stay a competitive in global markets, the cooperation between the private sector and the state should continue and increase. Fayat stated that he still believes in Qualified Producer Certificate Program, one of the demands of TGSD, will be put into practice one day.
