At the meeting, the current state of the industry, the economic challenges faced, and the vision for the future were discussed. Emphasizing the importance of Bursa, Murat Şahinler stated that the city is not only Turkey’s but also one of Europe’s most important home textile centers.
“With its production capacity, workforce, and design capability, Bursa is the pride of our country. We are here together to take this city and this sector further,” he said.
Branding and Digitalization Against High Costs
Şahinler pointed out that high interest rates, inflation, rising labor, and energy costs have challenged competitiveness. He underlined that under these conditions, the only way to survive is through branding, digitalization, design, and value-added production.
“We will no longer only carry out vision projects but also projects that touch the daily lives and budgets of our members, giving them breathing space. We will take steps to increase exports, reduce costs, and facilitate access to finance,” he said.
Strengthening Bursa’s Leadership
Şahinler announced that if elected, they would prioritize national and international collaborations and make the HOMETEX Fair and the Home Textile Academy more effective.
He also stated that they would ensure greater participation of women and young people in the sector, and would lead investments in design and digital transformation.
Emphasizing that TETSİAD would be managed with transparency in the new term, Şahinler declared that budget meetings with all members would be held every three months.
“The budget of our association will be open to everyone. Everyone will know how the expenses are made. All our members will have a say in the budget,” he said.
New Communication Offices in Bursa and Denizli
Murat Şahinler emphasized that Bursa bears a special responsibility, noting that since the HOMETEX Fair is organized by KFA Fuarcılık, board members in Bursa will take on a more active role in budget control and fair organization.
He also announced that, in order to respond more effectively to the needs of the industry, they aim to open new communication offices in Bursa and Denizli.
