SUSTAINABLE AND SAFE PRODUCTION STANDS OUT IN COMPETITION
European countries have redirected their textile route to Turkey. With its sustainable, safe production and fast delivery, Turkey has become the top choice for global giants. Speaking at the Assembly Meeting of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC), Recep Temür, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Pioneer Industrialists and Businessmen Association (ÖNSİAD), noted that the global textile sector has reached a trillion-dollar economic scale, drawing attention to Turkey’s role.
Temür, who stated that the future of the sector is determined not by cheap labor but by reliable production, fast delivery, sustainability, and brand value, said: “Turkey is one of the world’s most strategic centers with its production capacity, quality standards, fast turnaround power, and deep-rooted industrial culture. This accumulation, shaped by Anatolia’s thousands-of-years-old weaving tradition, Bursa’s silk, Denizli’s towels, and Gaziantep’s weaving, has moved us to a point where we produce not just goods, but solutions, trust, and continuity. Many European brands have now redirected their route to Turkey for production security. We are moving toward becoming not just a producing country, but one that shapes the market.”
Temür, stating that social media and fashion have led to a distorted understanding of consumption, said: “In the past, there were only a few seasons a year, but today a new collection appears almost every week. People no longer consume out of need, but to avoid falling behind. A garment is considered worthless not because it is worn out, but because it has been seen a few times on social media. This is not merely an economic issue; it is a major environmental disaster threatening the world, with billions of pieces of product going to waste every year.”
Temür continued: While the world’s leading brands talk about environmentalism, sustainability, and human rights on screen, behind the scenes they shift production to countries with the cheapest and most unhealthy conditions. While “ethical production” is discussed in European showcases, rivers in Asia are being polluted with chemical waste. Child labor and inhumane working conditions for a few dollars a month are overlooked for the sake of cost advantage. Those who strictly apply the smallest environmental rules in their own countries can remain silent about the exploitation of poor regions and the pollution of nature. In our culture, however, trade is not merely a means of earning money — it is also morality, trust, and respect for people and the environment. Turkish industrialists must never compromise their values for short-term gain. We cannot lose our identity in the race for cheapness. We must build a structure that stands out not only by competing on price, but through trust, quality, and ethics. Facing the biggest problem of global brands — the “loss of trust” — the Turkish textile sector can offer the world a “human-centered, conscientious, and clean production model.”
Source: Türkiye Gazetesi / Saturday, August 1, 2026
