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Interview with Ibrahim Ethem Buyukpepe

Ibrahim Ethem Buyukpepe
Ibrahim Ethem Buyukpepe
Product Development & Quality Director
Gap Pazarlama
Gap Pazarlama

Turkey ranked fifth largest exporter of textiles worldwide
Established in 1994, Gap Pazarlama is one of the major trading companies in the global textile industry. Ibrahim Ethem Buyukpepe, Product Development & Quality Director, Gap Pazarlama, gives an overview about Turkey's garment manufacturing industry, its advantages and drawbacks, and Gap Pazarlama's major achievements in the last 5 years.

Which are the major markets that you export to and which brands and retailers does this include?

We have served and continue to serve almost all the major US and European brands and store chains.
 

Where does Turkey stand today in the garment manufacturing industry worldwide?

Textile industry is one of the most important sectors in the economy of Turkey in terms of GDP, exports, and employment. It comprises 10 per cent of the country's GDP, and 20 per cent of the country's total employment. It constitutes to 40 per cent of the total industrial production of the country. Turkey is ranked as the fifth largest exporter of textiles worldwide, accounting for almost four per cent of all exports in 2019. The industry is still showing signs of growth, with the value of both textiles and clothing exported having more than doubled since 2000. A large proportion of the textile and apparel goods leaving Turkey arrive in locations inside Europe, with Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Italy ranking as the top five destinations.

Despite increased competition in recent years, what are the factors advantaging Turkey to be the garmenting powerhouse? What are the drawbacks?

Turkish textile and clothing industry has a significant role in world trade with the capability to meet high standards and can compete in international markets in terms of high quality and a broad range of products. Turkey exports not only readymade garments but it also exports fabrics to the world as well. 

The factors advantaging Turkey are:
  • Sustainable production approach
  • Qualified and educated human resources
  • Design capacity
  • Accumulation of know-how
  • Investment in technology
  • Dynamic and flexible production capacity
  • Advanced sub-industry in the clothing sector
  • Concern about quality, health, and environment
Although the Turkish textile industry has been experiencing stable growth over the years, it faces challenges, as the country is now required to compete with lower labour cost countries.

Which new markets being explored?

In addition to the US and European markets, we strive to serve countries such as Canada, Japan, South Africa, Tunisia, Morocco, Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt and Bangladesh.

Could you tell us more about Tura Moda? What kind of B2C activities it carries?

Tura Moda is a leading fashion company offering online shopping in denim, sportswear and accessories. We believe that fashion is an optimism, and we continue on this path--still designs to shop and use with exciting new gadgets. The world is changing, fashion and shopping too. However, our commitment to happiness for our customers never changes. That is why we've formed the core of our structure, deciding to create valuable online shopping experience for our customers. There is now a single address for fashion shopping.
Could you tell us more about Tura Moda? What kind of B2C activities it carries?

What were the milestones achieved by GAP Pazarlama in the last 5 years?

Established in 1994, Gap Pazarlama is one of the major trading companies in the global textile industry with its expert and experienced personnel, technical knowledge and product diversity delivered through continuous P&D activities.

Gap Pazarlama adds value to the broad portfolio of customers particularly in Europe, the US, Russia, and Turkey markets and contributes to sustainable development of suppliers with its innovative product design, new collections, quality assurance and logistics solutions.

In addition, Gap Pazarlama, which has established a subcontracting network in many different countries, supplies various product groups such as garments, home textiles, denim fabrics, raw fabrics and yarns from these countries and offers them to its customers. These facilities which Gap Pazarlama works with have ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 18001, WRAP, Sedex, 6 Sigma certificates.

Milestones within last five years:
  • New Denim Orient collection was offered to our customers.
  • Our facility Cal?k Alexandria in Egypt was reactivated.
  • We started B2C activities with our own brand Denigma
  • We published our first integrated annual report within the scope of our sustainability approach.
  • Has a YYS (Authorized Liability Certificate)
What were the milestones achieved by GAP Pazarlama in the last 5 years?

What percentage of sales is from your own textile manufacturing business and how much is from subcontracting?

At present, more than 60 per cent of world clothing exports are manufactured in developing countries. Asia is the major world supplier today, producing more than 32 per cent of the world's clothing exports. As a company, we serve our customers 60 per cent from our own facilities and the rest by organising our contracted producers.

How sustainable are your manufacturing units? What steps have you taken across the value chain to ensure a smaller carbon footprint?

As a company, we are a member of Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), and we attach importance to the use of BCI certificates in the cotton and fabrics we use. We use organic, recycled fibres in our collections and designs. By cooperating with universities and academies, we support students and try to explain that the new normal is sustainable production. All the chemicals we use are environmentally friendly products and we follow the necessary certifications in this regard. We overhauled our washing machines using less water and less chemicals, and significantly reduced resource usage. Thanks to the use of the dosage technique that helps to reduce the chemicals used in the laundry, we have prevented a serious waste. Our investments in sustainability will continue in the future.

What kind of capacity expansion are you planning in future?

We aim to increase the production capacity from 250,000 to 500,000 in our ready-made clothing facility in Egypt, which is built on 55 square metres.

What is the USP of GAP Pazarlama that you believe gives you an edge when it comes to competition both from within and outside the country?

  • To carry the reputation of Çalik Holding
  • Wide customer portfolio
  • Integrated production facilities
  • Sustainable product and production models
  • Experience and work experience
  • Fast, reliable and quality customer service
  • Competitive prices and ready stock capital

What percentage of your garments is meant for domestic consumption and how much is exported?

The global denim business faces considerable pressure in these pandemic times. Turkey is a strong supplier of denim for the EU as its central market. The US will likely continue to be a secondary market for Turkish exporters. As Gap Pazarlama--our garment sales are 48 per cent for Turkey, 20 per cent Europe, 20 per cent US and 12 per cent Russia. In the coming periods, we will increase our exports to the US and Europe.

What is the turnover of the company as on date? What are the revenue expectations for the current fiscal?

Our average turnover is over $100 million. We want to be the supply chain company that provides the best end-to-end service to our customers by growing 25 per cent every year.

What are the emerging manufacturing hubs for garment manufacturing in Turkey? What is the growth that Turkish textile companies are likely to see by 2025?

The Turkish textile and apparel industry is dynamic, open to development and has potential. Turkey can compete in the world textile and ready-made clothing market with its natural resources, employment power and number of enterprises. In addition to the integrated facilities in Turkey, services starting from cotton and reaching the finished product, we are determining sustainable production as the new normal. We will differentiate ourselves by cooperating with our farmers and producing efficient and sustainable cotton with smart agricultural practices. In addition to these, we provide information about the certificates from which farm the fibres used in the products we produce are produced with traceability practices. Our fabric quality is in the premium segment and consists of products with brand value known by end consumers. Above all, our most important value is our reputation and high potential human resource.

What is your market share for cotton yarns?

In cotton yarns, we have a 5 per cent market share in the country.

Turkey is heading to a complete lockdown, or so news suggests. What steps are you taking to minimise the losses that could be caused? What steps had you taken when the covid had first struck?

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on March 11, 2020. The government adopted multiple containment measures to address the pandemic including social distancing, curfews, travel bans along with quarantines for returning nationals, and the closures of schools/universities, stores, and entertainment venues.

In early June 2021, a gradual reopening process began, differentiating regions into four risk groups. This risk assessment was used to determine when: weekend curfews are lifted, cafes and restaurants reopen (with capacity and hours of operation limits), and in-person school classes restart.

With intensive vaccination applications, a very important part of the population has been vaccinated. The number of cases has been brought under control and Turkey has now entered a period of controlled normalisation. (PC)
Published on: 16/07/2021

DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.

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