ISTANBUL — February 4, 2025 — Stating that they have been guiding companies through the METAMORPHOSIS Project, carried out within the scope of the EU’s IPA projects, Paşahan said, “Although we have faced cyclical challenges over the past two years, we take a long-term perspective. Apparel will remain crucial for the Turkish economy for many years to come. With this awareness, we are establishing an infrastructure that will strengthen our position in global trade.”
The “From Design to Production: Digital Transformation in the Apparel Industry (METAMORPHOSIS)” Project, carried out by the Istanbul Apparel Exporters’ Association (İHKİB) under the EU’s Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA-2) program, has been completed. Speaking at the closing event of the project, which was implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Industry and Technology, Mustafa Paşahan stated that the apparel industry is among the leading sectors pioneering digital and green transformation. Stating that they have been guiding companies through the METAMORPHOSIS Project, carried out within the scope of the EU’s IPA projects, Paşahan continued:
“We received a grant of €10.4 million from the European Union for the project, which was implemented under the leadership of our Ministry of Industry and Technology. Within the scope of the project, a current situation analysis of the apparel and textile sectors was conducted. Additionally, the EU Digital Single Market Strategy, Adaptation Strategy, and a Digital Transformation Roadmap for the sector were developed. Institutional capacity- building activities were carried out. Digital Fashion Design Training was provided to 125 SME representatives. A Digital Maturity Assessment was conducted for 60 SME-scale companies. More than 100 SMEs received Digital Transformation and Social Compliance Consultancy Services. A total of 100 testing and analysis services were conducted to enhance SMEs’ quality standards. R&D studies were carried out on Turkish organic cotton.”
Highlighting that they launched the Digital Transformation Center (DDM), the main hub of the project, for the service of the sector in 2022, Paşahan stated that the DDM has been authorized as an “assessor” for businesses’ digital maturity assessments, roadmap creation, and investment planning processes under the Ministry of Industry and Technology’s “digital transformation support program.”
Stating, “I would like to express my gratitude to our Ministry of Industry and Technology for their support during this process. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to the esteemed Deputy Minister, Zekeriya Coştu, who has made significant contributions to this project,” Paşahan continued:
The European Union’s Grant Support Has Reached €37 Million.
“Two years ago, we completed and shared the sustainability action plan for the apparel and textile sector, which serves as a roadmap for aligning with the EU Green Deal. We will launch our ‘Carbon Footprint Monitoring and Reduction’ project within this year. Additionally, we have become eligible for grants under the European Digital Innovation Hubs Program. The total EU grant support for all these projects has reached €37 million. We are using these grants to develop our fashion industry, increase our digital and green production capacity, and accelerate the transition to branded production.”
Mustafa Paşahan, pointing out that the opportunity for competition in the fashion industry based on price-focused production is increasingly diminishing, said, “Therefore, we must create a new path for ourselves through value-added production. Design, innovation, and branding are crucial. Indeed, we have very successful brands. Our apparel brands have more than 3,000 stores in over 100 countries. We take pride in our brands, which are market leaders in their respective fields in the countries they are present in.
All of these are important. However, we also know that our performance related to the twin transition will be decisive in determining our future role in the global fashion industry. With the twin transition, we hope to open a window of opportunity for our sector.”
Zekeriya Coştu: We Used €400 Million Of Eu Funds For 46 Projects During The Ipa-1 Period.
In his speech, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Zekeriya Coştu reminded that Türkiye has been using IPA funds since 2007. Stating that with these financial aids, projects have been implemented to increase the commercial and administrative capacities of institutions, taking into account Türkiye’s needs and priorities on the road to EU membership, Coştu continued:
“In the first phase of the Competitive Sectors Program, which was implemented by our Ministry, co-financed by the EU, and ended in 2018, we had identified reducing socio-economic disparities between regions as our main goal. During this period, we implemented 46 projects in the 43 cities located east of the Hatay-Sinop line, including shared-use facilities, technology development centers, business development centers, licensed warehouses, improvements in tourism infrastructure, financial instruments, clustering, and capacity development. For these projects, we used a total of €500 million, with €400 million from EU funds and €100 million from our Ministry’s budget.
The Ipa-2 Period, Consisting Of 43 Projects, Has A Budget Of €260 Million
Zekeriya Coştu stated that in the second phase, which will be completed this year, they are focusing on projects centered around R&D, innovation, digital transformation, green transformation, creative industries, and technology transfer. Coştu concluded his remarks as follows:
“We aim to make our SMEs and entrepreneurs part of a greener, more technology-rich, more efficient, more creative, and competitive ecosystem. The IPA-2 program, consisting of 43 projects focused on R&D and innovation, has a total budget of €260 million, covering 23 provinces. With the digital transformation projects we support in this period, we are ensuring that our leading sectors in production and exports adapt to the needs of the era, and we are striving to support our country in becoming a leader in rapidly developing fields such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and big data. We believe that the METAMORPHOSIS project, of which İHKİB is a beneficiary, will make significant contributions to our SMEs operating in the apparel and textile sectors in Türkiye by promoting digital transformation, compliance with international standards, and environmentally friendly solutions.”
Jurgis Vilcinskas: Our Collaboration Journey With İhkib Has Been A Continuous And Evolving Process.
In his speech, Jurgis Vilcinskas, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Türkiye, emphasized that significant progress has been made in aligning the Turkish textile and apparel sectors with the EU agenda. Stating that they are determined to support the transformation of these two sectors in Türkiye, Vilcinskas said:
“We are working together with Türkiye to overcome challenges. Since 2007, the EU has invested €780 million under the IPA programs aimed at enhancing Türkiye’s industrial competitiveness and innovation. Our collaboration journey with İHKİB has also been a continuous and evolving process focused on advancing the Turkish textile and apparel sector through innovation, sustainability, and digital transformation. This ongoing collaboration
serves as an example of progressive steps towards innovation, digitalization, and sustainability, in line with the EU’s broader goals for the textile and apparel industry and beyond. These efforts demonstrate the importance of Türkiye-EU cooperation in overcoming challenges for the textile and apparel sector and in building a digital, sustainable, and innovative future.”
Posted: February 7, 2025
Source: Istanbul Apparel Exporters’ Association (İHKİB)