The 11th Leather&Fur Fashion Show Fair, organized by the Turkish Leather Garment Manufacturers Association TDKD, took place in Antalya, Turkey’s tourism region, between 5-8 December 2023. The fair organization was opened with more than 1200 participants from 20 countries. TDKD Chairman of the Board of Directors Fatih Dursun said, “The sanctions imposed on Russia did not harm the relations, Leather and Fur manufacture exports reached 234 million dollars.” said.
Leather&Fur Fashion Show Fair, an important organization of the Leather and Fur manufacture industry, held its 11th Edition. Within the scope of the Leather and Fur fair held in Antalya Belek, Turkey’s tourism region, it brought together representatives of Turkish companies in the sector with representatives of the foreign market and expanded its international trade network with the participation of local and foreign companies.
Fatih Dursun, President of the Turkish Leather Garment Manufacturers Association TDKD, emphasized that “leather and leather products have a market share of 250 billion dollars in the world, and Turkey only gets a share of 1.8 percent from there, and in order to get more of this share, Latin American countries, Korea, “We are pushing all possible markets in terms of marketing. As the leather and apparel industry, our main markets are the Northern countries, the cold parts of Europe, Russia, Ukraine. The decline in exports to Russia after the war is in America. “We are trying to fill it with products. Our target markets include Latin American countries, Korea and Scandinavian countries.” said.
Noting that the sector’s exports in the Turkish leather garment market reached 224 million dollars in the first 11 months of the year, Dursun stated that the Fair appealed to a market of 700-800 million dollars with the suitcase trade and tourism sales of southern tradesmen. Underlining that the skins of animals slaughtered for food are used in the leather industry, he explained that the real danger is the products known as artificial leather, which consist entirely of petrochemical products, plastic and polyester.
‘Our exports increased by 2 percent’
Noting that last year’s leather garment exports completed the year with 236 million dollars, Dursun stated that in the 11 months of this year, leather garment exports reached 234 million dollars with an increase of 2 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. Dursun said, “The reason for this increase in exports is only because the prices per kilogram have reached 136 dollars. The increases in raw material prices and labor costs have affected our price policy greatly. The problem we experience in determining prices puts our industry in great difficulty.”
Regarding increasing labor costs
Sharing the information that the European Union is first, the USA is second and Russia is third among the main markets of the leather and apparel industry, Dursun stated that their biggest rival is China. Dursun said, “Only the labor share in the produced product reaches 60 percent. This also includes the product, electricity and water energy prices we use. When this is the case, we are in a position to lose our markets. In the face of our increasing costs, we have to compete with China’s aggressive price policy.” We are not. Currently, there is a 15 percent loss in the sector’s official exports and nearly 50 percent loss in suitcase and southern exports. We may lose this sector irreversibly. One of the biggest problems we face is access to affordable credit. Labor costs in our sector are TL, everything else is TL “Current exchange rates are pushing us very hard. We do not demand a high exchange rate, we just expect an exchange rate policy parallel to the increasing costs,” he said.
The world is buying Made in Türkiye leather
Noting that they have increased their product variety according to changing climate conditions, Dursun said, “We can sell 70 gram and 100 gram jackets. We have products that can be worn at 18-20 degrees. In our export figures, thin goods sales have started to exceed thick goods sales, and our industry is already adapting to this. Thinner, lighter.” We focus on products and the demand comes accordingly. As the leather garment industry, we make customer-specific products, we make collections according to the customer. We are currently making products suitable for every concept, so we are not afraid of competition. As a result, we have achieved this innovation. The world’s biggest brands are all Made. “If Turkey buys its leather, it means we have a difference. As a leather garment company, we are number one in the world, we even sell products to Italy.” said.
Lastly, Dursun stated that they will participate nationally in an event to be held in Norway in the coming period and will go with 10-12 companies.
