The “Transformation into Technical Textiles in Denizli” project, carried out within the scope of the Competitive Sectors Program implemented by the Ministry of Industry and Technology with the co-financing of the European Union and the Republic of Turkey, started with the Technical Textile Center established on an area of one thousand square meters in Denizli Organized Industrial Zone. Focusing on the textile companies in the city to increase their export prices per kilogram by switching to higher value-added products, the center offers SMEs the opportunity to produce prototypes and samples with state-of-the-art machinery. By taking advantage of the advantages of the center, which is a common area, companies can access international markets and financial resources, and receive training and consultancy on sales and marketing. 
“We aim to break new ground in the industry” Making a statement about the activities of the center, Uğur Erdoğan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Denizli Chamber of Commerce (DTO), said that with the project started in 2020, they will be instrumental in the recognition of not only Denizli but also Turkey’s textile all over the world and that they expect their center to break new ground in the industry. Explaining that Denizli is a center in towels, bathrobes and home textiles, Erdoğan expressed that they are proud of the machinery and equipment infrastructure of the Technical Textile Center, which was established within the scope of spreading this power worldwide. Stating that they believe that the companies included in the cluster created within the scope of the project will set an example for the transition to high technology, Erdoğan said, “R&D will be done in this center and samples of the technical textile products that are planned to be produced can be obtained. Projects with new ideas will be put forward. We have a product range that can appeal to 12 different sectors whose R&D can be done. For example, a variety of technologies will be studied, from fireproof carpets used in airplanes to seats, automotive sub-industry related products, and fabrics with stronger strength instead of iron used in construction. “We are planning to reduce water consumption in textile” Noting that another focus of the center, which offers the opportunity to work in a range of medical, aviation and space technologies, is to reduce the use of water in textiles, Uğur Erdoğan stated that a project on waterless dyeing technology is ongoing. Expressing that they are trying to be beneficial to the ecosystem as well as to the export and economy with this technology, which has been tried in polyester products and cotton fabrics, Erdoğan said that they aim to attract new investments to Denizli for the projects whose R&D studies have been completed, and that they will continue to provide support and consultancy to companies in this field. Pointing out that they brought more than 100 SMEs to international fairs by training them within the scope of the Competitive Sectors Program, Erdoğan continued his words as follows: “We brought together nearly 30 of our companies with their potential customers abroad at the international fair in Frankfurt. We also made our first export in this field. There, we also came together with some universities and made an effort to develop and expand our project and our center, and to crown it with new ideas and collaborations. One of the most important aspects of our project is to increase the competitiveness of our SMEs in the domestic and international markets.” DENIZLI
