Vegan Fabric Exported to 52 Countries

A company in Bursa that has obtained the "V-Label" certificate from the European Vegetarian Union and manufactures vegan fabric does not use animal products at any stage from weaving to the final product. Ömer Canbulat, Customer Relations, Sales and Marketing Manager of the company, said: "Currently, demand for vegan products is increasing in many countries. We produced it as an alternative to silk." BURSA (AA) - CEM ŞAN - A century-old company in Bursa that has obtained the "V-Label" certificate from the European Vegetarian Union and manufactures vegan fabric exports its products to 52 countries. Founded by Gaffarzade Mehmet Efendi in the late 1800s and renamed "İpeker" in 1930, this century-old family company began its commercial activity with silk cocoon production during the Ottoman period and continues with fabric manufacturing. The company's fabrics, which do not use animal products at any stage from weaving to the final product, are the focus of attention. Ömer Canbulat, Customer Relations, Sales and Marketing Manager at İpeker Tekstil, told the AA correspondent that the company continues the journey that began with silk production today with the production of "vegan" and "vegan cupro" fabrics. Canbulat noted that the company also has offices in Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy, and that they bring Turkish products together with the top-level customers in these countries. Pointing out that sustainability, recycling and innovation have become very important issues in the textile sector, Canbulat continued as follows: "As a company, we tried to delve deeper into this. We tried to treat nature and living creatures more carefully and developed a product in this way. For the first time in Turkey, İpeker Tekstil produced fabric with 'V-label' certification. No animal protein was used at any stage of fabric production. That is, we did not use any animal products at any stage of the fabric from weaving to the final product. We had this registered and approved by the European Vegetarian Union. This fabric made a big impression worldwide," he said.

"We Produced It as an Alternative to Silk"

Pointing out that cupro is the only fabric that offers superior properties to silk, Canbulat drew attention to the fact that vegan cupro fabric is environmentally friendly and nature-friendly. Emphasizing that their fabrics are featured in world showcases, Canbulat said, "We export to 52 countries, particularly Germany, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, France and Spain. Our customers are the best companies in the world. You can see our fabrics in their showcases. Currently, demand for vegan products is increasing in many countries. We produced vegan cupro fabric as an alternative to silk. Its feel is the same as silk fabric, but it has more properties than silk fabric," he said. Canbulat emphasized that on the path they have taken to produce more environmentally friendly fabrics, they are concentrating on vegan fabric production, saying: "During the pandemic process, we entered a period of slowdown, but we recovered from it very quickly. We presented our fabrics to domestic and foreign buyers. Despite the restrictions on international travel, we remained in constant communication with our buyers through digital trade fairs and the internet. We sent our fabrics. In this way, we passed through the pandemic process without loss. We export 80 percent of the fabrics we produce. We give 20 percent to the domestic market. The companies we supply to the domestic market are also exporting apparel manufacturers. Therefore, almost all of our products go abroad directly or indirectly."