‘‘The Future of the Textile Industry is in Ecological Products’’

Uludağ Textile Exporters’ Association (UTİB) visited the participating companies and provided information during the Corporate Carbon Footprint Consultancy process within the scope of the Ecological Textiles Ur-Ge (Improving International Competitiveness) Project carried out with the support of the Ministry of Commerce. Businesses were informed about the 8-month operating process, the calculations, and reports that should be created with a zero-carbon target.

Environmental Products Stays on Top of the Agenda

UTİB Chairman of the Board Pınar Taşdelen Engin expressed that companies that become conscious of the Ecological Textiles Ur-Ge Project will achieve significant gains and continued as follows, ‘‘The traditional sector of Bursa, textile, is focused on ecological transformation. Many companies put sustainable production, renewable energy, and environmental products at the top of their investment agenda. In the textile industry, where there is an opportunity to produce with high added value, the faster and healthier we can transform, the greater our success and gains will be. Within the scope of the project, we started our Corporate Carbon Footprint Consultancy process to reduce carbon emissions. In order to achieve the goals of the Ur-Ge project and the zero-carbon target more quickly, we need to explain to our companies the path they need to follow. We will reap the fruits of our consultancy with the successes to be achieved. I believe that our companies, which will become conscious within the scope of this project, will shape the future of the textile industry as pioneers in transformation. We have made positive contributions to our activities by strengthening the connections we have established with our companies through visits.’’

Turkey’s Target for 2053; achieve net zero emissions

Bekir Çetin, Sustainability Director of Semtrio Consulting commented on the subject as follows, ‘‘With Turkey’s confirmation of the Paris Agreement and the end of COP 26 held in Glasgow in mid-November, awareness of climate change started to increase in the Turkish textile industry as well as in all countries and all sectors. In this context, the Carbon Footprint Consultancy process initiated within the scope of the Ecological Textiles Ur-Ge Project is a step taken at the right time to inform the participating companies. In particular, the contribution of company-based targets will be great in Turkey’s reaching the net-zero emission target for 2053.’’

Bekir Çetin, who closely examined the production stages of the companies during the field visits, held strategic meetings with company managers on potential carbon reduction. Çetin indicated: ‘‘In order to achieve the Paris Agreement targets, the dates of carbon reduction to be carried out are important. The first thing for companies to individually reduce carbon is to make carbon footprint calculations, which is the first step where we can draw a roadmap for companies. With the UR-GE Project, companies will be able to calculate their carbon footprints according to the ISO 14064-1:2018 version and follow these figures in the coming years.’’