Chinese clothes of dubious quality and very low prices have dealt a blow to the textile industry in our country and in Europe. More and more tailoring companies are closing and laying off their workers. In a few regions, one of which is Ruse, the situation is better, but there too a decline in production is being reported.
In one tailoring company, they fulfill orders for European brands, and their labor prices have not changed for two years. “And since this year, our partners are trying to reduce our prices and return us to 2018 levels”, says Miglena Hristova, member of the Board of the Textile and Leather Association.
Large Chinese trading platforms are killing our industry, the seamstresses claim. The prices of clothes are very low and there is no way that European brands can be competitive.
In order to sew in Bulgaria for a European brand, companies go through an audit for the quality of work with different materials - cotton, wool, silk. “A certificate for a factory to have permission to work with such products in an annual aspect costs between 5000 - 7000 leva, we have three such certificates to meet the requirements of our European partners”, Hristova tells Nova TV.
If they cannot meet the requirements ”We close, we do not work. That is why you see there is a huge reduction in production throughout Bulgaria and not only, the same thing is happening in Romania”, she shares.
The Textile and Leather Association, although they do not yet have official data, estimates that about 40% of sewing companies have closed in a little over a year. “If we now pay some taxes that go into the budget, that will no longer be there, you see how difficult it is to collect the budget, that will lead to less revenue in the treasury”, adds Hristova.
And they expect support measures from the state. “Social programs first of all. People who are registered in the labor offices should be trained so that they can reorient themselves, the other thing is there was a program - “On the Road”. Transportation per person costs me about 22 leva per day, I will no longer have the opportunity and I plan to stop it. This was a very good measure that was discontinued”, she also points out.
”Made in Europe is a brand. Cheap clothes with low quality will fill the market in Europe if no measures are taken”, says Hristova.