For many successful fashion labels, the question arises as to whether it makes sense to expand vertically, for example by investing in their own factory. Many shy away from it because it takes a lot of specialist knowledge and experience in this area, but also a good deal of perseverance and assertiveness. Especially for women entrepreneurs, this step seems to be a difficult task, since historically men have held most positions in production.
FashionUnited spoke to Nadine Bejou, the Arabian founder of Seattle-based labels Idina Bride and Nadia’s Eveningwear. After her success selling prom dresses, evening wear and wedding dresses in the United States, Bejou decided to open her own sustainable factory in Istanbul, Turkey. FashionUnited spoke to her about the challenges and achievements of this bold move in an email interview.
Could you please elaborate on what made you decide to open a sustainable factory in Istanbul?
Having two locations in the Middle East, it made sense to go back to my origins and start a sustainable factory that is my own. I also wanted to give Syrian refugees a chance at a better life by hiring them as workers and paying them a higher income than most in the fashion industry there. Nadia’s Eveningwear makes small batches of pieces that sell well, creating a beautiful and sustainable line.
When we first started making our dresses, we initially worked with a factory that was owned and operated by a larger manufacturing company. This is usually the safest financial path when starting from scratch as these factories already have all the necessary materials, people and machinery. Many established designers in the industry work this way, especially for larger quantities.
However, the difficulty in using a factory that I didn’t own was that I had very little control over quantities, quality and sustainability. These types of factories expect a larger minimum order quantity, which contributes to waste if you don’t sell a larger quantity of goods. Also, the quality control of the stock became a difficult task as we found many quality issues during the process, which also resulted in a great waste of time and fabrics.
For example, I encountered fabric changes and the use of cheaper fabrics in my designs that I hadn’t approved. I’ve tried very hard to use ethical and non-toxic fabrics, but that was difficult with these factories who were very keen to use textiles from manufacturers they already had a network with.
We have worked with some of these factories for a number of years, but with each of these factories there have been a number of issues, from production delays to quality issues. This eventually led me to start my own factory on a smaller scale so I could have a little more control over the quality and quantity of the pieces we produce and maintain fabric sourcing with the sustainable textile manufacturers I already have relationships with .
How many employees do you currently have and what is their main task?
My entire team consists of dedicated and hard-working people who fled the war in Syria. We employ a total of six full-time refugees. We have two people who make patterns and help bring my designs to life, one person who cuts fabrics and three who sew them.
How does your factory compare to others in terms of wages and benefits?
We offer benefits and wages that are 50 percent higher than the industry average. We adhere to a 40-hour week, while the standard is 45 hours. All employees receive a salary well above the living wage in Istanbul, as well as health insurance benefits and a weekly meal allowance paid by our company. They work no more than eight hours a day and have two weeks of paid vacation and sick leave granted to all employees. As we are a smaller family business, the care and well-being of my employees contributes to the success of our company. That’s why we actively strive to keep our team happy in the workplace by providing an environment that is safe and fun to work in.
What makes the factory sustainable?
As a factory that works with other companies, we make sure we work with like-minded companies that are also committed to sustainability. We only work with factories and fabric suppliers that take sustainable measures. That starts with the workforce and making sure their team is well taken care of because that’s definitely an issue in the industry with so many factories taking advantage of people this side of the world.
What hurdles did you have to overcome in this endeavor? Was it more difficult as a woman as the industry is quite male dominated?
One of the biggest hurdles I faced was the fact that I was a woman in a leadership position in this industry. Historically, men have held the majority of manufacturing jobs, particularly in managerial positions or as owners. In addition, many of these individuals run businesses that have been family-owned for generations. So breaking the cycle of tradition wasn’t exactly what I set out to do. I had to learn to fit into these circles and assert myself in order not to be taken advantage of. It took a lot of patience and conviction to portray my company correctly so that I got the same respect as other companies.
What advice would you give to like-minded people who want to open their own factory?
I think the first crucial step to take is to engage with the industry as much as possible. As a result, I discovered many loopholes and learned a lot about the system and how it works. Don’t be afraid to keep asking questions and interacting with people in the industry who have been doing it for many years. It may sound easy to start sustainably, but there’s a reason many don’t do it. The first thing I really wanted to understand was why so many factories are not taking action on this effort so I know what to avoid and how to be successful in my endeavor.
