Large areas in Turkey and Syria were hit by several earthquakes earlier in the week. The death toll is rising rapidly and images of the vast disaster area are going around the world. The fashion industry is responding to the tragedy and offering help where it can.
With numerous factories, Turkey is one of the most important production countries for clothing and textiles. For example, one of the production partners of denim brand Kuyichi is located in the affected area, the brand said in a statement. The label works with fabric supplier Bossa, based in Adana near the epicenter of several earthquakes. “We are deeply dismayed by the devastating earthquake that has struck Turkey and Syria. Our thoughts and hearts are with the victims and their families who are suffering the effects of this tragedy. We stand by the people of Turkey and Syria at this difficult time and will do everything in our power to help them recover. We are particularly committed to our long-term partner and fabric supplier Bossa, based in Adana, Turkey, who is an integral part of our business.”
Various garment and textile associations from Turkey shared similar emotions through their online channels. “We hope that Allah will help our citizens who have died in the earthquake in many parts of our country and wish those injured a speedy recovery. We, ITKIB, IMMIB, IIB and HIB [Anm.d.Red: verschiedene Textilorganisationen]have started an aid campaign to alleviate the suffering of our fellow citizens affected by the earthquake.” The organizations have started a collection campaign for items such as clothes, diapers, stoves and food.
The Puma Group, based in Herzogenaurach, has also published a statement in English and Turkish, expressing its condolences to the families of the earthquake victims and wishing the injured a speedy recovery. It is expected that other brands will also comment and launch appropriate campaigns in due course.
Online giant Amazon speaks up
Internet giant Amazon said in a statement it would take immediate action. “To help affected communities, Amazon has activated disaster relief and is supporting the Red Cross and other relief organizations with their urgent needs.” The donated items are sent by Amazon to its distribution center in Istanbul and redistributed from there. The group stressed that this action is just the beginning of the efforts it plans to make. “Over the coming days, we will be working with local organizations and support groups to assess needs and use Amazon’s logistics and delivery system to meet them.” According to Amazon, it has over 2,000 employees in Turkey, but no locations in the disaster areas. The company said it made sure on Monday that all employees and their families are safe in Turkey.
It is not the first time that regions in Turkey and Syria have been hit by earthquakes. A historic example is the 1999 earthquake. At that time, Turkey’s garment and textile industry saw its exports fall for the first time in thirty years, due to a combination of the disaster, economic problems and exchange rates. However, the industry recovered from the impact between 2000 and 2007. The after-effects of last Monday’s earthquake on the Turkish textile and clothing industry are still largely unknown.
FashionUnited has contacted various authorities. This article may be updated with the latest information at a later date.
This translated post previously appeared on FashionUnited.nl.