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From Manufacturing Garments for Ready-to-Wear to Designing Collections for Fast Fashion: Evidence from Turkey

Author

Listed:
  • Nebahat Tokatli

    (Milano Graduate School, New School University, New York, NY 10011, USA)

  • Ömür Kızılgün

    (Portakal Çiçeği Sokak, 10/2, 06540, Aşaği Ayrancı, Ankara, Turkey)

Abstract

In this paper we discuss two distinct sets of advantages which have helped Turkey to become the world's second-largest clothing exporter: the competency-related advantages of the last decade; and the trade-and-currency-related advantages of the earlier decades. In the late 1980s and 1990s, some fortunate developments in the international currency markets, together with an unofficial trade with Russia following the collapse of the Soviet Union, resulted in windfall trade gains for Turkey. During the last decade, a shift in the culture of fashion, from ready-to-wear to fast fashion pushed Turkish suppliers to upgrade into higher value-added activities such as design. While our focus is on the latter advantage, we point out that both sets of advantages have a commonality: namely, a sustainability problem.

Suggested Citation

  • Nebahat Tokatli & Ömür Kızılgün, 2009. "From Manufacturing Garments for Ready-to-Wear to Designing Collections for Fast Fashion: Evidence from Turkey," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 41(1), pages 146-162, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:41:y:2009:i:1:p:146-162
    DOI: 10.1068/a4081
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nebahat Tokatli, 2007. "Asymmetrical power relations and upgrading among suppliers of global clothing brands: Hugo Boss in Turkey," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 7(1), pages 67-92, January.
    2. Frederick H Abernathy & Anthony Volpe & David Weil, 2006. "The Future of the Apparel and Textile Industries: Prospects and Choices for Public and Private Actors," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 38(12), pages 2207-2232, December.
    3. Scott, Allen J., 2006. "The Changing Global Geography of Low-Technology, Labor-Intensive Industry: Clothing, Footwear, and Furniture," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(9), pages 1517-1536, September.
    4. Suraiya Faroqhi, 2005. "Ottoman textiles: a success story that did not end so well," Working Papers 5029, Economic History Society.
    5. Nebahat Tokatli & Ömür Kizilgün, 2004. "Upgrading in the Global Clothing Industry: Mavi Jeans and the Transformation of a Turkish Firm from Full-Package to Brand-Name Manufacturing and Retailing," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 80(3), pages 221-240, July.
    6. Jennifer Bair, 2006. "Regional Trade and Production Blocs in a Global Industry: Towards a Comparative Framework for Research," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 38(12), pages 2233-2252, December.
    7. Erzan, Refik & Filiztekin, Alpay, 1997. "Competitiveness of Turkish SMSEs in the Customs Union," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(3-5), pages 881-892, April.
    8. Binnur Neidik & Gary Gereffi, 2006. "Explaining Turkey's Emergence and Sustained Competitiveness as a Full-Package Supplier of Apparel," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 38(12), pages 2285-2303, December.
    9. John Humphrey & Hubert Schmitz, 2002. "How does insertion in global value chains affect upgrading in industrial clusters?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(9), pages 1017-1027.
    10. Nebahat Tokatli, 2008. "Global sourcing: insights from the global clothing industry—the case of Zara, a fast fashion retailer," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 8(1), pages 21-38, January.
    11. Gereffi, Gary, 1999. "International trade and industrial upgrading in the apparel commodity chain," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 37-70, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Macchion, Laura & Moretto, Antonella & Caniato, Federico & Caridi, Maria & Danese, Pamela & Vinelli, Andrea, 2015. "Production and supply network strategies within the fashion industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 173-188.
    2. Donatella Baiardi & Carluccio Bianchi & Eleonora Lorenzini, 2014. "The price and income elasticities of the top clothing exporters: Evidence from a panel data analysis," DEM Working Papers Series 074, University of Pavia, Department of Economics and Management.
    3. Kucera, David & Tejani, Sheba, 2014. "Feminization, Defeminization, and Structural Change in Manufacturing," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 569-582.
    4. Baiardi, Donatella & Bianchi, Carluccio & Lorenzini, Eleonora, 2015. "The price and income elasticities of the top clothing exporters: Evidence from a panel data analysis," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 14-30.

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