The journey begins
Together with our agent Astrid, we fly from Cologne Airport to Turkey early in the morning.
Astrid has been working closely with the production facility we want to visit in Istanbul for years. She is the interface between us and the company and will accompany us throughout the trip and on tours of the production halls.
Certified & experienced
When we arrive in Istanbul, we are personally picked up at the airport by the general manager of our partner production facility. He grew up in Aschaffenburg, speaks perfect German, and lives in Istanbul with his wife and two children. What makes the family man particularly likeable is his lively and humorous nature.
From the airport you go directly to the production facility, which was founded in 1982 and is still owner-managed today. It is characterized by slow but constant growth and hardly any fluctuation in staff. It started with the sale of knitting machines. These were quickly put into operation for demonstration purposes and the first knitted items were created. Textile production was slowly built up and initially produced for the domestic market.
Today, the production facility exports almost 90% of its products to Europe. Everything is produced in-house, so excellent quality can be guaranteed. In addition to LANIUS, many well-known natural textile companies are among its customers. The reasons for this, in addition to the professional work, are the GOTS certification and the auditing by the Fair Wear Foundation.
Stitch by stitch
When we arrive at the building, we are greeted with a handshake by the doorman, who occasionally also does small jobs on knitted items.
Our tour begins on the ground floor. This is where the knitting machines and the laundry are located.
On the first floor, women sit at the linking machines - the knitted pieces from the knitting machine are linked together and put together to form a finished piece. In this process, stitch by stitch is connected with a thread. Turkish music plays alongside the sound of the machines and there is a good but concentrated atmosphere.
The finishing touches
Our tour continues through the first floor: first we see how the finished items are steamed and ironed. Then the quality control staff examine each item of clothing closely. Here and there they cut off small threads or correct seams. In the last step, the checked items are folded and neatly packaged.
The Mutfak – a meeting place
Passing the second and third floors, where accounting, administration and the management offices are located, we reach the fourth floor and suddenly find ourselves in the middle of the “Mutfak”: the light-flooded cafeteria with a view of the water.
The approximately 100 employees of the production facility can eat lunch here or occasionally take a tea break with traditional Turkish tea. We also get a delicious, freshly prepared lunch here.
Collaboration with a panoramic view
After our break, we are led back to the showroom on the third floor, where we discuss the upcoming production of our knitwear with the general manager and Astrid. We can also develop new items for the upcoming season together.
From the showroom we have an incredible view of a freshwater lake that flows into the Sea of Marmara. Every evening at sunset the sky and the water turn red.
Quitting time
We end the day in a traditional fish restaurant. We are accompanied by the general manager, his assistant and one of the owner's three sons, who also works in the company.
As soon as we sit down at the table, it is laid with a rich selection of appetizers. One by one we are allowed to try various fish specialties. And of course a glass of raki is a must: the Turkish national drink with aniseed for flavor.
Design begins with the selection of the yarn
After a restful night in the hotel, we will be picked up after breakfast on the terrace and drive back to the production facility.
We spent our second and unfortunately last day in Istanbul looking at yarns and developing new styles. At midday we went back to the Mutfak for lunch, where the owner joined us again.
After this successful journey, we are even more pleased to have found a professional partner for our knitted items – of which we can proudly say: Made in Istanbul!
