2023-06-13 22:04:55
In Tunisia, the textile takes on colors. Exports now exceed their pre-Covid level: +22.1% compared to the first quarter of 2019, according to official figures. Results that can be further improved according to professionals in the sector. To achieve this, some plead for the country to position itself clearly in the “premium” textile sector, far from “fast fashion” – this movement which consists of producing clothes very quickly. A move upmarket that might, according to them, boost the sector while Tunisia is going through an acute economic crisis. Amira Souilem went to a factory that made this choice, one hour from the capital Tunis.
Here, the concert of machines never stops. Eyes riveted on her machine, Amira Béjaoui provides the final touch. Chain stitch logos on pullovers. ” I sew 150 an hour like that. » And how many hours a day do you work? « 8 and a half hours. I have worked here for 26 years. I’m 40 years old “, she says.
Like her, 1,800 employees run a factory that produced nearly 5 million pieces from these workshops last year. Leïla Mili manages production at Tunicotex: “ These are clothes that we deliver to customers like Hugo Boss, Lacoste, the North Face, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein… We can deliver to Italy, Germany or any other European country in four/five days. It’s nothing compared to the more than thirty days of transport that there would be from an Asian country. This proximity means that Europeans now want to produce closer to them “, she explains.
Anxious to reduce their carbon footprint – a question of image – more and more European brands are choosing Tunisia. This factory has decided to adapt to its new criteria. Busy around huge washing machines, Mohamed-Ali Boudhafer, in charge of this stage, is very proud to present his department to us: “ What you see over there is a water recycling station. Wastewater is no longer thrown away. We process them and reuse them. The water comes out clean, as if it had never been used. »
In ten years, the company says it has invested nearly 20 million euros in new technologies. A winning choice that allowed him to win new contracts. Latest: Moncler, a luxury brand that is the pride of Leïla. ” That’s a jacket with feathers inside. This requires being able to inject feathers with machines, so we had to invest in machines that allow this. We made this investment, we learned this technology that we did not know. Being flexible plays a big role in growth and development ».
This repositioning towards the “premium” is the will of the general manager, Haithem Bouagila. ” Several companies have turned to this premium sector. The result is there. These companies are registering growth rates and profitability rates that are the highest. The future of Tunisia is premium. It’s quality and service “, he says.
By moving upmarket, the company said it was able to increase salaries for its employees. 1,100 gross dinars on average – around 330 euros – more than twice the minimum wage in Tunisia.
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