Gustavo Alberto Lenis Steffens PRESIDENT, FABRICATO S.A.

Why is it important for the textile supply chain to work together in areas such as improving the sustainability of processes?

We have been supportive of the garment manufacturing industry in many different ways. Environment-proofing production methods, and being friendly to the ecosystem is increasingly an urgent matter. Several brands advertise their clothes under a tag that says that the fabric has been manufactured with a certain percentage of recycled fiber or in a nonpolluting factory, and Fabricato’s customers can advertise that. Today, the public is increasingly becoming conscious of cleaning processes. We observe the automotive industry shifting toward electric vehicles, but in essence we will come to see the same trend for textiles. People will be increasingly willing to pay more for an environmentally friendly product.

The textile industry provides many jobs in Colombia. How will the industry help in the economic recovery?

The textile industry is a mass generator of employment. Yet, around 400,000 jobs have been lost in the textile and garment manufacturing industry. Still, once you start importing clothes there is a sizable impact on the local job market. In light of this, the government has imposed a tax on the import of clothes, which to some degree protects the local industry. Such taxes seek to incentivize local retailers to purchase from domestic suppliers, instead of importing. In the first semester of 2021, we recorded positive figures. Improvements in cost management and production efficiency are yielding impressive sales. We are also planning certain investments to be able to better supply both the domestic and international markets.