USB Certification Met with the Industry at the 7th Aegean Textile and Apparel Suppliers Meeting

As USB Certification, we took part in the 7th Aegean Textile and Apparel Suppliers Meeting organised by the İzmir-based Aegean Clothing Manufacturers Association (EGSD) on 13 May 2026. At the event, which brought together 34 suppliers and more than 200 manufacturers, our company was represented by our Sales and Operations Manager Serenat Ercegil and our Operational Excellence Specialist Nariç Dallar.

The main focus of the discussions held throughout the meeting was certification processes and the Digital Product Passport (DPP). In one-to-one discussions with manufacturers, current on-the-ground needs were assessed, and the practical implications of certification and traceability requirements in production were addressed through concrete examples.

The event’s agenda was directly linked to the wave of regulation reshaping the European Union’s textile sector. The textile delegated act prepared under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is expected to enter into force in 2027, after which the Digital Product Passport will become mandatory for products placed on the EU market. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes and the renewed waste shipment rules are also creating new compliance obligations for exporters.

As one of Europe’s leading textile and apparel suppliers, Türkiye counts the Aegean region around İzmir among the sector’s strongest production and export hubs. For manufacturers and suppliers in the region, certification and traceability under standards such as GRS, RCS, OCS, GOTS and the Better Cotton Initiative are therefore becoming an increasingly decisive competitive factor for access to the EU market.

USB Certification continues to guide the textile ecosystem through this transformation by combining its certification expertise with digital traceability solutions. Engaging directly with the industry at regional meetings remains an important part of the organisation’s work to prepare manufacturers for the new regulations.