With an aim of limiting imports, boosting domestic production and making the price of domestic clothing more competitive, Iran is now planning to set up a new apparel industrial town in Fashafouyeh, located in Tehran Province’s Rey County.

According to director general of textile and clothing department at the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade Afsaneh Mehrabi, some 45 hectares of land have been bought for the new apparel industrial park.

The Iranian Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade has mandated foreign representatives, branches and distributors of apparel in Iran who seek business licenses to produce goods worth 20 per cent of their import value inside Iran and to export at least 50 per cent of this domestic production. The initiative is aimed at increasing domestic production, creating jobs and reviving Iran’s aging apparel industry. Iran is the 36th biggest exporter of textile products and 90th biggest exporter of apparel in the world.

According to deputy minister of cooperatives, labor and social welfare, Hamid Kalantari, the apparel industry has the highest job creation potential among all industries in Iran.

Currently, 9,818 industrial units are active in textile and apparel industries creating more than 290,000 direct jobs.

Mehrabi believes setting up apparel industrial parks is highly beneficial for Iran, as it leads to transfer of know-how, increases quality and lowers production costs.

–  Apparel and Textile News, Apparel Talk, Indian Apparel