Captured on 21.04.2024
In Bulgaria there was a sewing industry at a very high level back in the day. Native and European politicians must pass laws to preserve the sewing industry not only in our country, but also in Europe.
Mitko Panayotov, who has been working at the Cantarelli factory and the sewing industry for over 20 years, stated this in an interview with BGNES.
For himself, Panayotov says that he developed together with the Cantarelli factory, with the new technologies and with the new requirements of the market. "We have reached world-class levels. Of course, there is a finger and the technique, but we are not left behind with the equipment. I have worked with the most modern equipment," he said, adding that it is computerized, easy to work with and to achieve good quality.
Panayotov said that at the beginning, a hundred people worked in the factory. Subsequently, it developed, was equipped with very serious equipment and thus the company reached 700-800 people who work in it.
"The company produced very serious quantities and everything was exported to the Western world," he explained and emphasized that the quality also reached very serious levels, specifying that they worked with very serious brands that gave their assessment.
Panayiotov is adamant that they have achieved world-class quality and productivity, and the Western world abuses, saying that there is no good productivity and good income. "That's not the reason, it's just an excuse on their part. We just want them to pay these people decently for their work. At the same time, the Western world says that the levels and wages in Bulgaria are very low, the standard of living is low, and when we, with our work, with our knowledge, with our capabilities, demand the fair price - we do not want to abuse this, we we want ours, and they just pull away and look for other reasons," he further explained.
It is this hypocrisy on the part of European countries that talk about "green" issues that irritates him, because in the end they allow their companies to import materials and clothes from third countries that are of questionable quality, of questionable origin and contain plastic.
"However, we continue to fight. We know our capabilities. We have the technology, we have the people, we have the knowledge. The point is that the Western world needs to realize," Panayotov said and asked why we should export funds to third countries when the funds can stay in Europe.
The Cantarelli factory buys fabrics from Europe. "We get our fabrics from Italy, which are of good quality, which are certified, which have all the good qualities," he noted.
Panayotov added with regret that traders are chasing profit, it's easier for them to bring in something plastic, mark it up by more than 300% and take the money. "Whereas we want to take the money for the quality - for the quality of not only the material, but the quality of the garment," he stated.
According to him, a lot can be done about this problem which is ruining the garment industry. "The Western world should put some restrictions on their companies, these serious, big companies," Panayotov believes, and defined the approach of these countries as hypocrisy.
According to him, every single person is looking for quality and wants to give money for something of quality, for something good to enjoy. "When you get a jacket that's for no money and it turns out to be fake, that garment has no soul. I wouldn't wear one," he declared.
Big companies that the Cantarelli factory worked with are now starting to work only with Chinese materials, and these are fabrics that have no quality at all.
Panayotov said that there was a sewing industry at a very high level in Bulgaria back in the day. "We tried somehow to preserve it and we have preserved it," he emphasized and called on state and European leaders, deputies to adopt laws to preserve the sewing industry not only in Bulgaria, but in Europe.
Everything is artificial, and the natural is the best, said Panayotov and added that this applies not only to this industry, but also to agriculture, as well as to other industries that are similarly ruined.
Of those 700-800 people who worked in the factory, 50% of them are already out. "It is not a good policy for these people to leave with the knowledge, with the ability, with all their capabilities. The people who were here had hands of gold. It hurts me because they have passed through the factory and not only through this factory, many quality people have passed through many others who are currently working elsewhere, and not in such a prestigious job. They work in some professions that are irrelevant in this case," Panayotov said and concluded that something must be done to ensure that these people stay here. /BGNES