BRAND FEATURE

KOMET METAL

IMPROVEMENT IS A NEVERENDING PROCESS!

Turkish company Komet Metal Accessories is the first company in the metal accessories sector to receive Oeko-Tex STeP certification. The secret to their success is modern and sustainable production methods and the highest health and safety standards, which are part and parcel of Komet Metal Accessories’ company philosophy. J’N’C sat down with its General Manager Emre Koçik to take a look behind the scenes of the successful company and discusses their ongoing drive to improve.

TEXT DENIZ TROSDORFF

UNSPLASH.COM — RICK-ROTHENBERG PHOTO

Komet Metal Accessories San. ve Tic. A.Ş. was founded in 1996 by Metin Allevi in Davutpaşa, Istanbul. Over the years, the company, which specialises in the manufacture of metal accessories, just kept on growing. Having moved to a 7,000 m2 site in Beylikdüzü, also in Istanbul, in 2017, they were able to successively expand their production facility. In addition to a coating line, the company premises also boast a foundry, a paint shop and assembly departments, which were all built and are managed in line with European standards. The company is an industry leader in brass accessories and the production of Zamac, an acronym for zinc, aluminium, magnesium and copper.

A SUCCESS STORY DRIVEN BY FAMILY VALUES

Komet Metal can be defined by a list of superlatives: 50 million metal accessories are manufactured here every month, distributed to 23 countries including Spain, Italy, France, Pakistan, Morocco and Egypt. In addition to local brand giants Mavi, DeFacto and LC Waikiki, the company also has the Inditex Group, H&M and Mango as customers. When asked about the secret of his company’s success, Emre Koçik, Komet Metal’s General Manager, replies: “Komet is a familyowned business and we treat everybody as we would a family member. So I can say, 60 to 70 percent of our success comes from the hard work of every single family member in the company.” This familial atmosphere and cooperation are top priorities, as well as the adherence to sustainable and ecological standards.

STEP BY OEKO-TEX

In 2020, Komet Metal was the first company in the world to receive STeP by Oeko-Tex certification for metal accessories in a certification process carried out by the Hohenstein Institute. The independent certification allows brands, retailers and manufacturers to confirm that their production facilities and products meet the highest sustainable standards and proves that they are willing to implement and maintain these standards in the long term. In addition to the environmentally friendly production methods, occupational safety, working conditions and social responsibility are also taken into account. Komet Metal is well aware of its special position, as well as its responsibility to maintain these standards, guaranteeing environmentally and socially conscious production.

“STeP means everything to us. We have changed the way we think and the way we produce. We have invested a lot in cleaner and safer production and are still investing to ensure we retain the certification,” emphasises Emre Koçik.

WE CARE! WE COMMIT! WE LEAD!

The company’s goals are clearly defined: a production facility that respects people and the environment, meeting the challenges of the industry with innovative ideas and offering metal accessories of the highest quality standards. The company has certainly set itself a high benchmark, which the company expresses with its slogan ‘We care! We commit! We lead!’. It begins with the production – with environmentally friendly processes like saving water and recycling, the use of wind energy and refusing to use toxic materials as a matter of course. Recycling also plays a key role, with all their packaging being biodegradable and EPI-certified. The company’s annual Sustainability Report only serves to underline their commitment to the environment. Social commitment to their staff is equally important, as is ensuring modern and safe working conditions. In response to the question of why Komet Metal has committed to facing all these challenges and why this path was important for the company despite the hurdles to be taken, Koçik answers: “Every decision comes with consequences. In the beginning, it was very difficult being the first company in the world to make this move. We started by training our teammates in that direction and

KOMET METAL Attention to detail and quality: The company is one of the first to receive the STeP by Oeko-Tex certificate for metal accessories.

Sustainable production will be the only production.

making our investments based on the new rules. From our production processes to environmental management, chemicals, water saving and energy management: basically, we completely restructured our factory. On top of that, the pandemic really tested us, but we refused to give up. We even increased our sustainability by one more level, going on to achieve the highest level in the STeP certification process.”

Such high internal standards are certainly commendable. Due to the pandemic alone, the fashion industry seems to be completely obsessed with the idea of restructuring company structures, manufacturing processes and thought patterns to suit new environmentally friendly parameters. But how are these innovations being received by Komet Metal’s customers? And what is their standpoint and behaviour when it comes to sustainability? “When we explained our methodology to our customers in our presentations, they were the ones who initially said that it was just a passing trend. But looking back now, almost all our brands are showing much more interest in the subject. I think sustainability is being taken much more seriously now. We receive e-mails about our STeP presentations on a daily basis. Because, as you know, this is the most valuable certificate for sustainability. If a brand wants to offer sustainable production, the whole team needs to be certified. Some companies are more than ready and demanding sustainability, while others aren’t even interested,” says Emre Koçik, summing up the general reactions of their customers after their STeP by Oeko-Tex certification. Putting the focus on the entire sector and society, he adds, “The way I see it, when end users care about their future more than their wallets, they will demand sustainable production and then sustainable production will be the only way. As Chief Seattle, a famous 18th century Native American leader is quoted as saying: ‘Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money.’”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Anyone curious about Metal Komet’s products can take a closer look at the upcoming Denim Première Vision in Milan this November, where the company will be showcased. In January 2023 they will also be represented at Bluezone during Munich Fabric Start. “We usually attend Munich Fabric Start and Denim PV twice a year. In addition to these two, we are thinking about participating in one other show,” reveals Koçik. In terms of their future goals, the manager admits that they won’t be resting on their laurels but are already planning new projects that will be announced shortly. When we asked about what the company could still optimise, Emre Koçik’s response is forward-looking and motivated: “Improvement is a neverending process. Of course there are plenty of things that can still be improved and also plenty more to come in the future.”