Fashion made in Georgia

Georgian fashion house Materia has already conquered international catwalks with its Materiel and Dots brands. In addition to achieving success in the fashion industry, the family-run business manufactures uniforms and workwear for Georgian authorities and sports teams. As such, Materia is already a key player in Georgia’s clothing industry. But to help it gain a foothold in the European market too, the company has been receiving support from GIZ since 2017. This is just one example of an initiative kick-started by the EU to promote small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Georgia.

The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between the EU and Georgia has been in place since 2014, serving to intensify trade relations. In order to enable as many companies as possible in the Caucasus country to benefit from the free trade area and become more competitive, the EU launched the SME Development and DCFTA in Georgia project. GIZ has been commissioned by the German Development Ministry (BMZ) to support project implementation. The project is being financed by the EU4Business initiative.

Ready for the European market

Georgian fashion house Materia is working with GIZ experts to meet the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) standards on social responsibility, occupational health and safety, and workers’ rights. Adherence to these standards is one of the key requirements made by European buyers. The GIZ team has also assisted the fashion company in establishing contacts with potential customers in Europe.

Contact: Philipp Steinheim, philipp.steinheim@giz.de

February 2020