Cizre entrepreneur repurposes fabric waste into wedding dresses

İmran Bilgiç, a resident of the Cizre district in Şırnak, has established a sustainable fashion enterprise by transforming discarded fabric waste into wedding and engagement dresses. Operating out of a 500-square-meter workshop, Bilgiç collects unused fabrics from local tailors and meticulously separates beads and motifs to be reused in new designs.

The initiative focuses on both environmental sustainability and local economic empowerment. Of the 15 employees at the workshop, 14 are women. Bilgiç, who started the business three years ago without institutional support, noted that the process of cleaning and repurposing motifs has raised public awareness regarding recycling.

While the business initially focused on kaftans, it has expanded into bridal wear. The workshop has already exported three wedding dresses abroad, with goals to expand into further international markets.