|
Hellenic Clothing Industry Association
The textile – clothing sector is one of the most important ones in Greece. During the past decade a number of major worldwide changes modified considerably the production and distribution of the products. These major changes affected considerably the sector in Greece, since production was transferred to neighbour countries, a large number of companies closed resulting to an increase of unemployment, and at the same time an important number of companies became brand product companies specialized in distribution. The Hellenic Clothing Industry Association (HCIA) is a non profit industrial association established in Athens in 1962. It represents Greek companies from all sub-sectors of the clothing industry (men, women and children’s clothing, underwear, swimwear, shirts and fashion accessories). HCIA provides a wide range of services and activities including representing the sector’s companies vis-a-vis International, European and National authorities also participating in the negotiation of sectoral and regional collective agreements; providing information and consulting relating the commercial, industrial and social policy matters including trainign and education consulting and support; and disseminating information on technical issues (product specifications, information systems, and telecommunications), on technology transfer, quality management, market and economic research. Moreover the Association represents the industry in International and European sectoral organisations (IAF and Euratex), co-operates in the framework of horizontal infrastructures of the textile and clothing sector in Greece through its participation in the Clothing Textile & Fibre Technology Development Company (CLOTEFI) and ELKEDE technology and designer SA, maintains a databank with companies and financial data and has established two research organisations: The Greek E-Commerce Center and The Bodymetrics Institute.
|