Jungnang-gu Launches Initiative to Revitalize Local Sewing Industry and Lead Fashion Sewing Sector

Establishing a Fashion Sewing Industry Cluster as a Production Hub... Planning to Implement a One-Stop Production System from Planning to Production, Distribution, and Marketing

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Since being designated as the Myeonmok Fashion Sewing Specific Development Promotion District, Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi), rapidly emerging as a mecca of fashion sewing, is promoting various projects to revitalize the local fashion sewing industry and establish itself as a leading district in fashion sewing.

Jungnang-gu's sewing industry plays a crucial role in the local industrial economy, accounting for about 73% with 2,491 out of 3,423 manufacturing establishments.

In particular, about 11% of all sewing businesses in Seoul are concentrated in Jungnang-gu, making support and development of the fashion sewing industry more urgent here than anywhere else to revitalize the local economy.

To this end, the district is first building a fashion sewing industry cluster centered on the Jungnang Fashion Sewing Support Center (hereinafter Smart Anchor), the Fashion Sewing Comprehensive Information Center, and the Fashion Sewing Aggregation Center, aiming to become the largest production base for the domestic sewing industry.

The Smart Anchor will serve as a production and collaboration hub, the Fashion Sewing Comprehensive Information Center will function as a startup education and information hub, and the Startup/Sales Aggregation Center will act as a planning, design, and sales hub. Together, they will establish a cooperative network from planning to production, distribution, and marketing to create a one-stop production system.

Once the cluster is established, it will provide affordable and comfortable residency spaces for small-scale sewing business workers in the area. Additionally, by integrating information and communication technology, it will build an integrated production system covering planning, design, pattern making, and sewing processes, improving productivity through joint orders and joint production, thereby playing a significant role in securing competitiveness for the local sewing industry.

Furthermore, through the support project for improving working environments of garment manufacturers, workplaces of companies struggling with poor working conditions will be made safe and comfortable.

From 2019 to 2020, the district selected 60 sewing businesses in vulnerable environmental areas and supported them with a total of about 420 million KRW to install lighting, heating and cooling systems, ventilators, and air purifiers.

This year, 35 companies will be selected to receive a total of about 160 million KRW in environmental improvement construction costs.

On the 14th, 16th, and 18th, Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi visited six sewing companies in the area to meet with sewing workers facing difficulties due to COVID-19, listen to their challenges on-site, and exchange various opinions on fostering the related industry.

Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi of Jungnang-gu said, “To successfully build the fashion sewing industry cluster, we will actively collect field opinions through continuous communication with local residents and industry workers,” and added, “We will continue to do our best to improve productivity and secure competitiveness in the important fashion sewing industry of Jungnang-gu.”