Turkish prisoners produce duvets for European markets

By Zekeriya Gunes

MANISA, Turkey (AA) - Duvets produced by prisoners in western Turkey are being exported to European countries by a Turkish firm under a social project in collaboration with a textile firm.

Textile company owner Ugur Ustundag, who has a protocol with prison administration told Anadolu Agency on Monday he was happy with the prisoners' performance and quality of the products they were making.

Ustundag said the products were being used in the local as well as European markets such as Poland, Italy and Romania.

Inmates at a prison in western province of Manisa are producing 70,000 duvet covers per month on average, he said.

A total of 57 prisoners in the prison workshop, who completed their training period, were manufacturing duvet covers for a fee and they also get social security as well, he added.

"Our aim is to make these workshops bigger. A production of 70,000 duvet covers in a month with 57 workers and 21 machines is a success and we plan to have 80 staff and 30 machines.

"We are sending these products to local market and European countries such as Poland, Italy and Romania," he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Public Prosecutor Hasan Ugurlu in Salihli district in Manisa said the project's main goal was to give jobs to prisoners and give them an opportunity to improve themselves.

"Prisoners get reintroduced to society as a skilled master after rehabilitation," Ugurlu added.