Imza Giyim was a family company that had produced shirts at its factory in Adana for many years, and in 2012 it brought men’s jacket production in-house as well. On the ironing side, the company’s new jacket production line was fully equipped with Malkan Machinery systems.

In this interview, we spoke with Imza Giyim Chairman Ismail Taskinirmak about the company’s founding story, its technology investments and the state of the textile sector. Taskinirmak candidly shared the reasons for the decision to move from subcontracted to in-house production and why they chose a local manufacturer for ironing.

After the interview, you will also find a technical framework on intermediate pressing, final pressing, bucks and operator training for companies that will set up a jacket production line. In this way, a shirt manufacturer’s transition to jacket production becomes a practical roadmap for managers planning a similar step.

1. ISMAIL TASKINIRMAK: FROM APPRENTICE TO CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Ismail Taskinirmak was born in 1962 in the Kirikhan district of Hatay. He began his working life in 1974 as an apprentice in a drapery shop owned by a friend of his father.

According to Taskinirmak, the company’s activities were carried out through a partnership of four brothers. This family structure enabled quick decision-making and close follow-up of every stage of the business.

This journey, which began behind the counter, gave him a manager’s perspective that understands fabric, customers and the point of sale. Years later, this experience also proved decisive in the choices made for the jacket production line.

2. FROM MARKET STALL TO BRAND: IMZA GIYIM’S GROWTH JOURNEY

The foundations of Imza Giyim were laid in 1985 with drapery sales at Hatay’s markets. In 1990 the company opened a retail store in Kirikhan and, in addition to drapery, started garment production and wholesale.

In 1996, as a strategic decision, a showroom was established in Adana. Taskinirmak explained that the business was developed through meticulous follow-up and that the company moved quickly toward its goal of building a brand.

In 2000 a second showroom was opened in Osmanbey, Istanbul. In 2004 a building with a total indoor area of 5,000 m² was constructed on an 8,800 m² plot at the 12th kilometer of the Ceyhan road in Adana.

At the time of the interview, the factory produced 1,500 shirts and 300 jackets per day. The company had 40 stores and 250 corner sales points.

This picture showed that Imza Giyim had a vertical structure extending from production to retail. The jacket production line was set up to complete the missing link of this structure.

3. SALES AND MARKETING: OWN PRODUCTION, OWN STORES

Taskinirmak emphasized that the company had its own products manufactured and sold them itself. Shirts had been produced at the Adana factory for many years, and with the new investment, a jacket production line also began operating.

Quality, fashionable products were always displayed in the stores and offered to customers. Having its own store network also made it easier to base the production plan on sales data.

Stating that subcontracting had been very hard on the company and that they wanted to create jobs in their own region, Taskinirmak explained the rationale for the additional investment with two goals. The first goal was to sew quality products, and the second was to provide more employment.

The jacket production line was a step that met both goals at once. It allowed product quality to be managed from a single hand and created new job opportunities in the region.

4. WHY JACKETS? FROM SUBCONTRACTING TO IN-HOUSE PRODUCTION

The company’s main aim was to offer its customers the highest-quality product. According to Taskinirmak, while working toward this aim, finding subcontractors that matched their own principles was becoming harder every day.

Model preparation, collection preparation and the follow-up of subcontracted production created a heavy burden. When the inability to establish a quality standard and problems in distribution channels were added, bringing production in-house became a necessity.

Taskinirmak’s answer to the question “Why jackets?” was clear: jacket production was genuinely very difficult. The company aimed first to master this difficult work and then to complete the concept by starting trouser production right after.

Taskinirmak also specifically noted that their biggest partner in this project was Malkan Machinery. While the jacket production line was being set up, ironing was addressed from the very beginning as the department that directly determines product quality.

The difficulty of setting up a jacket production line stems from the fact that a jacket consists of many parts and gains its shape through ironing. Front panels, collar, lapel, shoulder and sleeve are each areas that require separate operations and precision.

5. What Was Considered When Setting Up the Jacket Production Line?

Production line in a ready-to-wear factory

Taskinirmak said that the jacket production line was a major investment and that they made a careful comparison when determining the machine park. Many local and foreign companies were compared before Malkan Machinery was chosen.

The review conducted with European companies showed that Malkan Machinery had no shortcomings in bucks and models or in programming technique. According to Taskinirmak’s assessment, there was no difference in capacity either; on the contrary, it had advantages.

During the review, it also stood out that the electrical and pneumatic components used in the presses were selected from world-renowned brands. In addition, the cost was very favorable.

Taskinirmak summed up this point in his own words: “Why should I give my money to foreign companies that do work of the same quality?” This sentence clearly showed that quality and cost were weighed together in the jacket production line investment.

When comparing options for a jacket production line, one should look not only at the machine price but also at buck options, programming flexibility, component quality and access to service. Imza Giyim’s approach was an assessment covering all four of these areas.

6. WHY MALKAN MACHINERY FOR IRONING?

Taskinirmak attributed the main reason for choosing Malkan Machinery to the company being local and to all their technological requests being met as they wished and on time. In his view, trouble-free service from the solution partner was naturally reflected in the quality of the work done.

Being able to implement the solutions in the machine park very easily with Malkan Machinery was satisfying for the company. Taskinirmak stood behind the decision, saying, “If we had not been satisfied, we would not have made this investment anyway.”

One of the most memorable sentences of the interview was this: “Türkiye’s money will stay in Türkiye!” This statement also pointed to the economic dimension of choosing a local manufacturer.

For a jacket production line, the concrete benefit of working with a local manufacturer is having a counterpart that speaks the same language on technical matters and works in the same time zone. Installation, commissioning and later adaptations can thus be completed in a shorter time.

7. THE VALUE OF BUCK FLEXIBILITY AND AFTER-SALES SERVICE

Presses used in jacket ironing

Among Taskinirmak’s most important reasons for the choice was that Malkan Machinery has been a trusted company with a reputation in the market for after-sales service and maintenance since 1971. Flexibility regarding bucks was also part of this trust.

The company’s certified quality approach is explained in detail in the TSE Quality Award article.

Taskinirmak explained this with an example: if he did not like a buck made by Malkan Machinery, he could call the company, say so and have a new buck made. He emphasized that the same opportunity did not exist with an ironing machine coming from Europe.

In his view, with a machine sourced from abroad, one had to wait for the service technician, receive the program a few weeks later and wait for data to go to headquarters. Taskinirmak regarded this entire process as a waste of time.

Since special, precise buck designs could be made on request with Malkan Machinery, the company could fully adapt to changing fashion and customer requests. For the jacket production line, this meant that production would not stop when the collection changed.

The press buck is the key part that determines the chest, collar, shoulder and back shape of the jacket. Adapting the buck covering and geometry to the model allows the same press to be used efficiently with different bucks and sizes. The structure and covering layers of jacket pressing bucks are explained in detail in a separate guide.

8. INTERMEDIATE AND FINAL PRESSING STATIONS ON THE JACKET PRODUCTION LINE

A jacket production line works with two ironing layers: intermediate pressing and final pressing. Intermediate pressing is distributed within the sewing process, while final pressing forms the press block at the end of the line that gives the product its final shape.

Intermediate pressing includes seam opening, interlining fusing and shaping parts. Fusing interlining to the front panels gives the fabric the body and shape retention it needs throughout sewing.

Opening sleeve and back seams and pressing pocket openings and flaps also fall within intermediate pressing. If these operations are not done on time and correctly, marks and shape defects that are hard to remove in final pressing appear.

In final pressing, front, back, shoulder, collar and sleeve presses come into play in sequence. Each press shapes the relevant area with steam, heat, pressure and vacuum steps; vacuum fixes the shape by drawing out moisture and heat after ironing.

On a jacket production line, the number of ironing stations should be balanced with the sewing speed. If ironing becomes a bottleneck, semi-finished stock grows; if ironing capacity is left in excess, the investment runs inefficiently.

In PLC-controlled presses, time, steam and vacuum steps are stored as a program. As a result, the same model is ironed with the same recipe regardless of shift and operator, which keeps quality stable across the jacket production line.

9. LINE LAYOUT AND WORKFLOW

Textile machinery

Efficiency increases when a jacket production line is set up in a layout that flows in one direction from cutting to packing. Parts that double back, wait or are carried over long distances cause both lost time and a risk of creasing and soiling.

Sub-assembly groups such as front panel, back panel, sleeve and collar are prepared in separate cells and joined on the main assembly line. Intermediate pressing stations are placed inside these cells, immediately after the relevant sewing operation.

The final pressing block is set up at the end of the line so that the assembled jacket can be carried on hangers. The order of the presses is set so that the jacket passes from one press to the next by the shortest route, preventing ironed areas from creasing again.

For a company moving from subcontracting to in-house production, a jacket production line is usually expanded in stages. In the first stage, a core line is set up according to the target daily output; as demand and team experience grow, stations are added.

In capacity planning, the cycle time of each station is measured, and the slowest station determines the speed of the line. When balancing a jacket production line, ironing stations are added according to this measurement, or work sharing among operators is reorganized.

In this approach, drawing the layout with room for expansion makes things much easier. If extra connection points are left on the steam, vacuum and compressed air lines from the start, new stations can be commissioned without stopping production.

If the entire process from equipment selection to commissioning is to be handled under a single responsibility, the turnkey finishing line model can be considered.

10. STEAM, VACUUM AND COMPRESSED AIR: THE LINE’S INVISIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE

On a jacket production line, the performance of presses and ironing tables depends largely on the quality of the infrastructure. Dry steam at sufficient pressure, balanced vacuum and clean compressed air are the three basic inputs of ironing quality.

Wet steam increases the risk of water stains and shine on the fabric. Proper slope in steam lines, regular condensate drainage and periodic maintenance of steam traps ensure that dry steam reaches the presses.

Vacuum fixes the jacket’s shape by drawing moisture and heat out of the fabric after ironing. Insufficient vacuum can cause the shape to be lost quickly, especially in the chest and collar areas.

Compressed air is used in the pneumatic movements of the press heads. Removing moisture and oil from the air extends the life of pneumatic components and prevents stains from being carried onto the product.

Infrastructure should be sized together with the jacket production line, anticipating capacity increases. A steam or vacuum line that later proves insufficient prevents even the best press from delivering the expected result.

Returning drained condensate to the boiler feed water reduces energy and water consumption; the condensate return article covers this topic in detail. Principles of industrial steam boiler safety should also be included in the infrastructure plan for the safe operation of the plant that generates the steam.

11. COMMON DEFECTS IN JACKET IRONING AND HOW TO PREVENT THEM

Press stations that determine ironing quality

Shine is an unwanted gloss that forms on the surface of wool and dark fabrics as a result of excessive temperature or pressure. Suitable buck covering and correct temperature and time settings largely prevent this defect.

Water stains appear when wet steam reaches the presses. Keeping the steam line dry and regularly checking condensate drainage eliminate the source of the defect.

Interlining bubbling or delamination results from incompatible bonding conditions between interlining and fabric. The temperature, time and pressure values recommended by the interlining manufacturer must be followed and verified with test pieces.

Seam impressions on the surface form when the seam allowance is pressed hard against the buck. A soft-covered buck and balanced pressure significantly reduce these marks.

Loss of shape mostly results from insufficient vacuum or from the product being handled incorrectly right after ironing. Letting the product rest on a hanger after it leaves the presses helps the shape it has gained to last.

The common solution to these defects is the right recipe and regular maintenance across the jacket production line. In PLC-controlled presses, stored programs make it possible to quickly find which setting needs to be changed when a defect is seen.

12. THE FORMULA FOR QUALITY: PEOPLE, ENVIRONMENT, MACHINES AND MATERIALS

Asked what a jacket cannot do without, Taskinirmak said that, as a company, their essentials were quality and an affordable price. In his view, the quality of jackets and all other products had to be addressed as a whole.

Taskinirmak’s formula consisted of four elements: training qualified staff, offering a quality working environment, using quality machines and using quality materials. He emphasized that if any one of these four elements is missing, product quality cannot be sustained.

For a jacket production line, material quality also covers the compatibility of fabric, interlining and lining. If the reactions of interlining and fabric to ironing temperature and steam are not compatible, defects such as bubbling, shrinkage or delamination can occur.

Environmental quality relates to lighting, ventilation, ergonomics and orderly workflow. Managing the load created by heat and steam in the ironing department well directly affects operator attention and therefore product quality.

13. THE SHORTAGE OF SKILLED WORKERS AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING

It was known that the shortage of trained intermediate staff in the garment sector was felt more intensely at that time. Taskinirmak explained that because there was no pool of well-trained staff in the market, they trained their own employees.

According to Taskinirmak, fundamental reforms in the education system were needed to improve the vocational training level of the intermediate staff that industry needs most. He added that students in primary and secondary education should be directed more toward vocational high schools.

He also stressed that the state should give more support to the employment of qualified staff and develop encouraging policies. This view drew attention to the human resources dimension of skill-intensive investments such as a jacket production line.

Ironing operation is one of the tasks requiring mastery within a jacket production line. Press operation, correct recipe selection, fabric-specific adjustment and daily maintenance steps are learned through training given during commissioning and experience gained in the field.

Programmable presses make the operator’s job easier but do not remove the importance of training. A properly trained operator uses the machine’s full capacity and minimizes breakdowns caused by incorrect use.

14. THE GARMENT SECTOR THROUGH TASKINIRMAK’S EYES

Asked how he assessed the country’s garment sector, Taskinirmak said the sector was going through a difficult period. However, he added that for someone who had set up their own production facility and loved their work, it was not an impossible task.

Stating that the company entered the sector with the ideas of brand, quality and employment, Taskinirmak said they were moving forward with confident and solid steps. He said they had seen that working with the right companies and people at the right time gave them strength.

At the end of the interview, Taskinirmak thanked the sector magazine that gave him this opportunity and his employees. These words reflected that Imza Giyim saw its jacket production line investment as a long-term collaboration rather than a machine purchase.

15. COMPLETING THE CONCEPT: FROM JACKETS TO TROUSERS

After jackets, Imza Giyim aimed to complete its suit concept by bringing trouser production in-house as well. This goal made it sensible to plan the infrastructure set up for the jacket production line so that it could also feed trouser stations in the future.

In trousers, ironing concentrates on the waistband, crotch, hem and leg areas. Seam opening and pocket pressing in intermediate pressing, and leg presses and hem pressing in final pressing, give the product its shape and sharp crease.

Running the jacket production line and trouser lines in the same factory allows shared use of the steam, vacuum and compressed air infrastructure. A shared maintenance team, a shared spare parts stock and equipment from the same manufacturer reduce the operating burden and ensure consistent quality between the two parts of the suit.

Therefore, leaving space and infrastructure capacity for trousers when setting up a jacket production line is a smart decision that speeds up the second stage. The company can then commission new stations without stopping existing production while completing the concept.

16. CONCLUSION

The Imza Giyim example showed step by step how a manufacturer specialized in shirts moved into jacket production. The quality and follow-up problems of subcontracting led the company to bring production in-house, and ironing was treated as the most critical link of this transition.

Buck flexibility, programming technique, component quality, favorable cost and accessible service were the main reasons Imza Giyim chose Malkan Machinery for its jacket production line. The company’s goal of completing the concept by bringing trouser production in-house as well pointed to the continuation of this collaboration.

Malkan Machinery’s experience continues today; recent articles on Malkan Vision 2025-2026, the strategic partnership with Indupress and garment finishing technology describe this continuity.

17. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why did Imza Giyim move into jacket production? Subcontracting brought problems in model and collection preparation, follow-up, quality standards and distribution. The company brought production in-house to manage quality from a single hand and create employment in the region.

Why was Malkan Machinery chosen for ironing on the jacket production line? Being a local manufacturer, competence in bucks and programming, well-known brand components, favorable cost and accessible service were decisive in the choice.

Where was Imza Giyim’s factory and what was its capacity? The factory was at the 12th kilometer of the Ceyhan road in Adana. At the time of the interview, it produced 1,500 shirts and 300 jackets per day.

What does intermediate pressing cover on a jacket production line? Intermediate pressing covers seam opening, interlining fusing, pocket and flap pressing and shaping parts. These operations directly affect the quality of final pressing.

What should be the first step when setting up a jacket production line? First, the product mix and target daily output are clarified. These data determine the need for presses, bucks and ironing tables and the layout of the line.

Which presses are used in final jacket pressing? Front, back, shoulder, collar and sleeve presses are used in final pressing. Vacuum fixes the shape by drawing out moisture and heat after ironing.

Why is changing bucks important on a jacket production line? The buck determines the jacket’s shape. Being able to make a new buck for each model allows production to continue without stopping when the collection changes.