Osh – The U.S. Government through USAID’s Business Growth Initiative partnered with a local Kyrgyzstani apparel firm to open a new service center in Osh that will provide printing and cutting services for sewing shops in Osh city and the entire south. The service center will save local garment producers significant amounts of money and time.

The center was established in cooperation with Dastan, one of the largest clothing companies in the south. U.S. Ambassador Ms. Sheila Gwaltney participated in the opening ceremony of the center on June 15. During the ceremony, she highlighted the importance of providing affordable and reliable services to smaller workshops so that the industry remains competitive.

The center will benefit smaller apparel workshops in the south that cannot afford to purchase specialized equipment such as digital pattern making equipment. Moreover, drawing and printing patterns with computer software provided by Dastan is more efficient than older manual methods.

Earlier this year USAID’s Business Growth Initiative launched a similar service center in for smaller workshops in Bishkek.