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Maxim Alexandrovich Protasov, head of the Russian Quality System, continues to talk about the work of the organization.

– What is the reaction of manufacturers to your research? Were there any attempts to influence the results?
– It is often difficult to admit that you are wrong. We always give companies that have received negative results the opportunity to prove that in fact the situation is different. But if, as the only counterargument, we are provided with a protocol of our own, not accredited workshop laboratory anywhere, in which it is written that this product is perfect, we are not ready to accept this as proof. In turn, we are open and always ready to provide all the protocols of our research, to show the equipment. We examined about 3,000 different products… and 700 of them were with some kind of violations – from a minor typo on the label to a serious falsification. Of the 700 enterprises whose goods were found to be of poor quality, only about five loudly stated that they did not agree. As you can see, the percentage is quite small. It means that we have already received the trust of manufacturers.
Roskachestvo is 100% funded from the federal budget. This is taxpayers' money for you and me. We have neither the right nor the opportunity to attract any other third-party funds. The internal control system is also created in such a way that there are no violations. We focus on the best international examples of the work of such services and apply them at home.

Does it mean that entrepreneurs can forget about trying to somehow influence the results of Rosk's research?
– Absolutely right. It is better to just produce high-quality products, especially since it is profitable. Possession of the Roskachestvo sign is another great tool that helps to build a successful product promotion policy. There is even a special state program for promotion through retail chains, when special shelves are created, a special layout for goods with the Roskachestvo sign, advertising is broadcast on television. Entrepreneurs who did not compromise with their conscience on quality issues, but reached out to our standards ahead of time, localized production in our country and received a state quality mark, receive help and support from us in promoting products on the domestic market. In addition, together with the Russian Export Center, we promote such products to the international market. In 2018, the list of events to support products with the Roskachestvo sign will be further expanded.

– Many studies of light industry goods have been conducted. What should manufacturers pay attention to the most?
The quality of tailoring in our country is really very good. You have already learned to sew … or have not forgotten how. There are problems with the fabric. And even two main problems. First: manufacturers honestly tell about the composition of the fabric, they write that it is mixed, but the indicators of the fabric itself do not comply with the technical regulations of the Customs Union. During the study of the school uniform, we found that most of these clothes are a real spacesuit. A lot of work has been done both by the enterprises themselves and with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which offered subsidies to switch to higher-quality raw materials. Now statistics show an improvement of 2.5 times. The second part of the samples is fake. This is when a completely different fabric composition is written on the label or packaging. For example, it says "100% wool". Although everyone knows that 100% wool fabric does not exist in principle. We check, and there is no wool in this fabric at all. And our task, among other things, is to explain to the consumer that if they write "100% wool" or "100% natural silk" in large letters, then they are definitely lying. Or there is no wool at all, or a maximum of 10%. So keep an eye on the quality of the fabric. The lack of input control at the enterprise is not an excuse, rather the opposite.

– How often have you come across fakes?
– By «fake» we mean products manufactured under a brand or brand that belong to someone else. We rarely come across such a product, because we buy products through official sales channels where we can get a certificate. We practically do not buy products on open markets. Everything is simple here: if you want to get a quality product, you don't need to look for it on a duffel collapse. Having a certificate eliminates the risk of buying a fake.

Maxim Alexandrovich, what can you say about the current situation in the light industry?
– A lot of positive words. I see how much has already been done, as an industry that initially has a low material base is developing very well and rapidly. There are many Russian enterprises that sew high-quality and beautiful clothes and shoes. International brands, such as, for example, Zara, come to us to sew their collections in Russia. This, firstly, speeds up logistics, and secondly, facilitates quality control of the goods. 
Yes, there is a problem with fabrics, both natural and synthetic. There are problems with the variety and quality of accessories. We do not have such clusters as in Southeast Asia, where you can find everything at once, but there are prerequisites for their appearance. The domestic light industry has very good prospects. According to surveys, 73% of consumers are ready to buy domestic products. Now the main question is to have these products. And to have confidence in her in terms of her quality.

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