Turkey is a strong export country. Foreign sales of textiles, raw materials and clothing play a crucial role in the national economy. In 2024, the sector generated around 7 percent of the country's total employment. Exports of textiles and ready-made clothing were worth 32.1 billion dollars (29.41 billion euros). On the world market, Turkey still ranks sixth as the world's largest clothing exporter and third as the largest supplier to the European Union's clothing market.

However, the country has been facing challenges in recent years, including the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in the south of the country in 2023 and the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. “The loss of exports during this period amounted to $4.2 billion, and 262,000 jobs were lost,” Mustafa Gültepe, chairman of the Turkish Exporters Assembly, as well as chairman of the Istanbul Ready-to-Wear and Apparel Exporters' Association and vice chairman of the Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Council, told a press conference.

At the seventh edition of Texhibition in Istanbul, with over 500 exhibitors from 125 countries, however, these setbacks are hardly noticeable. The fair offers visitors a glimpse of the resilience of the sector, which – like a flower growing through concrete – hopes to recover from the most difficult times.

Customers outside Europe

The Turkish textile industry hopes above all to tap into new markets and attract new customers, say exhibitors at Texhibition. “All Turkish companies face the same challenges. Sales volumes are falling and the market is saturated,” says a spokesman for Yenel Etiket, a label manufacturer founded in 1990. Exporters from China are the company’s biggest competitor. “We don’t understand why the Chinese can keep their prices so low. Their prices are sometimes lower than our costs.” The company explains how it managed to attract new customers while its biggest competitor was on holiday. “During the Chinese New Year, when most Chinese producers were off, we actively started to attract new customers, and we succeeded.”

“Europe is full,” says a spokesman for Turkish export giant Toraman Tekstil, founded in 1999, a leading company in the knitting sector. The company has noticed a decline in export volumes in Europe. And this despite the fact that the company has major clients such as Zara, Bershka and Asos. Toraman Tekstil hopes to attract new clients at the fair by developing new and unique designs, while maintaining top quality. Toraman Tekstil is targeting markets in South Africa, Latin America and Brazil.

Akspa Tekstil, founded in 2000, recognizes these challenges but notes that Turkish industry is distinguished by quality. The company produces 3 million meters of fabric per year for clients such as Inditex, H&M and C&A. A company spokesperson praises the international atmosphere of Texhibition. “90 percent of our production is for export, so we mostly export to Spain, France, Germany, the US, Latin America, Poland, Portugal and Morocco.” He hopes to strategically attract new customers.

Memorable innovations

In addition to finding strategic ways to attract new customers, the Turkish textile industry hopes to differentiate itself through innovation. In the innovation lab at the fair, exhibitors showed, among other things, a soft fabric that can withstand temperatures of up to 3,000 degrees and offers seven hours of fire protection, made from biodegradable carbon fibers. They also presented a dress that looks and feels like leather, but is made from pomegranate peels.

Isik Etiket, a Turkish manufacturer and supplier of labels and packaging, is introducing a QR code in their labels that allows consumers to obtain additional information. For example, a shirt that, by scanning the code, gives you access to a City Guide of London, complete with all the information about the city on your mobile device.

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A dress made from pomegranate peels. Credits: Innovation Hub, Yugen Company, Arzu Kaprol x Pomeco

Attracting a new generation of textile experts

Despite the many new things at the fair, most people are relying on tradition, including the fact that Turkey has a long tradition of training skilled workers. However, the coronavirus pandemic and the earthquakes have not only affected Turkey’s physical infrastructure, but also the way these professionals view work and life. “Many people have changed their outlook on life and have reduced their working hours,” notes a spokesperson for the Turkish Chamber of Commerce in Istanbul.

A spokesperson for Yenel Etiket adds that many of their employees have stopped working in Kahramanmaraş, which was hit by the 2023 earthquake in Turkey. Industry leaders hope that the influx of a new generation of skilled workers will strengthen the sector again.

Government support

However, the aforementioned plans – from tapping into new markets to encouraging a new generation of textile experts – stand or fall with government support, as several exhibitors point out. “In terms of financing, a lot is being done to ensure the industry’s full recovery by 2026,” the chairmen of the Istanbul Textile Exporters Association (ITHIB) and the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC) emphasized at a press conference.

Turkish Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat underlined: “We recognize the importance of the textile and garment sector to our national economy and are developing policies to support the industry.” Investments are being made in education, with 400 students graduating from textile-related courses each year. The government supports students monthly and ensures quality jobs. The necessary admission requirements have been raised over the past three years to maintain the quality and allure of the field.

Exhibition Istanbul is organized by the Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters' Association (ITHIB) and the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The next edition will be held from 10 to 12 September 2025.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.