Turkish Textiles Sector Seeks Global Partnerships in Post-Covid Era

As the global economy recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, Turkey’s flourishing textiles industry hopes to launch a new era of cooperation with international brands and reach a production capacity of $120 billion

The Turkish textiles and apparel sector hopes to hit the ground running in the post-Covid era by forging lucrative partnerships with globally-recognized brands and companies. “The imminent recovery of international trade offers enormous opportunities for cooperation between Turkish textiles firms and foreign partners,” Ahmet Öksüz, president of the Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters Association, says.

“We hope to capitalize on these opportunities by establishing win-win relationships with leading clothing brands from all over the world,” he adds. “Our domestic textile sector boasts a number of top-notch businesses that have already proven themselves in the global marketplace.” According to Öksüz, the sector’s impressive production capacity, along with Turkey’s strategic position between Europe and Asia, “offer the chance for potential partnerships that could bring tremendous benefits to all stakeholders.”

The world’s fifth-largest supplier of textiles, Turkey exports roughly $10 billion worth of textiles, reaching $26 billion per year including apparel sector. The sector currently employs more than one million skilled labour, most of whom have specialized expertise in the field.

“It’s a highly dynamic sector, characterized by a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship,” Öksüz says. “Supported by cutting-edge infrastructure and R&D, along with easy access to raw materials, the sector includes a large number of well-established firms that have been in the business for more than a century.”

“But we still have a long way to go in terms of international collaboration,” he adds. “In this regard, there is vast untapped potential.” While Turkey’s textiles and apparel industry currently has a production capacity of some $90 billion, Öksüz hopes to see this number increase to $120 billion in the post-Covid period through stepped-up cooperation with foreign partners.

Thanks to a groundbreaking Customs Union agreement between Turkey and the European Union that came into effect in 1996, the Turkish textile industry has been fully compliant with EU standards and norms.

“The agreement is a concrete example of the sector’s ability to quickly adapt to change, and we fully comply with all EU standards, including the European Green Deal,” Öksüz says. “With a view to contributing to a greener world, we have reduced carbon emissions at all our facilities, and continue to invest in green infrastructure.”

With a post-Covid recovery around the corner, he adds, the sector now looks forward to realizing its full potential “with the cooperation of global partners who share these ideals.”