$4.7 Billion in Exports from the Turkish Textile Sector in the First Half of the Year
Ahmet Öksüz, Chairman of the Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters’ Association, stated, “Our textile sector’s primary goal is to increase value-added and branded exports while preserving its current market share.”
According to information compiled by an AA correspondent from data provided by the Southeast Anatolia Exporters’ Associations (GAİB), textile manufacturers shipped 1,273,130 tons of products to 195 countries and free zones in the first six months of 2025. The sector earned $4 billion 736 million 855 thousand in revenue from these exports, with the European Union countries accounting for the largest share at $1 billion 809 million 660 thousand. Exports to African countries reached 729 million 243 thousand dollars with an increase of approximately 150 million dollars compared to the same period of last year, making it the country group with the highest export growth in the 6-month period.
Italy Was the Top Export Destination
On a country basis, the highest exports were made to Italy with 383 million 432 thousand dollars. Italy was followed by Egypt with 277 million 598 thousand dollars and Spain with 261 million 304 thousand dollars. In terms of sub-product groups, the highest exports were in fabrics, amounting to 2 billion 900 million 374 thousand dollars. Fabrics were followed by yarn with 1 billion 210 million 136 thousand dollars and fiber with 626 million 347 thousand dollars. The city with the highest textile exports was Istanbul with 1 billion 849 million 389 thousand dollars. Exports from Gaziantep reached 763 million 280 thousand dollars, while exports from Bursa amounted to 619 million 994 thousand dollars.”
Year-End Target: $12 Billion
Ahmet Öksüz emphasized that the sector has demonstrated its resilience and capacity under challenging conditions. He noted that despite certain difficulties, production has continued, stating, “Our expectation is to end the year on a positive note by maintaining our effectiveness in foreign markets, even in an environment where domestic demand remains weak. Although the first half of the year did not meet our targets, it clearly showed the sector’s determination and its focus on export-led growth.”
Reminding that the textile sector achieved $11.5 billion in exports in 2024, Öksüz continued:
“Our goal for 2025 is to close the year with approximately $12 billion in exports. The primary objective of our textile industry is to preserve its current market share while increasing value-added and branded exports. We are particularly focused on strengthening our position in key markets such as the US and the EU. In 2024, textile exports to the US exceeded $780 million; increasing this figure by year-end is one of our main goals. Our companies are currently continuing production with great sacrifice. We must manage this process not only with resilience but also with smart strategies. Investing in branding, design, green transformation, and digitalization is no longer optional—it’s a necessity. As an association, we are developing projects that support this transformation, and we offer new opportunities to our members through trade fairs, training programs, and buyer delegations.”
