Emphasis on Digitalization, Innovation, and Hope from Industry Representatives at Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition

The Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition brought together the garment and ready-to-wear technology sectors. Following the opening ceremony, industry representatives shared key messages emphasizing Turkiye’s competitiveness in textile and garmentl machinery, the sustainability of production, and the protection of employment.

Held at the Istanbul Expo Center, Garment Tech İstanbul Garment, Embroidery Machines Spare Parts and Sub-Industry Exhibition became a significant meeting point for technologies shaping the future of the garment and ready-to-wear industries. After the opening, prominent sector figures highlighted the exhibition’s potential despite economic challenges, underlining the importance of innovation, digitalization, and international cooperation. Key statements included:

“Trade Fairs Are the Most Effective Tool During Crises”

It was underlined that trade exhibitions become even more critical during economic crises. Bülent Ünal, Chairman of TÜYAP Board, stated: “Trade fairs are known to be the most effective marketing tool globally—no better alternative has yet been found. The Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition is a major opportunity to reach the right target audience. Creating an environment where visitor and exhibitor expectations are balanced will determine the exhibition’s success.”

“Istanbul is Becoming a New Hub for Exhibitions”

Giyasettin Eyyüpkoca, Board Member of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of Laleli Industrialists and Business People Association (LASİAD), drew attention to the exhibition’s strategic location: “We can all see the crisis the world is going through. But this can be a chance for Turkish trade shows. We’re seeing some serious growth in machine trade shows. The Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition, held in a city like Istanbul that’s where Asia and Europe meet, is super important for the industry to refresh itself and make some tech moves. The opportunities offered by such exhibitions play a critical role in terms of sustainability and competitiveness for the future of the sector. Therefore, the innovations and technologies that the Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition will bring to the sector hold great value for the sector’s continued existence. As the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, we will continue to support both this exhibition and the sector and stand by them until the end.”

“Ready-to-Wear Faces Employment Loss Risk”

Expressing his concerns about the ready-to-wear sector in light of economic data, Toygar Narbay, President of the Turkish Clothing Manufacturers’ Association (TGSD), made striking predictions for 2025. Narbay noted that the sector closed 2024 with a 6.9% decline, reaching $17.9 billion in exports, and emphasized that the first five months of 2025 also saw a drop of $465 million.

“Exports fell from $7.4 billion to $6.9 billion in the first five months. If this trend continues, the total loss could reach $1 billion by the end of the year,” said Narbay, warning that the loss would be even greater if the 10-point proposal package announced by TGSD was not taken into consideration.

Narbay also highlighted that import data is cause for concern. Noting that there was a 400 million dollar increase in ready-to-wear clothing imports in the first four months, Narbay stated that this figure could reach 1 billion dollars by the end of the year. Narbay said, “When the 1 billion dollar increase in imports and the 1 billion dollar loss in exports are combined, the sector could face a total production loss of 2 billion dollars.”

According to TGSD’s past models, every $1 billion in production loss translates to approximately 31,500 job losses. Based on this calculation, it is estimated that 63,000 people could lose their jobs by 2026. Narbay noted that 20,000 of these jobs have already been lost, and if the recommendations are not taken into consideration during the remaining period, an additional 43,000 jobs could be lost.

Narbay also drew attention to the opportunities offered by the Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition. Highlighting the importance of digitalization, green transformation, and branding goals, Narbay stated that the exhibition has the potential to chart a new direction for the sector, saying, “The Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition is a very valuable platform in terms of increasing efficiency and digitalization. It is a great opportunity to refocus the sector.”

“Whoever Has Strong Machinery Infrastructure Will Win”

Dr. Ümit Özüren, President of the Turkısh Clothing Manufacturers’ Association (TGSD), highlighted Turkiye’s vertical integration advantage in the textile and ready-to-wear sector. Emphasizing the importance of domestic machinery production, Özüren made the following comments: “Turkiye is one of the few countries, along with China, that has completed its vertical integration. One of the critical links in this value chain is textile machinery. Domestic machinery production will reduce production costs while also enhancing our technological capabilities. Those with a strong machinery infrastructure retain their competitive advantage.”

Evaluating the Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition as a strategic decision, Özüren highlighted the city’s cultural and geographical advantages: “Istanbul is one of the world’s most important meeting points, both culturally and geographically. From here, it is possible to reach one-third of the world in a four-hour flight. This contributes greatly to the exhibition in terms of international visitor diversity.”

Özüren also pointed out the global importance of Istanbul as a exhibition center with the following words: “Geography is destiny, and our destiny is to be located in a very valuable geography. Istanbul is one of the rare cities that brings together global sectors with its historical heritage, cultural richness, and ease of transportation. Thanks to this, we expect visitors from many different countries to attend the Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition. The requests we have already received clearly reflect this diversity. This is encouraging for our sector.”

“Textile Never Dies—It Just Needs Restructuring”

Adil Nalbant, Chairman of the Board of the Textile Machinery and Accessories Industrialists Association (TEMSAD), emphasized the importance of the Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition and stressed that difficult economic times also offer opportunities for investment:

“Industrialists who invest in such difficult times always win. At this point, even seeing the level of technology that has been achieved is enough to shape investment decisions. Exhibitions are very critical in this sense because they refresh the industrialist’s vision.”

Emphasizing that the exhibition is valuable not only for buying and selling but also for developing vision, Nalbant noted the importance of companies attending the exhibition to see the technology firsthand, even if they have no intention of purchasing machinery: “When you look at the stands today, the machines and automation systems brought here are truly top-notch. Just seeing them offers an opportunity to prepare for future investments.”

Noting that there are very few sectors outside of Turkiye’s textile industry that can compete globally, Nalbant said that the sector must now undergo a high-value-added transformation process: “Textiles will not die. It occasionally faces crises, but each time it emerges stronger, having shed its old skin. We currently need to restructure. We must transform our production models in the areas of fashion, branding, and technical textiles. We can remain competitive globally with high-value-added products.”

“Turkish Machinery Has Surpassed Europe”

Haluk Akın, Chairman of the Board of the Apparel Automation and Machinery Manufacturers
Association (KOMİD), emphasized the achievements of the Turkish garment machine sector in strong terms during his assessment at the Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition. Noting that Turkish machines no longer merely meet European standards but have surpassed them, Akın said: “I am not saying we are producing machines on par with Europe; because we have surpassed that threshold. As KOMİD members, we are among the world’s leading groups in manufacturing the best garment machines. This is not a claim but a factual reality. Our cutting machines, presses, and automatons exceed global standards.”

Highlighting the importance of organizing an event that boosts morale and vision for the sector even during a period of global economic challenges, Akın also drew attention to the level of participation and quality of the exhibition: “Although participation in exhibitions has decreased in many countries on a global scale, we encountered interest that exceeded our expectations. Successfully hosting such a exhibition during an economically challenging period demonstrates that the sector remains vibrant, productive, and strong.”

Akın concluded his remarks by expressing optimism despite the challenging circumstances the sector is facing: “Yes, we are going through a difficult period. However, this is not unique to us—many sectors are experiencing the same situation. We believe that as long as people continue to dress, the textile sector will survive. The textile sector is here to stay, and we will continue to produce.”

“A Gold Medal to Those Who Keep Producing”

Zafer Özbilge, Chairman of the Board of the Istanbul Embroidery Manufacturers Association (İNSAD), praised textile manufacturers who continue to produce despite economic difficulties in his assessment at the Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition. In a period when access to financing is becoming increasingly difficult, he praised the sector representatives who have not given up on production: “We really need to award gold medals to the industrialists who are currently engaged in ready-to-wear and textile production in Turkiye. We owe a debt of gratitude to our selfless textile industry colleagues who have continued production despite all the obstacles in such difficult financial conditions.”

Emphasizing the importance of a qualified workforce for the sector’s sustainable growth, Özbilge said that human resources must be trained for long-term success: “If we can train our human resources well and also increase their numbers, we will reap the benefits of this sector for many years to come. Although alternative production centers like Egypt occasionally come up, I believe this is temporary. Turkiye’s position in this sector is much more solid.”

“Quality Will Build Global Connections for Turkish Textiles”

Speaking on behalf of the Garment Machinery Advisory Board, Kaya Aşçı said, “This exhibition gives us the opportunity to showcase our high-quality products to the world. The unity, solidarity, and positive atmosphere that has developed in the sector in recent days has also been reflected in requests from abroad. We are seeing canceled reservations being reinstated and new requests increasing.”

Aşçı emphasized Turkiye’s quality production power, noting that the dreams established for the sector in previous years have now come true: “It is gratifying to see that the dreams we have had for years and the goals we have planned have come true at the right time. Turkiye’s quality in the field of garment and textile machinery is being showcased internationally with this exhibition. This is a huge advantage for both our producers and our exports.”

Aşçı emphasized that the uncertainties experienced in the recent past had created some doubts in the minds of business partners abroad, but that this perception has begun to change in recent times: “Unfortunately, some individual actions or political statements had created a negative perception abroad. However, thanks to the peaceful messages conveyed in recent times and the solidarity within the sector, this perception is being broken. We are receiving positive feedback from our international business partners. This is a strong signal that the sector will recover.”