Global Hosiery Market Expected To Reach USD 67 Billion By 2033

As the global hosiery market continues to grow, Türkiye is striving to maintain its advantage in value-added production. The global market, which reached approximately USD 46.5 billion in 2024, is expected to rise to USD 67 billion by 2033.

The Turkish Clothing Manufacturers’ Association (TGSD) has published a report titled “Türkiye Hosiery Industry Status Report / Analysis of the Sector at Global and National Levels.” According to the report, the global hosiery market continues its steady growth trend, offering significant potential within the textile industry. Valued at around USD 46.5 billion in 2024, the global market is projected to expand at an average annual compound growth rate (CAGR) of 3.8% during the 2024–2033 period, reaching USD 67 billion by 2033. Population growth, increasing demand for functional and value-added products, and developments in the fashion and sportswear segments are among the main factors supporting global hosiery consumption.

6.5 BILLION PAIRS OF HOSIERY CONSUMED IN 2024

In 2024, global hosiery consumption reached approximately USD 46.5 billion in value terms and 6.5 billion pairs in volume. A significant portion of consumption consisted of everyday hosiery. By gender, men’s hosiery accounted for 45% of total consumption, women’s hosiery for 35%, and children’s hosiery for 20%. In terms of product categories, everyday hosiery held a share of around 28%, special-purpose and functional products accounted for 15%, while other segments represented approximately 22% of total consumption.

TÜRKİYE RANKS AS THE WORLD’S SECOND-LARGEST HOSIERY EXPORTER

China, maintaining its leadership in global hosiery exports, increased its export value to USD 16.1 billion in 2024, accounting for approximately 43.8% of total world exports. Türkiye followed China with an export volume of USD 7.05 billion, securing a 7.5% share of the global market and retaining its position as the world’s second-largest hosiery exporter. During the 2023–2024 period, Türkiye’s exports increased by 1.5% in value terms. Germany ranked third with exports of approximately USD 1.2 billion, while Italy and Pakistan were other prominent exporters with USD 893 million and USD 743 million, respectively.

KEY MARKETS IN GLOBAL HOSIERY IMPORTS: THE U.S. AND GERMANY

In global hosiery imports, the United States and Germany stand out as the largest and most strategic markets. Worldwide hosiery imports reached USD 13.9 billion in 2024, with the U.S. alone accounting for approximately USD 2.54 billion, representing 18.3% of the global total. Compared to 2023, U.S. hosiery imports increased by 9.8%, indicating continued strong domestic demand. Germany ranked second with an import volume of USD 1.28 billion, capturing a 9.2% share of global imports and recording year-on-year growth of 3.8%. These two countries were followed by Japan (USD 821 million), France (USD 795 million), and the United Kingdom (USD 725 million).

TÜRKİYE’S AVERAGE UNIT EXPORT PRICE IN HOSIERY REACHES USD 16.4

Türkiye’s hosiery industry differentiates itself in the global market by pursuing a value-driven strategy rather than volume-based competition. In 2024, Türkiye’s average unit export price for hosiery stood at USD 16.4 per kg, while global leader China recorded an average export unit price of USD 9.5 per kg. This difference indicates that Türkiye exports hosiery at a unit price approximately 73% higher than that of China. This gap highlights Türkiye’s focus on higher-quality, value-added, and technically advanced products, clearly distinguishing the country from China’s low-cost, high-volume production model.

EXPORT UNIT PRICES REMAIN STRONG AND STABLE IN 2025

Export unit prices in Türkiye’s hosiery industry continue to maintain a strong and stable trend in 2025, demonstrating the sustainability of the sector’s value-oriented competitive strategy. Throughout 2024, Türkiye’s average export unit prices remained in the range of USD 16–17 per kg, and this upward momentum continued during the first three quarters of 2025, rising to USD 17–18 per kg. During the same period, China’s export unit prices stayed within the USD 9–10 per kg range, preserving the price gap between the two countries.

TÜRKİYE LOSING MARKET SHARE IN THE U.S. MARKET

While competitive dynamics in the U.S. hosiery market are changing rapidly, a decline in Türkiye’s market share has become evident. In the first nine months of 2025, Türkiye’s hosiery exports to the United States fell by 4.9%, decreasing from USD 731 million to USD 695 million. In contrast, Asian competitors posted strong growth during the same period. Vietnam’s hosiery exports to the U.S. increased by 12.9% to USD 12.95 billion, while Bangladesh recorded a 17.6% rise, reaching USD 6.43 billion. Countries such as Cambodia (28.3%), Indonesia (12.6%), and India (12.4%) also strengthened their positions in the U.S. market. Despite a sharp 29.5% decline in China’s exports, the rapid rise of alternative Asia-based suppliers indicates intensifying price-driven competition and greater supply diversification in the U.S. market.

TÜRKİYE REMAINS THE LEADING SUPPLIER IN THE GERMAN MARKET

While Türkiye continues to hold its position as the leading supplier in the German hosiery market, a decline in export performance has drawn attention. In the first nine months of 2024, Germany’s total hosiery imports amounted to USD 917 million, with Türkiye ranking first through exports worth USD 246 million. However, despite a 7.5% increase in Germany’s total imports to USD 986 million in the first nine months of 2025, Türkiye’s exports fell by 4.1% to USD 236 million. In contrast, China increased its exports to Germany by 22.7% during the same period, reaching USD 238 million and closing the gap with Türkiye. Pakistan also significantly strengthened its position in the market, achieving an export volume of USD 101 million with a strong growth rate of 17.4%.

TÜRKİYE EXPORTED USD 944.7 MILLION WORTH OF HOSIERY IN THE FIRST 10 MONTHS OF 2025

Türkiye’s foreign trade in hosiery shows a marked contraction in 2025. A comparison of the first ten months of 2024 and 2025 reveals a notable decline in export performance. While Türkiye’s hosiery exports totaled USD 1.19 billion in value terms in the first ten months of 2024, exports decreased by 20.9% year-on-year to USD 944.7 million in the same period of 2025. A similar trend was observed in volume terms: export volume declined by 25.7% from 73 million kg to 54.2 million kg, while exports in unit terms fell by 24.9%, from 1.66 billion pairs to 1.25 billion pairs.

On the import side, the contraction continued as well. In the first ten months of 2025, hosiery imports decreased by 20.7% in value terms to USD 46.2 million. In volume terms, imports fell by 18.9% to 3.5 million kg, while imports in unit terms recorded a decline of 15.2%. The data indicate that Türkiye’s hosiery industry faced a challenging year in foreign trade in 2025 due to intense global competitive pressure, loss of market share in key markets, and the impact of cost-related factors.

THE TURKISH HOSIERY INDUSTRY EMPLOYS OVER 90,000 PEOPLE

Türkiye’s hosiery industry stands out with its strong production infrastructure and highly concentrated industrial structure. According to data from the TOBB Industry Database, the number of companies operating in the sector across Türkiye stands at 1,034, while the industry provides employment for approximately 90,408 people. Annual production capacity exceeds 1.08 billion pairs, while capacity in unit terms amounts to 150.3 million units. In terms of geographical distribution, Istanbul plays a dominant role in the sector. Around 78% of hosiery manufacturers in Türkiye operate in Istanbul, and 53% of total sector employment is concentrated in the city. From a production capacity perspective, Istanbul accounts for 75% of capacity in pair terms and 45% in unit terms.

THE NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS HAS BEEN DECLINING SINCE THE 2022 PEAK

In Türkiye’s hosiery industry, the number of wage earners has entered a downward trend following the peak reached in 2022. According to TURKSTAT (TÜİK) data, the number of wage employees in the sector stood at 24,834 in 2019, increased to 26,027 in 2020, and rose further to 27,733 in 2021. Employment reached its highest level in recent years with 28,764 employees in 2022, before declining sharply to 25,372 in 2023. This trend indicates that rising costs, weakening exports, and intensifying global competitive pressure have had a direct impact on sector employment.

PRODUCTION VALUE INCREASES DUE TO EXCHANGE RATE EFFECTS

While production volume in Türkiye’s hosiery industry has remained relatively stable over the past two years, production value has increased due to exchange rate effects. According to TURKSTAT data, hosiery production in pair terms amounted to 2.51 billion pairs in 2022, declined to 2.13 billion pairs in 2023, and followed a flat trend at 2.14 billion pairs in 2024. In unit terms, production continued its contraction, falling from 196.5 million units to 174.7 million units, and then to 137.7 million units over the same period. In contrast, production value recorded a strong increase in Turkish lira terms. The sector’s production value rose from TRY 26.3 billion in 2022 to TRY 35.6 billion in 2023, and further to TRY 49.8 billion in 2024. In U.S. dollar terms, production value showed limited fluctuations, standing at USD 1.59 billion in 2022, USD 1.50 billion in 2023, and USD 1.52 billion in 2024.