Synthetic Fiber Has Taken Over the Global Textile Market
Despite the increasing discourse around sustainability and the tendency toward organic products in the world, global fiber production reached a record level of 132 million tons annually. Synthetic fibers accounted for 69% of total production, while the total share of plant-based fibers, including cotton, remained at 24%. Cotton production, with 24.5 million tons, took a 19% share of the market. Türkiye entered the top 10 with 216 thousand tons of cotton production.
A historic record was achieved in the global fiber market in 2024. According to Textile Exchange’s Materials Market Report 2025, global fiber production increased by about 6% compared to the previous year, reaching 132 million tons from 124 million tons. If current trends continue, it is projected that global fiber production will reach 169 million tons by 2030. Despite the increasing discourse around sustainability and the tendency toward organic products, the biggest driving force behind this growth has been fossil-based synthetic fibers. Synthetics made up 69% of total production, while polyester alone accounted for 59%. Thus, polyester further strengthened its leading position in the global textile market. The total share of plant-based fibers, including cotton, remained at 24%. Cotton production, with 24.5 million tons, constituted only 19% of the market. This picture reveals that synthetic fibers have become the main raw material of the market thanks to their low cost and supply advantage. Synthetic fibers are preferred more compared to natural fibers due to their low cost, durability, and production flexibility. Synthetics such as polyester do not wrinkle, dry quickly, and provide easy maintenance. In addition, they offer supply continuity in the global supply chain, creating a cost advantage for manufacturers. These factors are reducing the market share of natural fibers such as cotton.
Synthetics Dominate the Market, Polyester at the Top
In this period, polyester alone dominated the market with a production of 77.7 million tons, accounting for 59% of the total. Polyamide (nylon) held a 5% share with a volume of 7 million tons, while other synthetics such as polypropylene, acrylic, and elastane together accounted for 5% of the market. Experts explain the strengthening of synthetic fibers’ leadership over cotton with their low cost, durability, and production flexibility. The rate of preference for polyester is increasing rapidly, especially in sportswear, home textiles, and industrial use.
The Share of Natural Fibers in Decline
The total market share of plant-based fibers, including cotton, remained at 24%. In 2024, cotton production was recorded as 24.5 million tons, and its market share fell to 19%. The share of other plant-based fibers, such as flax and hemp, remained steady at 5%, while the share of animal fibers stayed below 1%. This picture shows that synthetics are increasingly preferred due to their cost advantage and supply security, while natural fiber producers have to develop strategies focused on efficiency and sustainability.
Recycling at the Beginning of the Road
The report states that the market share of recycled fibers is 7.6%. This rate largely consists of recycled polyester obtained from plastic bottles, while recycling made from textile waste still remains below 1%. Textile Exchange emphasizes that textile-to-textile recycling technologies should be expanded and infrastructure investments accelerated. From Türkiye’s perspective, this picture creates an important opportunity area for initiatives and public policies investing in recycling technologies. This growth may make it difficult to meet climate commitments. The report particularly emphasizes that dependence on fossil-based synthetics should be reduced. In this process, Türkiye’s investment in sustainable agricultural production and textile-to-textile recycling technologies will both provide an advantage in exports and facilitate compliance with the European Union Green Deal.
Türkiye is in the Top 10 in Cotton
The report also gives special attention to Türkiye. In 2024, Türkiye ranked among the world’s top 10 producer countries with 216 thousand tons of cotton production. Following giant producers such as Brazil, India, the USA, Pakistan, and Australia, Türkiye maintained its strong position in cotton production, surpassing countries like Greece, the Ivory Coast, and Mali. Türkiye’s cotton production plays a strategic role in meeting the raw material needs of the country’s textile and ready-to-wear industries, which play a critical role in exports. It is also seen that Türkiye stands out in organic cotton. Based on estimates from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Türkiye’s organic cotton production showed a steady increase in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons. The growth of organic production both supports the sustainability goals of global brands and accelerates Türkiye’s adaptation to the “green transformation” process. This development offers potential for the Turkish textile industry to create added value and increase its competitiveness in exports. However, Türkiye’s import of artificial synthetic fibers has also increased significantly in the past period. Türkiye’s synthetic fiber imports, which were 1.1 billion dollars in 2023, rose to 1.2 billion dollars last year. In the six-month period of this year, this value reached 737 million dollars.
