Special Report – Turkey Published on 21 May 2024

Special Report Turkey 🇹🇷

Live from the Market

The Turkish textile industry has successfully navigated through recent turbulence

Turkey is poised for growth in 2024, driven by a ‘green vision’.

The Turkish textile industry, renowned globally for the brand ‘Made In Turkey’, is embarking on a new era on a global scale. Operating with a holistic production model encompassing textile and raw materials to ready-made clothing and apparel, Turkey maintains a strong presence across all sectors. Despite facing significant challenges in 2023, including high inflation, increased production costs, and fluctuating exchange rates, the industry emerged resilient. Viewing these challenges as opportunities for progress, the Turkish textile industry has developed new strategies, accelerated research and development processes, and embraced sustainable practices as a core vision, gearing up for a resurgence in 2024.

Integrated production at a glance

According to data from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), the Turkish textile industry, categorized into textile/raw materials and ready-made clothing/apparel, boasts integrated production, a rarity globally. With 25 000 textile and raw material producers and 52 000 ready-made clothing producers, Turkey stands as a dominant force in international markets. Ranked as the world’s fourth-largest textile and raw material producer and the fifth-largest exporter of ready-made clothing and apparel, Turkey holds a 3.5 percent share of the global market. Moreover, within the European Union, Turkey maintains its position as the third-largest exporter of ready-made clothing and apparel, commanding a 12 percent market share.

Top 3 exporter status

Despite the challenges of 2023, the Turkish textile industry remains a key driver of Turkey’s exports, ranking third among sectors with the highest export volumes, following automotive and chemical exports. In 2023, Turkey’s exports of ready-made clothing and apparel reached $19.3 billion, a 9.2 percent decrease compared to 2022.

Notably, 59.9 percent of industry-specific exports were directed to European Union (EU) countries, with Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, England, and France leading the list. Additionally, exports from the textile and raw materials industry worldwide are projected to reach $10 billion in 2023, with Italy, Germany, the USA, Spain, and England featuring among the top exporters. With export-supporting policies, financial discipline, and robust measures in place, Turkey aims to set new export records in 2024, particularly within the ready-made clothing and apparel industry, targeting exports of $20 billion.

Global design influence

Distinguished for its world-class production and ‘Made In Turkey’ hallmark, the Turkish textile industry serves as a primary supplier to global brands. From Chanel to Louis Vuitton, Zara to Gucci, and Max Mara, Turkey’s reputation for high-quality products and advanced expertise, driven by its skilled workforce, has solidified its position in the global market. Moreover, Turkish designers are leaving their mark on the world stage, with their designs showcased internationally. Departing from a mere customer-driven production model, Turkish designers are now showcasing their own collections to global brands, further enhancing Turkey’s global influence.

Embracing sustainability

Aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement and the European Green Deal, Turkey is accelerating its efforts towards sustainability. Spearheading the green transformation, the textile industry has long been investing in initiatives to achieve carbon neutrality.

With sustainability at the forefront of innovation and R&D endeavors, leading companies in both the textile and ready-made clothing sectors are undergoing significant transformations, from investing in solar energy to implementing waste management and water-saving initiatives, and prioritizing recycling and product life cycle design. Anticipating accelerated progress, particularly in the latter half of 2024, the Turkish textile industry aims to cement its position among the global leaders with its vision of ‘Sustainable Textile’.

Publish on 21 May 2024

Ones to watch (very) closely…

Discover our selection of brands making waves on the Turkish market

Les Benjamins is an Istanbul-based platform – encompassing a retail-space and lifestyle brand for men and women – founded in 2011 by Bünyamin Aydin. Les Benjamins’ apparel collections are currently stocked globally in doors like Harvey Nichols, Antonioli, Saks 5th Avenue and more. Les Benjamins started humbly with 30 printed T-shirts, a project which later garnered Aydin an invitation to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Istanbul, and later Milan Fashion Week. Les Benjamins represents a vision of the contemporary East. “We are a platform of how we want the East to be today,” notes Aydin. Les Benjamins’ rangefinder logo speaks to perspective, and how the brand interprets the East from a unique point-of-view.

Website: https://lesbenjamins.com

Nackiyé is a fashion brand that was founded in 2018 by sisters Basak and Defne Kocabiyikoglu. The brand is based in Istanbul and draws inspiration from the landscapes of the Aegean Sea and the vibrant energy of Istanbul. Nackiyé offers a collection of individually designed artisanal garments that celebrate the charm of the Eastern Mediterranean. The brand’s clothing includes dresses, tops, and bottoms, and is available online and in stores such as Lane Crawford, Nordstrom, unger-fashion.com, Farfetch, Lyst, Camargue Fashion Australia, Shopbop, Goop…

Website: https://nackiye.com/

Beauty Omelette is an Istanbul-based fashion brand created by the Turkish fashion and beauty influencer Nur Bilen Yavuzer in 2018. Following the motto, “you are beautiful when you are happy,” the brand aims to produce high-quality, feel-good everyday needs. Designed to be both comfy and adaptable, Beauty Omelette’s clothing range features minimalist styles. All of the collections the brand creates feature the finest materials, including premium denim, wool, cashmere, organic cotton, and premium leather. Aside from its e-commerce website, the brand has eight physical stores in Turkey since its founding.

Website: https://www.beautyomelette.com/

Mavi, incorporated in 1991 in Istanbul, is recognized as a highly successful global lifestyle brand, rooted in 33 years of denim expertise. Mavi has been publicly traded since 2017 and has a presence in 37 countries, including Turkiye, the USA, Canada, Germany, and Russia, selling its products through approximately ~4,000 points, including 471 Mavi shops.

Mavi, recognized as a trusted brand with high quality and right price positioning, is established in the apparel market between the high-end and premium segments. Perfect Fit philosophy guides Mavi in designing jeans that perfectly fit its customers’ lifestyles, body types, and quality expectations. Mavi ranks among the world’s leading premium denim brands and stands apart as the preferred lifestyle brand across female and male consumer segments. In line with its global strategy, All Blue, built on sustainable growth through quality, the company integrates sustainability into its corporate culture, vision, products, and growth targets.

Website: https://www.mavi.com/

Kutnia is a Turkish lifestyle brand that was founded in 2017 by Jülide Konukoğlu. The brand’s mission is to preserve and promote Kutnu, a traditional silk and cotton fabric that is unique to Gaziantep, Turkey. Kutnia creates a range of products, including womenswear, homeware, and accessories, that feature the Kutnu fabric. The brand is known for its high-quality materials and craftsmanship, as well as its commitment to sustainable and ethical practices.Kutnia has gained international recognition for its work in preserving and promoting traditional textile techniques, and its products are available at retailers such as NET-A-PORTER and Farfetch, as well as through the brand’s own online store.

Website: https://tr.kutnia.com/en

MOEVA is an independent global, luxury swimwear and resort wear brand founded in 2012. By combining striking design and quality craftmanship, MOEVA is the definition of timeless swimwear with an element of surprise and freshness in its design, whilst interpreting the latest European fashion trends. With designs grasping the pulse of fashion and art, executing perfection is in the details; MOEVA represents the irresistible modern.Each design of MOEVA is carefully researched in terms of construction, silhouette, and color combinations,to make sure styles don’t reflect just a specific year, and that makes MOEVA swimwear timeless. MOEVA’s approach is architectural and constructional. The accessories are at the heart of the design and each accessory is designed individually. Moeva is available at Neiman Marcus, Farfetch, Swimwear World, Moeva’s online store, and physical stores in Dubai, Bodrum, and other locations worldwide.

Website: https://moeva.com/

The eye of Tranoï

Tranoï, the trade show partner specializing in young international designers, shares its pick of emerging Turkish-based brands to follow

UMITUNAL OFFICIAL

Ready to wear / high-end

UMITUNAL, based in Istanbul, was founded in 1992 on an avant-garde and unisex fashion approach.

Since 1998, Düsseldorf, Paris, New York and Berlin have been the primary centers chosen by the brand, which sells and showcases its collections and philosophy in concept stores all over the world.

The designs of Ümit Ünal – who embraces real-life looks as a guiding principle, incorporating extraordinary techniques from the past – references and re-interprets men’s and women’s lifestyles with an eye to their personal preferences.

Instagram →

OZ OBJECT

Accessories / fashion jewelry

Öz Objects Milano is a costume jewelry brand.

Each jewelry item gives the impression of being part of the body, and is ergonomically and flexibly designed.

Inspired by the malleability of the paste itself, the pieces in the collection capture the fluidity of the human form. Meticulously handcrafted, the designs showcase playful paste manipulations, in a spirit of artistic innovation. With baguettes, crescents and more, the collection features genuine paste jewelry adorned with gold plating.

Conceived and shaped with the softness of paste, each piece embodies playful innovation.