FIBERS & YARNS IN TURKEY

PRODUCTION

Textiles and clothing are among the most important sectors of Turkish economy in terms

of manufacturing, employment and exports earnings. These sectors had a 19% share in

total export volume of 2011. There are more than 35,000 textile and clothing companies in

Turkey, 2,200 of which are active in fibers and yarns sector.

Turkey is one of the main actors in the world textile and clothing industry. The Turkish

clothing industry is the seventh largest supplier in the world, and the second largest

supplier in the EU. The Turkish textile industry is listed as the world’s top ten exporters.

The Turkish textile and clothing industry has a significant role in world trade, the capability

to meet the high standards, and can compete in international markets in terms of high

quality, design and a wide range of products.

Parallel to the developments in the Turkish textile and clothing industry, the Turkish fibers

and yarns industry has developed in recent years, and as a consequence of the increase

in demand for textile and clothing products from both domestic and foreign markets, the

fibers and yarns production and exports have increased together with investments in the

industry.

Cotton is the essential raw material for the country’s textile and clothing industry, and

Turkey is one of the important cotton growers in the world. Turkey ranked seventh in the

production of cotton with a total amount of 954,000 tons in 2011. As one of the results of

the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), which is the largest project ever attempted in

Turkey, cotton production in Turkey has begun to increase.

Due to the availability of huge amounts of raw cotton in Turkey, the cotton textile industry

has progressed like the Turkish cotton yarns industry. Today, Turkey is one of the largest

countries in the world in terms of its cotton yarn production capacity.

As well as the cotton textiles, the Turkish man-made textile sector is also a well-developed

industry. Today, Turkey is very strong in all areas of synthetic fibers and yarns production

and processing.

Turkey invented short staple spindles and open end rotors, which are regarded as the

most advanced technology in the world. Therefore, in terms of installed capacities of short

staple spindles and open-end rotors, Turkey ranks in top five in the world.

The mills are spread out all over Turkey, mostly in Istanbul, Bursa, Kahramanmaras,

Gaziantep, Adana, Izmir, Kayseri, Malatya, Tekirdag, Usak, Hatay and Denizli. Most of the

large mills have integrated fibers production into clothing. Many Turkish fiber and yarn

manufacturers have ecological labels for their products and environmental management

systems in their plants.

EXPORTS

Turkish textile and clothing exports have continued to increase even after the expiration of

the global textile quota system at the end of 2004, as agreed under the World Trade

Organization Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC). The sector continues to maintain

and enhances its competitiveness despite the abolition of quotas. With its quality products,

Turkey has been increasing its share in major markets, especially in the European market

which has high standards and sophisticated customer needs.

Turkey’s fibers and yarns exports decreased to US$1.5 billion in 2009 as a result of the

global financial crisis. The exports showed an enormous increase of 26% in 2010 and

surpassed US$1.9 billion. In 2011, the increase rate was 30% and the export of fibers and

yarns reached US$2.5 billion.

The main export products in 2011 were synthetic and artificial filament yarns, yarns of

synthetic and artificial filament staple fibers, cotton yarns, synthetic and artificial filament

staple fibers. Italy (12,1%), USA (5,9%), Germany (5,9%), Russia (5,7%), the UK (5,6%),

Iran (3,9%), China (3,8%), Spain (3,7%) and Belgium (3,6%) were the major export

markets for Turkish fibers and yarns companies in 2011.

USEFUL LINKS

􀂃 Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporters’ Associations
www.itkib.org.tr

􀂃 Aegean Exporters’ Associations
www.egebirlik.org.tr

􀂃 Uludağ Exporters’ Association
www.uib.org.tr

􀂃 Denizli Exporters’ Association
www.denib.gov.tr

􀂃 Mediterranean Exporter Associations
www.akib.org.tr

􀂃 Southeast Anatolia Exporters’ Associations
www.gaib.org.tr

􀂃 Turkish Textile Employers’ Association
www.tekstilisveren.org

TAGS:  Turkish yarns and fibers sector, buy yarns and fibers from Turkey , import yarns and fibers from Turkey