Turkey Home Textile Industry

PRODUCTION 

The Turkish home textile industry as a subsector of the Turkish textile industry, which is

the world’s fourth largest supplier and the EU’s second largest supplier, has now a

significant role in world trade and capacity to meet the high standards of all sophisticated

consumers.

Almost all kinds of home textiles are produced in Turkey and may be listed by export value

as follows: towels, bed sheets, bed spreads, curtains, blankets, pillows, quilts, cushions,

eiderdowns, table linens, tulle, lace, goblen, flander, aubusson, wall hangings and sleeping

bags.

The Turkish home textile industry is one of the world leaders with its wide range of

products and superior quality in home textile production, especially in the production of

towels, bed sheets and covers, curtains, tulle, embroidery, guipure and quilt covers.

Turkey has the largest machine park for the production of both embroidery and guipure in

the world. Europe’s largest factory producing quilt covers is in Turkey. The Turkish home

textile industry has also acquired the latest technology with a high production capacity, a

highly skilled labor pool, and design and fashion capabilities. In addition, the industry has

managed to reduce the cost of production below the world average while it has increased

the quality of its products. Therefore, with a huge production capacity, high quality and

strong competitiveness, Turkey was among the world’s top three suppliers of towels, bed

sheets, bedspreads and curtains in 2011. In the same way, Turkey was the second largest

supplier of EU in towels, bed sheets, table clothes, bedspreads and curtains in 2011.

In Turkey, the towel sector has traditional roots and its towels are known as "Turkish

Towels" worldwide. Today the Turkish towel sector has competitive power in international

markets in terms of jacquard and embroidery technologies. Lace, which is commonly used

in many textile applications, especially in home textiles, is originally a Turkish handicraft. It

is an embroidery art reaching back to the mid 1500s and crowned by the labor of Turkish

women. It is an outstanding handicraft with its traditional taste and motifs in different colors

and lines, which are now reflected in modern home decoration. Turkish home textile

producers are mainly located in Istanbul, Denizli, Bursa, Tekirdag, Izmir, Gaziantep,

Kayseri and Usak. Towel and bathrobe producers are concentrated in Denizli and Bursa,

voile producers in Istanbul and Bursa, and blanket producers in Usak. Many of the

producers in these cities have integrated their production process from yarn and fabric

production to product design, dying, finishing and sewing in order to obtain the best quality

in every stage of production.

Denizli is the manufacturing center of toweling sector city is mostly concentrated on

toweling sector. 187 companies in Denizli manufacture cotton towels and bathrobes. Such

a manufacturing facility on one product group in the same area is a success story and a

good example of the cluster development. In Denizli, towels and bathrobes are

manufactured from Aegean cotton which is the finest cotton in the world. These towels and

bathrobes are well known throughout the world with their extraordinary softness,

absorbency and warmth. Their extraordinary pile thickness and density give towels and

bathrobes these superior features. In addition, the more these towels and bathrobes are

washed, the softer and more absorbent they become, contrary to the ordinary products.

That’s why Denizli on its own has a major share in world’s cotton towel and bathrobe

exports. About 90% of these products are exported to all over the world. “Turkish Towels

and Bathrobes”, especially the ones from Denizli, are not used only at homes but also

presented by 5 or 4 star hotels in all over the world as a quality service sign. Moreover,

visitors of these hotels would consider a negative point in their services if “Turkish Towels

and Bathrobes” were not kept in bathrooms, sport centers, saunas and Turkish baths.

Bursa is one of the most important manufacturing centers in the textile field in the world

and it is mostly concentrated on the manufacturing of curtains, curtaining and upholstery

fabrics, decoration fabrics, bedding products, towels and bathrobes as well as other

textiles. There are hundreds of companies which are active in manufacturing and trading

on all kinds of textiles in Bursa. Many of these companies have been organized very well

and come together in “Bursa International Textile and Shopping Centre”, called Buttim in

short. In Buttim, there are about 850 textile companies, most of which are active in the

sector of home textiles, curtaining and upholstery fabrics. In Buttim, there are about 320

showrooms where every kind of home textiles and textile products are presented to

thousands of national and international visitors. Buttim is such a huge center that it has a

daily visitor capacity of 20 thousand. Therefore, visitors abroad looking for upper quality

and a wide range of home textiles, curtains, curtaining and furnishing fabrics etc. should

not go back home without visiting Buttim.

Besides large-scale firms, there are many small and medium sized companies scattered

all around the country. In the rural areas around some cities like Denizli, Mugla and

Kastamonu, the production of traditional fabrics is still widespread, and recently they have

been used in the production of home textiles. One of these traditional fabrics having

worldwide fame is the "Buldan Fabric”, from the Buldan province of Denizli. With its

characteristic designs, it is unique and carries the heritage of the past into the present as it

is woven on traditional hand looms. This fabric, which has a completely natural look and

basic textile characteristic due to its being made of pure cotton, is widely used both in

traditional and modern home decoration. Another traditional fabric is "Selalmaz Çemberi"

which takes its name from Selalmaz, a region in Kastamonu. This fabric is also obtained

from pure cotton yarn and woven on hand looms. It is a very thin fabric like tulle. It is a

difficult fabric to weave that one can only weave one meter per day. Due to its outstanding

originality it is used widely in-home decoration as well as in clothing. "Azdavay Çemberi" is

another famous fabric woven in Azdavay, a town of Kastamonu. It is made from linen or

pure cotton and it is a very original hand woven fabric. This fabric like Selalmaz Çemberi,

is woven loose or dense. It is used widely in home decoration and clothing production.

Since all of these traditional fabrics are natural, made of pure cotton or linen without using

any chemical dyes, they are environmentally friendly. Therefore, there is considerable

demand for home textiles made of these fabrics in international markets.

Today the Turkish home textile industry is aware of the trend in international markets

towards the increasing demand for healthier and more environmentally friendly products

and quickly adapts itself to developments in legal and technical regulations. Many

manufacturers in the sector are able to produce with quality and environment management

systems, e.g. ISO 9000 series. Additionally, some companies in the home textile sector

have private Eco labels.

In a rapidly changing world, the home decoration field is very sensitive to all changes.

That's why the creation of collections with innovative and modern designs and motifs in

addition to the quality of the product is essential. Turkish home textile manufacturers are

very conscious about fashion creation and design, which enables them to gain a special

place in international markets. New and modern designs and unique motifs, all created by

Turkish designers, keep a finger on the pulse of world home decoration fashion and meet

most tastes and preferences. 

EXPORTS

Besides meeting domestic demand in Turkey, the Turkish home textile sector with its high

potential in the export market and its wide range of products and superior quality is an

important export earner for the country. The sector exports about 60% of its production.

According to the International Trade Center’s (ITC) statistics, Turkey was the fourth largest

exporting country in home textiles with a value of US$ 2,7 billion in 2010.

With its fashion products, the advanced technology of production and quality of products,

Turkey has been increasing her share in the main markets, especially in the European

market. Therefore, prominent world suppliers have started to cooperate with Turkish

manufacturers for joint production in the home textile field.

In recent years, Turkish companies in many consumer goods sectors such as clothing,

home textile, carpets, footwear, leather clothing and goods, furniture and jewelry have

been very active in retailing sector abroad and had stores over 1,700 worldwide. The

number of newly established stores abroad has been increasing day by day and expected

to reach 5,000 until the year 2012. Home textile sector ranks second with 280 stores in

terms of the number of stores abroad, following the clothing sector which has 1,350 stores.

Turkey’s Home Textile Exports (US$ 1,000)

The main export products in 2011 were towels, bathrobes, dressing gowns, bed linens,

furnishing and curtain fabrics, and bed spreads. The European countries are the most

important markets for Turkey's home textile exports. A large quantity of home textiles is

exported to Germany. The other main markets are Russia, USA, France, Iran, the U.K.,

Italy and the Netherlands.

TRADE FAIRS OF 2012-2013

All of the trade fairs held in Turkey related to the home textiles industry are listed at the

http://www.fuarrehberi.org.tr website which is an official website of the Union and

Chambers of Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB). Some of the trade fairs related to

the home textiles industry are listed below.

􀂃 Evteks 19th Istanbul Home Textiles Exhibition, Istanbul, May 2012-2013
(Curtains & Tulles, Bed linen & Blanket, Furniture & Upholstery, Kitchen textiles,

Bathroom products, Carpet, Wall Covering, Solar-protective materials, Design,

Technology, Services, Contract, Raw materials & textile inputs, Trade Publications)

www.cnrevteks.com

􀂃 Adana Furniture - Decoration Fair, Adana, September-October 2012-2013

(Home and Office Furniture, Decoration, Lighting, Glassware, Carpet, Home textile,

Garden, Home Electronics and Accessories Fair)

􀂃 MEÇEF - Mersin Furniture, Home Textile and Consumer Goods Fair 2012,

Mersin, September 2012

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 Home Textile Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association

www.tetsiad.org

􀂃 Turkish Textile Employers’ Association

www.tekstilisveren.org

􀂃 United Brands Association of Turkey

www.birlesmismarkalar.org.tr

􀂃 The Association of the Registered Trademarks

www.tescillimarkalar.org.tr

􀂃 Osmanbey Textile Manufacturers Association

www.otiad.org.tr

􀂃 Laleli Industrialists and Businessmen Association

www.lasiad.org.tr

􀂃 Merter Industrialists and Businessmen Association
www.mesiad.org.tr

TAGS :  Turkish home textile industry,turkish home textile association