For a long time, European fashion companies and European retail traders have mainly produced or purchased clothing in Asian countries such as China and Bangladesh. But the industry landscape has been changing in recent years, and "Made in Turkey" has been favored by Europe for its low prices and closer supply chains. Some European media said that Turkey is expected to become the new "world clothing factory". The declaration and its initial effects have improved the market's expectations for China's economic recovery and further consolidated the foundation for the stability of the RMB exchange rate.
Foreign media said that after the epidemic, Turkey is striving to become a "world factory" and trying to compete with China. Turkey has a long history in the textile field, and about 1/7 of the people in the country are engaged in the textile industry. Since the epidemic, Turkey has become the world's fifth largest textile exporter, and has gradually attracted international fast fashion brands such as Nike, Mango, H&M and Inditex (ZARA's parent company), as well as Chinese e-commerce platform Xiyin. As the third largest source of textile and clothing imports in the EU after China and Bangladesh, Turkey's textile industry has benefited from the trend of European market participants wanting to shorten the logistics distance with suppliers. "Turkey's advantages lie in its long textile tradition and increasingly mature technology, especially in its geographical location close to the European market." said a European representative of a fast fashion giant. In Turkey, Inditex has more than 330,000 employees relying on the strength of local manufacturers. Last year, it cooperated with 847 manufacturers, and 186 Turkish suppliers responded to its order needs.
Textile and clothing products are important export items of Turkey. According to data from the Turkish Ministry of Trade, Turkey's garment exports ranked seventh in the world in 2023, with a total of US$20.6 billion, and other textile exports were US$12.3 billion, totaling more than US$30 billion. Turkish Trade Minister Bolat said that the textile and clothing industry accounts for about 13% to 14% of the country's total exports. The main markets for Turkey's clothing exports in 2023 are: Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and France. The EU market is particularly important to the Turkish clothing industry. The Munich Clothing and Fabric Exhibition in Germany is one of the largest clothing exhibitions in the world. Special correspondents of the Global Times have visited this exhibition many times and observed that the Turkish exhibition group has become larger and larger in recent years. Among the nearly 1,000 exhibitors at this exhibition this year, more than 200 exhibitors from Turkey exhibited high-end brands, fast fashion clothing, and dyes, printing, materials and accessories in the clothing industry.
Currently, the situation in the Middle East remains tense, and ships carrying goods from Asia are often forced to sail the longer and more expensive route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. Turkey's strategic location between Europe, Asia and the Middle East has significant advantages in logistics and transportation, which helps Turkish companies distribute products efficiently, reduce transportation costs and shorten delivery time to major markets. At the same time, Turkey's preferential trade agreements with regions such as the European Union, the Middle East and Central Asia have also played a key role in enhancing the competitiveness of domestic brands. These agreements help reduce tariffs and trade barriers, allowing companies to increase their international influence. In addition, Turkish immigrants widely distributed in Central Europe are also affecting the textile and clothing market. Currently, the Turkish population in Germany alone is about 3 million. Many Turkish immigrants in Europe are also investing in Turkey, promoting "Made in Turkey" to enter the European market. In response to the constant changes in markets such as the European Union, the Turkish clothing industry uses sustainability as the main driver of its growth. Turkish textile and clothing brands are increasingly adopting environmentally friendly processes, investing in renewable energy, water-saving technologies and sustainable fabrics to reduce the impact on the environment while maintaining the competitiveness of production efficiency. This approach not only helps improve the factory's "carbon footprint", but also responds to Western consumers who value the "green value" of textile products.
