ISTANBUL — Türkiye’s ready-to-wear and textile sector faces one of the most severe downturns in its history, with bankruptcies, declining domestic demand, and a growing shift of production overseas fueling fears of a full-scale collapse. Industry veteran Abdullah Kiğılı, Chairman of Kiğılı, sounded a stark warning:
“In six months, production will stop — we won’t be able to find products. The state has written off the textile sector.”
Speaking at Artaş Holding’s “30 Years in Retail” event, leading figures from the textile and retail industries voiced deep concerns over the worsening conditions threatening local manufacturing and employment.
“Factories Are Closing; Production Moving Abroad”
Abdullah Kiğılı described a growing crisis across Anatolia, where many factories are on the brink of closure as production rapidly shifts to Egypt and Far Eastern countries.
“The state no longer sees ready-to-wear and textiles as a strategic sector,” Kiğılı said. “We’re heading toward a point where finding a producer will be a challenge. This is the biggest disaster waiting for us. In six months, production will stop, factories in Anatolia will close, and manufacturing will move abroad. We need to come together urgently — the danger is real.”
According to Ekonomim journalist Yener Karadeniz, Kiğılı emphasized that a production halt would trigger a chain reaction throughout the retail ecosystem:
“If there’s no production, how will we replenish stock? The entire supply chain will collapse.”
“Retail in Decline, No More New Shopping Malls”
Süleyman Çetinsaya, Chairman of Artaş Holding, also offered a sobering outlook for the retail sector, warning that constructing new shopping malls has become economically unfeasible.
“Türkiye currently has 450 shopping malls. The era of building new ones is over. From now on, we’ll focus on renovating existing properties. Retail is on a downward trend,” he said.
“We Can’t Control Inflation or Interest Rates — But We Can Manage Costs”
Vahap Küçük, Chairman of LC Waikiki, struck a cautiously optimistic tone, urging businesses to focus on efficiency and cost management during this challenging period.
“We can’t lower inflation or interest rates ourselves, but we can improve how we operate and manage costs more effectively. That’s where our focus must be,” Küçük said.
Industry Faces Its Toughest Test
The ready-to-wear and textile industry — one of Türkiye’s largest employers and export earners — is grappling with rising costs, shrinking domestic demand, and the relocation of production facilities abroad.
With a wave of bankruptcies and debt restructurings hitting the sector, Kiğılı’s stark warning has intensified calls for urgent government action to preserve industrial capacity and protect the jobs of millions employed across Türkiye’s textile and apparel supply chains.
Industry leaders agree: without decisive support and renewed strategic focus, Türkiye’s textile sector — once a global powerhouse — may soon face an irreversible decline.
Source: Patronlar Dünyası