İSTANBUL — Türkiye’s textile industry exported goods worth $7.05 billion in the first nine months of 2025, according to data compiled from the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters’ Associations (GAİB).
Between January and September 2025, Turkish textile producers shipped 1.87 million tons of products to 199 countries and free zones, generating export revenues of $7.05 billion — a 0.5% increase compared to $7.02 billion during the same period last year.
European Union Remains Top Market, Africa Shows Strong Growth
The European Union continued to be the largest export destination with $2.67 billion in sales. Exports to African countries recorded the strongest growth, surging 16.5% to reach $1.09 billion, making Africa the fastest-growing regional market in the first nine months of the year.
On a country basis, Italy remained Türkiye’s top textile buyer with $564.2 million in imports, followed by Egypt at $410.7 million and Spain at $388.2 million.
Fabrics Lead Export Categories
Among subcategories, fabrics accounted for the largest share of exports at $4.38 billion, followed by yarn with $1.8 billion and fiber with $872.7 million.
In terms of cities, İstanbul led Türkiye’s textile exports with $2.77 billion, followed by Gaziantep at $1.16 billion and Bursa at $910.2 million.
Industry Shows Resilience Amid Global Challenges
Ahmet Öksüz, Chair of the İstanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters’ Association (İTHİB), said the Turkish textile sector continues to demonstrate strong commitment to production and exports despite global headwinds.
“Our main priority is to maintain our current market share while increasing the proportion of branded and value-added exports,” Öksüz stated.
He emphasized efforts to strengthen Türkiye’s presence in key markets such as the U.S. and EU, while expanding into alternative destinations including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Dubai, North African countries, and Vietnam.
“We aim to further boost exports to the U.S., which exceeded $780 million in 2024, by the end of this year,” Öksüz said. “We continue to organize trade and buyer missions to enhance our visibility in new markets. Despite global challenges, we plan to sustain growth both in volume and value by year-end.”
Öksüz also highlighted the importance of Texhibition İstanbul, the biannual textile fair that hosts over 25,000 international visitors per edition, as a key platform helping the Turkish textile sector remain resilient amid challenging global conditions.
Source: Anadolu Ajansı/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök