Turkey’s clothing exports reached nearly $18 billion in 2018. The aim is now to reach $19 billion in 2019. The clothing sector has strategic importance for the country’s economy with its production power, contribution to employment, and value-added exports. Meanwhile, the country’s domestic clothing market size has grown 20 per cent since last previous year. The apparel sector contributes 10.7 per cent to Turkey’s overall exports and 13.1 per cent to industrial exports.

The EU is the biggest market for Turkey’s ready-to-wear and apparel sector. This is followed by Germany, Spain, Britain, the Netherlands, France, Iraq, the US, Italy, Denmark and Israel. Other significant markets are Russia, one of Turkey’s largest trading partners, and China, the world’s largest ready-to-wear supplier. Turkey’s exports of textiles and raw materials increased eight per cent in the first half of 2018.

The most exported product in the first half of 2018 was woven fabrics. Woven fabric exports increased 8.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2017. The second most exported product was yarn, which constitutes 18.1 per cent of total textile exports from Turkey. Exports of third important product group, knitted fabrics, increased by 2.3 per cent. Turkey is one of the world's leading manufacturers of knitted fabrics. Fiber exports, the fourth most exported product group, increased by 16.9 per cent.