The textile industry has experienced economic downturns before, but few executives describe today’s market as unprecedented. During my interview with Cem Yalcin, CSO Global Sales at Saurer Group, he offered one of the most candid assessments I have heard at ITM 2026.
According to Yalcin, the current slowdown is unlike anything he has witnessed throughout his career. Yet, despite declining investments, geopolitical conflicts, rising production costs, and weak consumer demand, his outlook remains surprisingly optimistic.
Recycling Is Ready—The Market Is Not
One of the most interesting topics we discussed was textile recycling. While sustainability dominates industry conferences and corporate strategies, Yalcin believes the real driver behind large-scale textile recycling will not be technology—it will be regulation.
According to him, the European Union is setting the direction through legislation designed to increase sustainability and improve recycling rates.
The technology, however, already exists. Saurer has prepared its spinning solutions for recycled fibers, particularly through open-end spinning, which Yalcin considers the ideal technology for processing short fibers generated from textile waste.
“Recycling means short fibers. Processing short fibers with open-end spinning is the easiest way.”
He also noted that although ring spinning traditionally faces greater challenges with recycled fibers, Saurer’s compact spinning technology is capable of processing shorter staple lengths more efficiently.
The message was clear: manufacturers should not wait for machinery to catch up—the machinery is already available.
The next move belongs to the market.
Europe’s Challenges Are Reshaping the Industry
Yalcin did not hesitate to describe the difficult reality facing European textile manufacturers. Rising energy costs, declining purchasing power, and geopolitical instability have all weakened investment confidence.
“The war is in front of your door,” he remarked, explaining why many consumers and businesses have become increasingly cautious. Yet Saurer’s regional strategy offers an important competitive advantage.
Rather than serving Europe from distant production locations, the company supports European customers through its strong manufacturing and service infrastructure in Türkiye. This geographical position significantly reduces response times for technical support, spare parts, and customer service—an increasingly valuable advantage in today’s market environment.
Türkiye Still Holds a Strategic Advantage
Although Türkiye faces its own economic challenges, including rising production costs, Yalcin believes the country continues to play a crucial strategic role in Saurer’s global operations. Its proximity to European markets, well-developed textile industry, and established
service network allow Saurer to respond quickly to customer needs across the continent. At the same time, he emphasized that maintaining Türkiye’s competitiveness will require domestic solutions to address increasing production costs.
For policymakers, this serves as a reminder that preserving the country’s textile leadership requires continuous attention to industrial competitiveness.
Read more: The Pillars of Success at Saurer: Innovation, Expertise, and Long-Term Partnership
Demand Has Fallen—But Not Forever
Perhaps the most striking part of our conversation came when Yalcin reflected on the broader market.
He admitted that he has never witnessed such a sharp decline in demand during his long career in the textile machinery business. However, unlike many pessimistic market observers, he does not believe the industry’s long-term fundamentals have changed.
Textile manufacturing, he argues, will continue to thrive in countries such as China, India, Pakistan, Brazil, and Mexico, even as global production becomes increasingly concentrated among fewer, stronger producers. More importantly, he believes that once major geopolitical conflicts begin to ease, consumer confidence and textile demand will recover.
History has shown that textile consumption rarely disappears—it simply pauses during periods of uncertainty.
Optimism May Be the Industry’s Most Valuable Asset
The final message Cem Yalcin shared was perhaps the most memorable.
Instead of focusing on today’s crisis, he chose to focus on tomorrow’s opportunities.
His advice to the industry was simple:
“Stay bold. The future is glorious.”
It is a statement that reflects more than optimism.
It reflects confidence built on decades of industry experience.
The textile industry has always adapted to changing markets, technologies, and global events.
This period is unlikely to be any different. For companies willing to continue investing in innovation, automation, sustainability, and efficiency, the next growth cycle may already be taking shape.
