An Editorial Analysis by Behnam Ghasemi
Introduction: A Silent Shift Is Reshaping the Global Textile Industry
For years, discussions surrounding the Turkish textile and apparel industry focused primarily on exports, manufacturing capacity, labor costs, and competition from Asian producers. However, a quieter and potentially more strategic transformation is now emerging in the background—one that could significantly affect the future positioning of Türkiye’s textile sector in global markets.
The issue is not simply about garment exports anymore.
It is about access.
More specifically, access to one of the world’s largest and most stable textile purchasing ecosystems: global public procurement markets.
These markets include government purchases of:
- military uniforms
- protective clothing
- hospital textiles
- technical workwear
- institutional apparel
- firefighter garments
- medical textiles
- security and industrial textile products
Collectively, these procurement systems represent a massive global market valued at approximately $1.7 trillion annually.
And increasingly, access to these markets is becoming restricted to countries participating in international procurement frameworks and transparent tender systems.
This development has triggered growing debate within Türkiye’s textile industry at a time when export pressures are already intensifying.
The Global Textile Industry Is Moving Toward Value-Added Production
The international textile market has changed dramatically over the past decade.
Traditional mass-market apparel manufacturing is becoming increasingly competitive and margin-sensitive. Countries with lower labor costs continue gaining strength in standard garment production, while fast-changing consumer demand places additional pressure on manufacturers worldwide.
As a result, many textile-producing nations are shifting their focus toward higher-value segments such as:
- technical textiles
- protective clothing
- medical textiles
- industrial fabrics
- institutional textile solutions
Unlike standard fashion apparel, these sectors often benefit from:
- longer-term contracts
- stable purchasing structures
- higher technical standards
- stronger profit margins
- reduced seasonal volatility
One of the biggest buyers in these segments is not the fashion industry itself—but governments.
Across Europe, North America, and Asia, public institutions purchase enormous volumes of textile products every year through structured procurement systems.
And this is precisely where the current debate becomes strategically important for Türkiye.
Read More: Turkish Textile Firm Targets Kenya in Africa Expansion Drive
Why Public Procurement Markets Matter More Than Ever
Government textile procurement is fundamentally different from traditional apparel retail markets.
In commercial fashion, manufacturers compete based on trends, pricing, branding, and seasonal collections. Public procurement markets operate differently. Contracts are often larger, longer-term, and technically demanding.
Products supplied to these sectors frequently require:
- certification
- technical performance standards
- traceability
- compliance systems
- advanced textile engineering
This creates major opportunities for countries with strong industrial textile capabilities.
For Türkiye, this segment could represent a natural evolution beyond conventional garment exports.
The country already possesses:
- advanced textile manufacturing infrastructure
- strong technical textile capacity
- sophisticated weaving and knitting industries
- experienced apparel production ecosystems
- geographic proximity to Europe
However, structural barriers are increasingly limiting direct access to some of these high-value procurement systems.
The Core Problem Is Not Production Capacity
One of the most misunderstood aspects of this discussion is the assumption that Türkiye is being excluded because of weak manufacturing capabilities.
That is not the case.
Türkiye remains one of the world’s most advanced textile and apparel manufacturing countries. Its factories supply many of the world’s leading fashion and retail brands. In sectors such as denim, home textiles, knitted garments, technical fabrics, and textile finishing, Turkish manufacturers continue to hold strong global reputations.
The real issue lies elsewhere.
The growing challenge is connected to international procurement frameworks and reciprocal market access structures.
Many public procurement systems increasingly prioritize suppliers from countries participating in transparent international government procurement agreements. As these frameworks become more strictly implemented, companies from non-participating countries may face greater limitations when attempting to access government textile tenders abroad.
This creates a strategic dilemma for export-oriented textile industries.
The Debate Goes Beyond Textiles
What makes this discussion particularly sensitive is that it extends far beyond the textile sector itself.
Joining international procurement frameworks would not only provide Turkish manufacturers with broader access to global government tenders. It could also require structural changes within domestic procurement systems, including greater transparency, wider international participation, and more competitive tender environments.
This is where the debate becomes economically and politically complex.
On one side, export-oriented industries argue that broader access to international procurement markets is becoming increasingly critical as global competition intensifies.
On the other side, deeper integration into international procurement frameworks could also mean opening domestic public purchasing systems to greater external competition.
In other words, the issue is not simply about selling more products abroad.
It is also about how domestic procurement structures would need to evolve internally.
Türkiye’s Apparel Export Model Is Under Pressure
This debate is emerging at a particularly difficult time for Türkiye’s apparel industry.
Over the past several years, Turkish apparel exporters have faced growing pressure from:
- rising production costs
- inflation
- currency instability
- labor expenses
- Asian competition
- shifting sourcing strategies in Europe
Countries such as Bangladesh, Egypt, India, and Vietnam continue strengthening their positions in global apparel markets through lower production costs and expanding trade agreements.
At the same time, many international buyers are diversifying sourcing strategies to reduce dependency on single production regions.
As margins tighten in traditional apparel manufacturing, access to higher-value technical textile and institutional markets becomes increasingly important for long-term industrial sustainability.
This is one reason why discussions surrounding public procurement access are becoming more urgent within the Turkish textile industry.
Technical Textiles May Become the Industry’s Next Battlefield
The future of textile competitiveness may no longer depend primarily on volume.
Instead, the next major battlefield could revolve around:
- technical capability
- certification
- innovation
- compliance
- sustainability
- and institutional market access
Technical textiles already represent one of the fastest-growing segments of the global textile industry. Demand continues rising in sectors such as:
- healthcare
- military
- construction
- automotive
- protective wear
- infrastructure
- industrial filtration
- smart textiles
Türkiye possesses many of the industrial foundations necessary to compete successfully in these sectors.
However, future competitiveness may depend increasingly on whether Turkish manufacturers can access the procurement ecosystems where these products are purchased at scale.
The Industry Is Moving Toward a Different Type of Competition
The global textile industry itself is changing structurally.
In the past, success depended heavily on manufacturing efficiency and low production costs. Today, competitiveness is becoming more connected to:
- strategic trade access
- regulatory alignment
- certification systems
- supply chain transparency
- sustainability standards
- geopolitical positioning
This means textile competition is no longer occurring only inside factories.
It is increasingly shaped by international trade frameworks and institutional integration.
Countries capable of aligning industrial strength with international market access systems may gain significant long-term advantages.
Read More: Türkiye’s Textile Industry: A 100-Year Journey of Transformation and Global Strength
Could This Become a Turning Point for Türkiye’s Textile Industry?
The growing discussion surrounding procurement access may ultimately force a larger strategic question for the Turkish textile sector:
What should the next phase of Türkiye’s textile industry look like? Should the industry continue relying heavily on traditional apparel exports in increasingly price-sensitive global markets? Or should it accelerate its transition toward:
- technical textiles
- institutional production
- advanced textile engineering
- certified industrial products
- and higher-value procurement-driven markets?
This transition will not happen automatically.
It would require:
- stronger industrial policy
- international trade alignment
- investment in technical textile capabilities
- certification infrastructure
- and broader strategic planning
- But the long-term opportunities could be substantial.
Conclusion: The Future May Depend on Market Access, Not Just Manufacturing
Türkiye’s textile industry remains one of the strongest manufacturing ecosystems in the world. However, the global competitive landscape is evolving rapidly.
The next decade may not be defined only by who can manufacture efficiently. It may increasingly depend on who can access the right markets.
Public procurement systems, technical textile demand, and institutional purchasing networks are becoming more strategically important as traditional apparel competition intensifies.
For Türkiye, the debate surrounding global procurement access reflects something much larger than trade policy alone.
It reflects the broader question of how the country’s textile industry will position itself in the next phase of global industrial competition.
Editor’s View – Behnam Ghasemi, Editor-in-Chief of Kohan Textile Journal
“In our opinion, the discussion surrounding global procurement access highlights a much deeper transformation taking place within the textile industry. Traditional apparel manufacturing alone may no longer be sufficient to sustain long-term competitiveness in an increasingly complex global market.
The future belongs to countries capable of combining strong manufacturing infrastructure with advanced technical textile production, international integration, transparency, and strategic market access. Türkiye possesses many of the industrial capabilities required for this transition—but the coming years may determine how successfully those capabilities are converted into long-term global positioning.”
