Turkey’s textile sector entered 2025 facing headwinds — rising production costs, a declining capacity utilization rate of 68.5%, and a 4.6% overall export decline. Yet underneath those headline numbers lies a more nuanced story: Turkey is systematically growing its footprint in Africa and the Middle East, even as European markets stagnate.
The 2025 Numbers: $26 Billion in Total Exports
Turkey’s textile and raw materials sector closed 2025 with $11.4 billion in exports. Combined with apparel, total textile exports reached $26 billion, delivering a net foreign currency inflow of $17 billion to the Turkish economy. This places Turkey fifth globally in textile exports — sharing that ranking with Italy — behind China ($141B), India ($19B), the United States ($18B), and Germany ($13B).
One remarkable performance metric: Turkish textile exports achieve $4.3 per kilogram in value, nearly three times the national export average of $1.59/kg, demonstrating the sector’s premium positioning.
Africa: Turkey’s Fastest-Growing Export Destination
While EU exports fell 2%, Turkey’s exports to African countries rose 14% to $1.549 billion in 2025 — making Africa the second-largest export market after the EU. In volume terms, shipments to Africa grew even faster, up 15.3% to 397,000 tonnes.
Within Africa, Egypt stands out dramatically. Turkish textile exports to Egypt rose 23% to $567 million in 2025, making Egypt the fastest-growing individual market for Turkish textiles for the second consecutive year. Woven fabric exports to Egypt alone increased by up to 50%, driven by Turkish manufacturing investments relocating to Egypt to access lower labor costs and EU trade preferences.
Also Read:Â Turkey Ranks 7th Globally in Textile and Ready-to-Wear Exports
Middle East: Steady and Strategic
Textile exports to the Middle East rose 11.4% to 329,000 tonnes in 2025. The region accounts for roughly 9% of Turkey’s total textile exports and is valued for its demand for premium fabrics — particularly for modest fashion, home textiles, and technical applications. Turkey remains the largest textile manufacturer in the MENA region, a position reinforced by its geographical proximity and logistics advantages.
Product Leadership: Where Turkey Wins
Technical textiles ranked as Turkey’s top export category in 2025, with the US, Germany, and Italy as primary destinations — and Morocco recording the strongest growth within this product group at 43%. Woven fabrics ranked second at $2.303 billion, with Spain, Morocco, and Egypt as leading markets. Thread exports reached $2.207 billion, with Italy, Egypt, and Portugal as top buyers.
Turkey is also the world’s 4th largest home textile exporter and 3rd largest exporter of towels and bathrobes. Major global brands including Zara and H&M source over 15% of their production from Turkey.
The Egypt Investment Pivot
One of the most significant structural trends in Turkish textiles is the deliberate shift of manufacturing investment toward Egypt. Turkish companies, facing rising domestic costs, are establishing production facilities in Egypt to benefit from lower wages and Egypt’s trade agreements with the US and EU. This explains why Turkish textile exports to Egypt have grown dramatically — the two industries are becoming increasingly integrated rather than competing.
Outlook: Repositioning for Value
Turkey’s textile challenge for 2026 and beyond is clear: maintain its position in a global market increasingly pressured by Asian cost competition while expanding in markets where quality and proximity matter most. Africa and the Middle East represent that opportunity — and Turkey’s 2025 performance suggests it is executing on exactly that strategy.
