Turkish textile firms claim 10 percent of German market


Turkey's ready-to-wear industry has claimed around 10 percent of the German apparel market, the Association of Aegean Exporters (EİB) has claimed.

EİB in a recent statement claimed that 10 out of every 100 Germans wear clothes and apparel made in Turkey. The statement was issued as some 14 Turkish firms, under the leadership of EİB, attended the Munich Apparel Source Fair, organized simultaneously with the Munich Fabric Start Fair, one of the largest fabric fairs in the world.

Meanwhile, Aegean Association of Readymade and Apparel Exporters (EHKİB) Chair Emre Kızılgüneşler said that Turkey was one of Germany's biggest suppliers with at least 10 percent in the market.

Pointing out the fact that Turkey was third in readymade garment exports, after China and Bangladesh, Kızılgüneşler said that they want to rank first by focusing more on the German market.

He also highlighted the exporters' belief that the recent political tensions between the two countries would not affect the export figures.

"When we look at Turkey's exports figures to Germany, we observe no impact of the political row," he said.

Exports to Germany during the first eight months of the year registered a 7 percent increase and reached $9.6 billion. During the same period, Turkey's ready-to-wear industry saw 1 percent increase in exports as sales hit $2.1 billion.

The EHKİB Promotion Committee Chair Elvan Ünlütürk also made a presentation at the Munich Apparel Source Fair, where she explained the advantages offered by the Turkish textile sector.

She informed that Turkey has the largest thread, home textile and fabric production capacity in Europe. It was also the world's third largest supplier of socks and ranked sixth in woven fabric. It was also the largest producer of woven carpets.

Turkey boasts more than 60,000 garment and textile companies that employ more than a million people.