Turkey’s textile industry, the second-largest product group in exports, recorded more than an 8% increase year-on-year in exports, hitting $1.81 billion (TL 13.1 billion) in July.

An Anadolu Agency (AA) report published Tuesday, which cited Uludağ Exporters Union (UIB) and Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) data, showed that the textile and ready-to-wear industry exported to more than 150 countries in July.

Meanwhile, the total exports reached $8.79 billion in the first half of 2020, posting a 15% decrease compared to the previous year.

Germany ranked first among the recipient countries of Turkish textile exports in July with $349.1 million, a 15% increase year-on-year. Spain and the U.K. followed Germany with $248 million and $183 million, respectively.

Meanwhile, exports to the U.S. increased by a whopping 53% in the same period compared to the previous year and reached $109 million.

Turkey’s overall exports reached the highest level of 2020 as they hit over $15 billion amid a rapid recovery from the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the country’s Export Climate Index (ECI) for the manufacturing sector increased to 53 in July, its first above-50 index post in five months.

The Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) report, prepared in cooperation with London-based global data firm IHS Markit, showed that the index increased more than five points from 47.5 in June, signaling strong improvements in demand for Turkish manufactured exports.