5-8 FEB, 2025, Istanbul Expo Center
Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporter Association (IHKIB) vice chairman Mustafa Paşahan reveals Türkiye is embarking on the next chapter of its apparel industry journey.
During the sixth IFCO conference in Istanbul, Türkiye, Paşahan declares Türkiye’s rival can only be Türkiye as it has a key advantage over other sourcing countries — its proximity to Europe — which is especially important when it comes to smaller orders. Geological advantage, speedy production, quality products It is understandable how Türkiye’s geological advantage of being both in Asia and Europe gives it a competitive edge. Paşahan uses the UK as an example, saying if there’s an urgent requirement for a small batch of orders, Türkiye is the answer and not China.
He draws attention to the quality products Türkiye offers irrespective of the “slight” increase in prices, quoting a Turkish quote which directly translates to English as “every rose has its thorn.” He says: “Our prices might be slightly higher than those in Middle Eastern countries, but our fellow partners in Europe should understand that we are very fast and we are producing really high quality. But the most important thing is the speed. We are really fast in production and transportation.” An ever-growing and ever-evolving industry
Paşahan emphasises the way businesses and supply chain operations have transformed since thepandemic, but, he isn’t afraid to say that Türkiye is far ahead in the new world order.
“This is the case in Türkiye, especially in terms of clean energy, clean water and recycling. Many of the factories built recently are now making serious efforts to become green factories, which means we are good in that sense,” he exclaims. Paşahan shares the goals of ready-made clothing manufacturers are never ending as there’s always a new goal on the horizon to meet, or a new project. He points out that one of the long-term projects Türkiye has been focusing on is sustainability, adding that the country is allocating a good amount of budget for serious work in this avenue. However, he expects partnering countries, especially from Europe, to understand the sensitivity of these projects because of the monetary investments and calls for support. Despite this, he says Türkiye is completely compatible with current EU standards and requirements. Additionally, the country is allocating
resources towards establishing a unit that will reduce carbon emissions — a unit that will measure the emissions from each product, thus, contributing to the industry’s and global climate goals.
Technology and digital advancements As Türkiye celebrates the third anniversary of its Digital Transformation Centre (DDM), a project funded by IHKIB and in cooperation with the European Union, Paşahan shares that thanks to digitalisation it now takes only a few seconds to make a simple shirt as opposed to two or three hours. He explains that DDM, which is a model factory, uses cutting-edge technology that scans all the measurements in seconds, and Türkiye is laying emphasis on production as well as research and training. DDM aims to increase the digital skills of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and innovative entrepreneurs operating in the ready-to-wear and textiles sectors. Paşahan however, does not shy away from outlining the grey area, noting that most countries including Türkiye are facing production problems. To address this, DDM provides support and training programmes. Supporting in-house brands and new opportunities
Currently, Türkiye has over 3,000 Turkish brands and approximately 1,000 sales points globally and one of its priorities is to empower its in-house brands and designers, as well as provide investments for branding.
According to Paşahan, the country’s focus continues to be on sourcing, quality, cost management, and sustainability, and companies in Türkiye are also encouraged to invest in their own brands.
He views Türkiye’s burgeoning population, bordering close to 100 million, as the next big
opportunity. Paşahan remarks: “Our growth rate is much higher than the global growth rate so many investors come here to make investments. That’s why there are always opportunities in Türkiye.”
Declining trade and future prospects
Paşahan warns of a global 10-13% decline in textile and ready-made garments clothing, noting that Türkiye is not the only country experiencing lower trade volumes. He remains optimistic that trade will get better and is quick to point out the resilience and strength of Türkiye’s apparel industry despite the ongoing disputes worldwide, hinting at the socio-political unrest in Bangladesh and wars between Israel-Gaza, Russia and Ukraine. When asked if buyers have redirected to Türkiye to fulfil sourcing needs amid ongoing crises elsewhere, he reaffirms the country’s strength lies in its location, dynamism and quality: “We are already in the centre, we are already here, so it’s not the political issue or dispute in Bangladesh that we are trying to make use of. Now, Israel is a small country after all. What happens if Türkiye doesn’t sell anything to Israel? Nothing much happens. But tomorrow, with normalisation, Türkiye will continue its sales and trade there.”
Paşahan ends on the same note he started, by reiterating how Türkiye is its own competition. Of course, he hopes for no wars or conflicts in the world even if it means dampened trade, instead, he is confident in Türkiye’s capability to persevere through hardships and recover.
He concludes: “We organise good international trade fairs, we organise trade delegations, we bring purchasing groups and we will continue to work hard.”
