The Turkish textile industry, the world’s 5th largest textile exporter, reached the highest record of all time with an export value of 12.9 billion dollars with an increase of 33.2 in 2021. The industry has experienced an increase in exports in approximately 85% of the more than 200 countries and regions it exports to. It reached the highest monthly export figure of all times in December, increasing 18.2% compared to the same period of the previous year, with an export figure of 1.2 billion dollars. The figures increased by 2.1% compared to November 2021 and had a share of 5.4% in Turkey’s overall exports.
In December 2021, Turkey’s general exports increased by 24.9% and reached a value of 22.3 billion dollars, while exports of industrial products increased by 27.6% and reached a value of 16.9 billion dollars. The average capacity utilization rate of the manufacturing industry for the last 12 months was 76.6%, according to the capacity utilization report announced by the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey. In the same period, the capacity utilization rate, which was 80.5% in the production of textile products, decreased by 1.4% compared to November of 2021, increased by 5% compared to December of 2020.
Turkish textile industry increases its exports to the USA
Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters’ Association (İTHİB) Chairperson of the Board Ahmet Öksüz evaluated the 12-month export figures of the textile industry and said; “We broke the historical record of the republic in exports to European, American, Asian, African Continents and Turkic Republics. We achieved the highest textile export of all time to 96 countries and regions. One of the most pleasing developments for our industry was experienced in our exports to the USA. In 2021, we shipped 839 million dollars’ worth of exports to the USA, one of our biggest target markets. We have been steadily increasing our exports to the USA in the last 3 years. In 2022, we expect to export more than 1 billion dollars to the USA”.
Most exports were to the EU in 2021
The most exports of textiles and raw materials were made to EU (27) countries in the January-December period of 2021. Exports to EU countries reached a value of 12.9 billion dollars with an increase of 33.8% compared to the January-December period of last year. While the second group of countries to which Turkey exports the most textiles and raw materials in 2021 was the Former Eastern Bloc Countries, exports to this region increased by 30.2% in the January-December period, reaching 1.4 billion dollars. Exports to EU countries on a quantity basis increased by 23.5% and amounted to 2.9 million tons in the January-December period of 2021.
The countries with the highest textile exports in 2022 are respectively Italy with an export value of 1.1 billion dollars increasing of 52.5 percent, Germany with an export value of 1 billion dollars increasing 11.2 percent and the USA with an export value of 840 million dollars increasing of 33.7 percent. In 2021, exports to EU countries, the largest export market of the sector, increased by 33.8 percent and amounted to approximately 6 billion dollars. Ahmet Öksüz stated that they expect exports to the EU to reach 7.5 billion dollars in 2022. The countries with the highest increase in exports are; Belarus up by – 75%, Spain up by 61% and Egypt up by 59.9%. There was an increase in all of the top 10 countries to which Turkey exports the most textiles and raw materials in this period.
In the January-December period of 2021, the exports of the Turkish textile and raw materials sector increased by 23.5% compared to the same period of the previous year and amounted to 2.9 million tons. The country with the highest increase in this period in exports on the basis of quantity among the top ten countries was China, the 8th largest export market of the sector. In this period, exports of textiles and raw materials to China increased by 152.2% and reached a value of 94 thousand tons.
“Turkey is the EU’s largest supplier in the knitted fabric industry”
In the January-December period of 2021, the most exported product groups were yarn with an increase of 67.6%, woven fabrics with an increase of 25.8%, and technical textiles with a decrease of 14.5%. Ahmet Öksüz emphasized that home textiles worth 2.3 billion dollars and knitted fabrics worth 2.1 billion dollars were exported in 2021 and stated that they reached the highest export levels of all time in the home textile and knitted fabric industries. Öksüz said; “We have a share of over 10 percent in home textile imports of our biggest export market, the EU. We are the EU’s largest supplier in the knitted fabric industry. The Turkish knitted fabric sector has a share of 42.4 percent in the EU’s knitted fabric imports. We foresee that our success in the home textile and knitted fabric industries will continue in 2022. Furthermore, we will take an action in exports for our woven fabric and technical textile sectors in 2022”.
Öksüz stated that the Turkish textile industry is the second supplier of EU countries and remarked that their goal is to set a new record with exports worth 15 billion dollars in 2022. Öksüz relayed that, companies strengthened their position in the supply chain by implementing new investments rapidly especially in 2021 and added; “In 2022, we will be champions not only in exports but also in investments, investments of 10 billion liras will be put into action in a short time. We are rapidly approaching our goal of becoming one of the world’s top 3 textile exporting countries in the medium term in this context”.