Turkey is no longer a textile country! Ready-to-wear imports are reaching record levels

Due to high production costs and a low exchange rate in Turkey's ready-to-wear sector, imports are rising while exports continue to decline. Imports, which reached 4 billion dollars in 2024, rose by 25 percent to 4.2 billion dollars in the first ten months of 2025. Imports are expected to reach 5 billion dollars by the end of the year.

Many Turkish clothing manufacturers have shifted their production to Egypt due to cost advantages. This situation has made Turkey an important export market for Egypt. In the January-October period, imports from Egypt increased by 71 percent to 321 million dollars. Thus, Egypt has become one of Turkey's top three suppliers.

According to data from the Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Association, Turkey's ready-to-wear imports have shown a general upward trend in recent years, despite some fluctuations. In the first ten months of 2025, imports increased by 25 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching 4 billion 160 million dollars. If this trend continues, imports are expected to reach 5 billion dollars by the end of the year.

Şeref Fayat, President of the TOBB Ready-to-Wear and Apparel Sector Council, stated that the sector has suffered significant losses over the last three years. Fayat said, "We have lost 4-5 billion dollars in exports over the last three years. As for imports, we have started to become expensive even for our own brands." Fayat pointed out that the strength of the Turkish Lira has made imports cheap and production expensive.

Sector representatives emphasize that domestic production must be increased to regain competitiveness. Through this, the goal is to reduce the pressure of imports.