The home textile sector in Turkey has sustained its development as a branch of textile and garment industry.
This venture, which began with the weaving industry in Anatolia, has become famous with weaving in a number of regions. These include the Buldan Fabric of Denizli, the Silk of Bursa and Corum’s Kargi Fabric, just to name a few. The factory constructed in Izmit, or the “Hereke Fabrika-i Humayun”, has throughout its 150 year history pioneered the production of many towel textile goods extending from silk weaving to carpets, from clothing to socks. With the jacquard workbenches, introduced from France in 1850, production of the fabrics for flooring and curtains today has become an important and indispensable part of home textile.
After 1990, the home textile sector developed dramatically and Turkish home textile products have reached a position in which they can comfortably compete in world markets. The main reasons for this are a huge variety in fabric and design, production with latest technology, utilization of innovative and modern design and motifs, as well as a combination of the highest level quality and reasonable prices. Today in Turkey, all types of home textile goods are being manufactured and Turkish home textile production is progressing on the road to becoming one of the leading markets thanks to greater product variety and excellence in quality.
The Turkish home textiles industry has recently achieved success in dealing and combating with the negative aspects of the global economic crisis. Turkey is one of the major centers setting the trends and fashion in the global home textiles industry and Turkey is one of the world’s top three exporters of home textiles, with 5% global market share. Turkish home textiles possess some critically unique features. Primarily, the sector, having a very strong quality image abroad, has a machinery park with the latest technology and an infrastructure with a flexible working style and a highly qualified labor force which can produce a wide range of products.
The “Turkish Home Textile Sector”, unlike contracting manufacturers of only name brands – as in many divisions of textile; is one of the brilliant sectors with its design, product technology, R&D investments, production capacity and its worldwide brand names. Today, Turkey is exporting its own special collections to mature markets such as EU & USA and also exporting to rising markets such as CIS, Far East and The Middle East.
In 2011, its export volume surpassed 3 billion dollars. The sector offers highly quality production in a global market with its capacity, technology, quality and trend creating designs and is raising its market share by increasing promotion and marketing activities. Among the main factors providing success in the sector, is brand creation. Today, it is apparent that the companies which truly ascend in terms of their brands become more powerful in the international arena. Furthermore, adapting to high value-added quality products, participation in international fairs in order to introduce Turkish home textile products, consideration of intellectual property rights, human health, environment and total quality management issues also aid in increasing the competitiveness in the sector.
High scale companies acquire the highest level quality in all stages of production by integrating the production process from fiber and fabric manufacture to product design, painting, finishing and sewing. This process has brought the companies acting in the home textile sector 84 HTE October 2013 to very key positions in Europe and worldwide. Here are some facts: The machinery park established to produce embroidery and guipure in Turkey is the largest machinery park in the world. The largest bedding factory in Europe is in Turkey. Turkey is one of the top three suppliers of curtains and embroidery in Europe, and is also one of the top three global suppliers of towels. All of these companies run at high capacity, using modern technology and a highly qualified labor-force with well-trained human resource representatives. The success that this industry has gained in international trade is a result of the hard work of small and medium sized firms as well as large, modern and vertically integrated companies.
According to data from Turkish Statistics Institute, more than 5500 companies are active in production in the home textile industry. The major centers of production are Istanbul, Denizli, Bursa, Izmir and Usak. Concentrated production of net lace and sheets are centered in Bursa and Istanbul and that of blanket weaving in Usak.The most important events in terms of providing accessibility to foreign buyers are the various exhibitions and fairs. The trend of growth in the sector is increasing daily with intensified involvement of the sector in the fairs in a greater attempt to introduce itself and market its products.At the end of 2011, the total exports of textile and clothing of Turkey is recorded as 24 billion USD. Total textile exports of Turkey are 8 billion USD. Total Home Textile exports of Turkey are recorded as 3 billion USD. Towels, bed sheets, curtain fabric, bathrobes, the other furnishing articles, curtains, interior blinds, curtain and bed valances and upholstery fabrics are the main export articles.
Main export products among the Turkish Home Textile products (2011)
1. Towels, 634 million dollars
2. Bed sheets, 600 million dollars
3. Curtain Fabric, 390 million dollars
4. Home Tex. – Other items 387 million dollars
5. The Other Furnishing Articles, 303 million dollars
Turkish Home Textile Exports By Country (The first five in 2011)
1. Germany, 712 million dollars (22%)
2. Russian Federation, 302 million dollars (16%)
3. United States of America, 225 million dollars (7%)
4. France, 203 million dollars (9%)
5. Iran, 153 million dollars (3%)
