Fashion Industry's 78 Stars Honored with Awards

Ege Ready-to-Wear and Apparel Exporters Association awarded export stars to 73 members who earned Turkey over USD 1 billion in foreign exchange in 2024, and also presented appreciation plaques to 5 longest-standing members.

At the "2024 Ready-to-Wear and Apparel Export Stars Award Ceremony" held at Ege Exporters Associations, 73 companies with exports of USD 2 million and above qualified for awards in bronze, silver, gold and platinum categories.

In the platinum category, Sun Tekstil Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. and Üniteks Tekstil Gıda Sanayi Dış Ticaret A.Ş. qualified for awards, while TAMİŞ Gömlek San. A.Ş., Demirışık Teks. Konf. San. A.Ş., Roteks Tekstil İhracat Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Eriş Giyim Sanayi ve Dış Ticaret Ltd. Şti. and Menderes Tekstil Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. received appreciation plaques as the oldest and active exporting companies.

Burak Sertbaş, Member of TİM Sectors Council and Chairman of Ege Ready-to-Wear and Apparel Exporters Association, noted that it was a difficult year due to global economic contraction, regional conflicts, high inflation in Turkey, the exchange rate not rising in line with inflation, increased labor and raw material costs, and domestic market contraction. He shared that the stagnation in Europe, the main export market, is expected to last longer than anticipated, and recovery expectations have been postponed to early 2026.

Capacity utilization declined to 76 percent
Recalling that Turkey's overall ready-to-wear exports were USD 19.2 billion in 2023, Sertbaş stated: "We closed 2024 with USD 17.9 billion, a 7 percent decline. Our Association's confection exports in 2024 increased 4 percent compared to the previous year, reaching USD 1 billion 388 million. Despite all difficulties, although not at the level we desired, we managed to preserve our exports in 2024. Unfortunately, we are entering the new year with problems continuing from 2024. The absence of an increase in foreign demand, the exchange rate not rising at the same rate as inflation, and high costs indicate that 2025 will not be an easy year either. Company closures and layoffs in the sector have increased. Our capacity utilization rate has declined to around 76 percent."

Sertbaş, saying "The cost burden on exporters needs to be eased," continued: "As a sector, we are aware of our potential and capacity. We are among Turkey's highest value-added sectors. I believe we will overcome difficulties together."

We participated in 4 fairs with 70 companies as a national collective
Providing information that EHKİB facilitated national collective participation in 4 fairs in 2024, with a total of 70 companies, Chairman Burak Sertbaş stated: "We began 2025 with our national collective participation organizations at PV Manufacturing Paris and Munich Fabric Start (MFS) the Source fairs. At these fairs, we endeavored to represent our sector in the best way with 36 of our companies. In addition to fairs, we will organize sectoral trade missions in our target markets and bring purchasing missions from these countries. Thus, we will continue to contribute to strengthening our companies' international ties in 2025 as well."

Noting that they will hold the EİB Fashion Design Competition, which they organize annually to develop design culture and bring talented young people together with the sector, for the 19th time in 2025 with the theme "Global Nomad," Sertbaş spoke as follows: "In 2025, one of the main focal points of our activities will be sustainability. Our sector, due to financial difficulties, is struggling to implement green transition investments. However, customers continue to evaluate producers according to sustainability criteria such as energy and water use and occupational safety. Producers unable to meet these standards may face the risk of being excluded from competition. We believe that with easier access to financing in 2025, our companies will prioritize green transition investments again."

Award-winning companies at EHKİB Export Stars Award Ceremony:

PLATINUM CATEGORY
SUN TEKSTİL SANAYİ VE TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
ÜNİTEKS TEKSTİL GIDA SANAYİ DIŞ TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ

GOLD CATEGORY
FB DIŞ TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
FG TEKSTİL KONFEKSİYON SANAYİ VE TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
FIRATTEKS TEKSTİL SANAYİ VE TİCARET LİMİTED ŞİRKETİ
MASEKSPORT GIDA VE İHTİYAÇ MADDELERİ TEKSTİL TARIM İHRACAT İTHALAT SANAYİ VE TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
NARKONTEKS TEKSTİL İHR.İTH.SAN VE TİC.A.Ş.
ROTEKS TEKSTİL İHRACAT SANAYİ VE TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
SPOT TEKSTİL SANAYİ VE TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
TYH ULUSL. TEKS. PAZ. SAN. VE TİC. AŞ
YAVUZÇEHRE TEKSTİL SANAYİ VE TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ

SILVER CATEGORY
BETA KONFEKSİYON TEKSTİL İHRACAT İTHALAT SANAYİ VE TİCARET LİMİTED ŞİRKETİ
BR MAĞAZACILIK TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
DEBB UNİCA TEKSTİL SAN. TİC. AŞ
DEMİRIŞIK TEKS.KONF.SAN.AŞ.
EGEDENİZ TEKSTİL SANAYİ VE TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
ERA TEKSTİL SANAYİ VE TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
EROS TEKSTİL KONFEKSİYON SANAYİ VE TİCARET LİMİTED ŞİRKETİ
FARBE TEKSTİL TURİZM İNŞAAT ENERJİ SANAYİ VE TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
GNT TEKSTİL BİLİŞİM SANAYİ VE TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
GÜLCAN SEPİN TEKSTİL SANAYİ VE TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
İYA TEKSTİL SANAYİ VE TİCARET LİMİTED ŞİRKETİ
LEANA TEKSTİL SANAYİ VE TİCARET A.Ş
MEBA GİYİM SAN.VE TİC. LTD. ŞTİ.
MEDCARE SAĞLIK ÜRÜNLERİ SANAYİ VE TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
MOSİ TEKSTİL ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
SINA TEKSTİL VE KONFEKSİYON SANAYİ TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ
SİR HAZIR GİYİM TEKSTİL SANAYİ VE TİCARET LİMİTED ŞİRKETİ
TAYRA TEKSTİL SANAYİ VE TİCARET LİMİTED ŞİRKETİ
YILMAZ KONFEKSİYON TİC. VE SAN A.Ş
ZAROTEKS TEKSTİL İNŞ.TAAHHÜT İTH.İHR.PAZ.SAN.VE TİC.LTD.ŞTİ