Turkish Fashion Industry Targets Italy

Turkish Fashion Industry Sets Sights on Italy Having exported USD 823 million in 2022, Turkey aims to raise exports to Italy—which imports nearly USD 20 billion in ready-made garments annually—to USD 1 billion. The Aegean Ready-made Garment and Apparel Exporters Association (EHKİB), between 6-9 March 2023, organized a buying delegation to Italy, one of Turkey's major trading partners, with the support of the Ministry of Commerce and in cooperation with the Izmir Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Renowned Italian brands appreciate our design approach

EHKİB Chairman Burak Sertbaş announced that Italy's ready-made garment imports totaled USD 19.4 billion in the 11-month period of 2022. "Turkey holds the 7th largest supplier position with a 4.2% share of Italy's approximately USD 20 billion import volume. Turkey's overall ready-made garment exports to Italy increased 23% in 2022, reaching USD 823 million. It is also Turkey's 7th largest market. The Aegean Region ranked as Italy's 5th largest trading partner in 2022 with a 27% increase, totaling USD 92 million. In our Italy Buying Delegation organization, 33 manufacturing member companies participated in negotiations, while 9 buyers from Italy attended. Approximately 200 bilateral meetings were held. Italian buyers also visited our companies' facilities. The similarities between Italy and Turkey are substantial. Renowned brands in Italy purchase extensively from us and also appreciate our design capabilities. We aim to increase our share from the Italian market in the short term and raise our exports to USD 1 billion."

Netherlands and USA on agenda

EHKİB Foreign Market Strategy Development Committee Chairman Tala Uğuz stated: "We are pleased that the Italy buying delegation went well for our companies. As an association, to avoid being affected by the global recession, we are developing an aggressive marketing strategy focused on Europe, traditionally our strongest market, and the USA as our target market. We continue our efforts to organize a sectoral trade delegation to the Netherlands, another important market for us. We plan to organize a USA Sectoral Trade Delegation in the fall."

Turkey ranks second among the world's major ready-made garment suppliers

Şahika Aşkıner, Vice President of the Izmir Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Member of the Audit Board of EHKİB, stated: "According to research conducted by Just Style, Turkey ranks second among the world's most important ready-made garment suppliers. This is because our country has advantages over competitors in price-tariff benefits, sustainability and traceability, production quality, efficiency, delivery time, reliability, ability to produce value-added products, flexibility in order quantities, and proximity to market for European countries. Our participants who have previously done business with Turkey are already aware of our country's advantages. The B2B organizations organized by Aegean Exporters Associations with the Izmir Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2011 with Italian buyers were attended by 41 Italian companies. Among the participants were major names such as Prada, Giorgio Armani, Coin, Rifle, Miroglio, Gilmar, Monnalisa, Mafrat, and Zegna."