Turkish Textile Industry Adapts to Change

As artificial intelligence, climate change and digital transformation accelerate globally, the Turkish textile sector is pursuing various projects across design and production to lead during this period of change. With the new year, the textile, leather and apparel sectors aim to produce high-value-added products with innovation-focused business models, strengthen competitiveness and promote social responsibility awareness. In the targets of the government's 12th Development Plan covering 2024-2028, priority steps include increasing the technology level and establishing standards of "technical textiles" production methods that emphasize high-performance products. In particular, sectors exporting to European Union countries aim to rapidly implement necessary legislative changes to comply with the European Green Deal. The projects to be developed are expected to ensure alignment with the EU Sustainable and Circular Textiles Strategy. This strategy includes strengthening industrial competitiveness and innovation in the sector, strengthening the EU market for sustainable and circular textiles including the reuse market, and promoting new business models.

Top three target

Turkey ranks 4th in global textile exports by country and 6th in ready-to-wear apparel exports. With the steps to be taken, the top three positions are being targeted in this field, while production aims to focus on "fashion/brand" and "high-value-added products" without compromising quality for competition. In addition to increasing investment in next-generation production technologies and machinery, priorities include ensuring that products on the market are long-lasting and recyclable, produced largely from recycled fibres, free from hazardous substances, respectful of social rights and the environment, and featuring widespread reuse and repair services. Additionally, the expansion of the EU's "Ecodesign Directive" aims to make products placed on the EU market more sustainable. The sector is expected to undergo numerous transformations ranging from product durability and repairability to increasing energy and resource efficiency, reducing carbon footprint to restricting single-use items, banning the destruction of unsold durable goods to digitalising product information including solutions such as digital passports, labelling and watermarks. Firms focusing on green and digital transformation in the sector are transforming their design and production processes. H&M, using 3D printing in production, has focused on making the production process more efficient and environmentally friendly. Nike aims to optimise production processes using artificial intelligence and reduce environmental impacts. Hugo Boss plans to use Internet of Things, digital visualisation and artificial intelligence technologies to minimise errors and integrate human operations with technology. Levi's is conducting work involving the use of transformed materials in production and more efficient use of resources. These steps, which are expected to also shape fashion in the coming period, are expected to be rapidly integrated into processes in Turkey. Source