During the week of May 10, Organic Exchange accepted the invitation of member Orta Anadolu, Turkish Denim Manufacturer, to visit their marketing office in Istanbul and factory in Kayseri, Turkey. Through Orta Anadolu's generous offer, Andy Salm, OE Europe Director, and Daren Abney, Member Services Manager, were also able to visit with other OE members in Turkey, as well as prospective members and partners. This opportunity to explore the Turkish manufacturing and sourcing industry provided OE with an overview of an industry adapting and growing to meet the sustainability needs of textile customers worldwide.
Turkey remains a powerhouse in terms of textile manufacturing. Turkey is the second largest producer of organic cotton lint globally and is a GMO-free country, thereby reducing the risk of contamination. OE visited the Istanbul Textile Exporters Association which has over 10 000 members where we learnt that Turkey's textile exports topped $20 billion in 2009. The Turkish textile industry is mature and offers a huge variety of fabrics and apparel essential to any major sourcing program. Proximity to the European market and fast turnaround are other competitive differentiations that Turkey currently offers.
We appreciate the continued support of OE in Turkey and thank Orta Anadolu again for this opportunity. Turkey continues to play an important role in the organic cotton industry, and we hope to work with manufacturers here to further support the growth of sustainable production in organic cotton, and other sustainable textiles as well.