Turkish textile industry, which closely follows all the fairs in the world and participates in the events, closely monitors fashion as a result they can easily bring the latest trends to consumers. This has helped Turkey's textile and apparel exports approach $30 billion annually, while $7.5 billion of this amount comes from Merter, a district in Istanbul known for its ready-to-wear textiles.
According to Merter Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (MESIAD) Chairman Yusuf Gecü, all medium and large textile and apparel manufacturers in Turkey have a store or showroom in Merter. There are 10,000 stores in the region and that the number of people directly employed in these stores has reached 100,000.
As per the latest statistics district exports textile and apparel products to 215 countries around the world.
He pointed out that Merter welcomes 3,000 importers every day from 60 countries in the Middle East, Africa, the Turkic Republics, the Far East and especially from the U.S., Russia, Europe and Gulf countries.
They are the first to come to mind in terms of textile. Turkey is already the shining star of the world in the textile and apparel sector. No matter where in Turkey, their producers are selling from here. Merter's exports amount to 25 percent of annual textile and apparel exports in the country.
Turkey's average export value per kilogram is around $1.7 and that this figure reached $15 in apparel and $5 in textile. They will continue to work on further increasing these figures.
He said that Turkey's 2023 goal is to exceed $50 billion in exports, adding that they aim to make up $15 billion of this figure in Merter alone.
He emphasized that Turkey is among the few countries in the world in terms of producing quality denim jeans and knitted products. Gencü said that Turkish producers are also working their way to becoming top brands themselves. They will combine quality product with design and deepen markets.
Turkish goods are perceived abroad as cheaper than Europe and much better quality than China. Gencü said that this perception was placed in the minds of consumers particularly in Russia, Turkic Republics, African, European, Middle Eastern and Gulf countries.