Turkish textile sector working to improve Turkey image in Europe

ISTANBUL

Turkish textile manufacturers have been in efforts to improve Turkey’s deteriorating image in Europe, the top market for the sector, a leading association president has announced.

During a panel on June 20, Turkey’s Clothing Industrialists Association (TGSD) President Hadi Karasu also said the sector aimed at reaching $18 billion or more in exports this year, adding that the target was to increase this amount to $25 billion in the next five years.

The sector made $17 billion exports last year.

Karasu noted the sector was now working to improve Turkey’s deteriorating image in the country’s and the sector’s top export market, the European Union.

Turkey made almost 72 percent of its ready-made clothing exports to the bloc.

“Unfortunately, the EU’s perception of Turkey has been severely deteriorating in recent years. We have commenced proactive initiatives to evade these negative thoughts by boosting our contract with NGOs in the EU countries, mainly in Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands,” he said, adding that the sector players recently came together with their German counterparts.

“We will hold such meetings in other EU countries in the upcoming period,” the TGSD president added, as quoted by Reuters on June 20.

The sector also needs to improve the quality of the labor force to increase its competitiveness in global markets, he also said, adding that the sector’s five-year roadmap was based on three main pillars: Making close contact with the sector’s markets, raising added-value in production and increasing sustainability.

Karasu also noted that the sector increased its exports by 10 percent in the first five months of the year compared to the same period of 2017.