HOME TEXTILES IN TURKEY

Production

The Turkish home textile industry as a sub-sector of the Turkish textile industry which is the world's fourth largest supplier and the EU's second largest supplier has now a significant role in world trade and capacity to meet the high standards of all sophisticated consumers.
Almost all kinds of home textiles are produced in Turkey and may be listed by export value as follows: towels, bed sheets, curtains, bed spreads, tulle, curtain fabrics, table linens, upholstery fabrics, blankets, lace, pillows, quilts, cushions, eiderdowns etc.

The Turkish home textile industry is one of the world leaders with its wide range of products and superior quality in home textile production, especially in the production of towels, bed sheets and covers, curtains, tulle, embroidery, guipure and quilt covers. Turkey has the largest machine park for the production of both embroidery and guipure in the world. In Europe, the largest factory producing quilt covers is in Turkey. The Turkish home textile industry has also acquired the latest technology with high production capacity, a highly skilled labor pool and design and fashion capabilities. In addition, the industry has managed to reduce the cost of production below the world average while it has increased the quality of its products. So, with a huge production capacity, high quality and strong competitiveness, Turkey was in the world's top two suppliers in tulle and curtains, and top three suppliers in bed linens and towels in 2006. In the same way, Turkey was the largest supplier of EU in tulle and towels, and the second in bed linens and curtains in 2006.

In Turkey, the towel sector has traditional roots and its towels are known as "Turkish Towels" worldwide. Today the Turkish towel sector has competitiveness in international markets in terms of jacquard and embroidery technologies. Lace, which is commonly used in many textile applications, especially in home textiles, is originally a Turkish handicraft. It is an embroidery art reaching back to the mid-1500s and crowned by the labor of Turkish women. It is an outstanding handicraft with its traditional taste and motifs in different colors and lines, which are now reflected, in modern home decoration.

Turkish home textile producers are mainly located in Istanbul, Denizli, Bursa, Tekirdag, izmir, Gaziantep, Kayseri and Usak. Towel and bathrobe producers are concentrated in Denizli and Bursa, voile producers in istanbul and Bursa and blanket producers in Usak. Many of the producers in these cities have integrated their production process from yarn and fabric production to product design, dying, finishing and sewing in order to obtain the best quality in every stage of production.

Denizli is the manufacturing center of toweling sector not only in Turkey but also in the world. This city is mostly concentrated on toweling sector. 187 companies manufacture cotton towels and bathrobes. This manufacturing facility on one product group in the same area is a success story and a good example of the cluster development. In Denizli, towels and bathrobes are manufactured from Aegean cotton which is the finest cotton in the world. These towels and bathrobes are well known throughout the world their extraordinary softness, absorbency and warmth. Their extraordinary pile thickness and density gives towels and bathrobes these superior features. In addition, the more these towels and bathrobes are washed the softer and more absorbent they become, contrary to the ordinary products. That's why Denizli alone has a 8.1% share of world's cotton towel exports and a 15% share of world's cotton bathrobe exports. About 90% of these products are exported to all over the world. "Turkish Towels and Bathrobes", the ones especially from Denizli, are not used only at homes but also presented by 5 or 4 star hotels in all over the world as a quality service sign. Moreover, visitors of these hotels would consider a negative point in their services if "Turkish Towels and Bathrobes" were not kept in bathrooms, sportcenters, saunas and hamams.

Bursa is one of the most important manufacturing centers in textile field in the world and it is mostly concentrated on the manufacture of curtains, curtaining and upholstery fabrics, decoration fabrics, bedding products, towels and bathrobes as well as other textiles. There are hundreds of companies which are active in manufacturing and trading on all kinds of textiles in Bursa. Many of these companies have been organized very well and come together in "Bursa International Textile and Shopping Centre", called Buttim shortly. In Buttim, there are about 850 textile companies, most of which are active in the sector of home textiles, curtaining and upholstery fabrics. In Buttim, there are about 320 showrooms where every kind of home textiles and textile products are presented to thousands of visitors from home and abroad. Buttim is such a huge centre that it has a daily visitor capacity with 20 thousands. Therefore, visitors abroad looking for upper quality and a wide range of home textiles, curtains, curtaining and furnishing fabrics etc. should not go back home without visiting Buttim.

Home Textile and Decorative Textile Companies in the List of "Turkey's Top 500 Industrial Enterprises"

1 Rank in 500 Company Name City
50 Korteks Mensucat San. ve Tic. A.S. istanbul
69 Sanko Tekstil isletmeleri San. ve Tic. A.S. Gaziantep
117 Zorlu Linen Dokuma Emprime Konfeksiyon San. ve Tic. A.S. istanbul
119 Yesim Tekstil San. ve Tic. A.S. Bursa
149 Menderes Tekstil San. ve Tic. A.S. Denizli
■ 151 Merinos Hah San. ve Tic. A.S. Gaziantep
177 Kugukgahk Tekstil San. ve Tic. A.S. inegol
326 Ozdilek Ahsveris Merkezleri ve Tekstil San. A.S. Bursa
332 Birlik Mensucat Tic. ve San. isletmesi A.S. Kayseri
337 Nergis Tekstil San. ve Tic. A.S. Bursa
354 Denizli Basma ve Boya San. A.S. Denizli
366 Saray Hah A.S. Istanbul
368 Yatas Yatak ve Yorgan San. Tic. A.S. Kayseri
372 Boyteks Tekstil San. ve Tic. A.S. Kayseri
373 Cetinkaya Mensucat San. ve Tic. Anonim Sirketi. istanbul
393 Aydm Orme San. ve Tic. A.S. istanbul
428 Ozanteks Tekstil San. ve Tic. A.S. Denizli
429 Birko Birlesik Koyunlular Mensucat Tic. ve San. A.S. Nigde
474 Kuguker Tekstil San. ve Tic. A.S. Denizli
483 Harput Tekstil San. ve Tic. Ltd. Sti. Bursa
488 Aydm Mensucat Dbsemelik Kumas San. ve Tic. A.S. istanbul
 

Source: Istanbul Chamber of Industry, Turkey's Top 500 Industrial Enterprises", 2006

Besides large-scale firms, there are many small and medium sized companies scattered all around the country. In the rural areas around some cities like Denizli, Mugla and
Kastamonu, the production of traditional fabrics is still widespread and recently they have been used in the production of home textiles. One of these traditional fabrics which has worldwide fame is the "Buldan Fabric", from the Buldan province of Denizli. With its characteristic designs it is unique and carries the heritage of the past into the present as it is woven on traditional hand looms. This fabric, which has a completely natural look and basic textile characteristic due to being made of pure cotton, is widely used both in traditional and modern home decoration. Another traditional fabric is "Selalmaz Qemberi" which takes its name from Selalmaz, a region in Kastamonu. This fabric is also obtained from pure cotton yarn and woven on hand looms. It is a very thin fabric like tulle. It is so difficult a fabric to weave that one can only weave one metre per day. Due to its outstanding originality it is used widely in-home decoration as well as making clothing. "Azdavay Qemberi" is another famous fabric woven in Azdavay, a town of Kastamonu. It is made from linen or pure cotton and it too is a very original hand woven fabric. This fabric, like Selalmaz Qemberi, is woven loose or dense. It is used widely in home decoration and making clothing. Since all of these traditional fabrics are natural, made of pure cotton or linen without using any chemical dyes, they are environmentally friendly. Therefore, there is considerable demand for home textiles made of these fabrics in international markets.

Today the Turkish home textile industry is aware of the trend in international markets towards the increasing demand for healthier and more environmentally friendly products and quickly adapts itself to developments in legal and technical regulations. Many manufacturers in the sector are able to produce in quality and environment management systems, e.g. ISO 9000 series. Additionally, some companies in the home textile sector have private eco-labels.

In a rapidly changing world, the home decoration field is very sensitive to all changes. That's why the creation of collections with innovative and modern designs and motifs in addition to the quality of the product is essential. Turkish home textile manufacturers are very conscious about fashion creation and design, which enables them to gain a special place in international markets. New and modern designs and unique motifs, all created by Turkish designers, keep a finger on the pulse of world home decoration fashion and meet most tastes and preferences.

Production of Turkish Home Textiles (1000 tons)
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
252.0 233.3 243.8 274.0 281.2 288.0
Source: State Planning Organization

Exports

Besides meeting domestic demand in Turkey, the Turkish home textile sector with its high potential in the export market and its wide range of products and superior quality, is an important export earner for the country. The sector exports about 60% of its production. The home textile sector, with an export value over US $1.9 billion and a 2.0% share in Turkey's total exports in 2007, has been an important sub-sector for the Turkish economy.

With its fashion products, the advanced technology of production and quality of products, Turkey has been increasing her share in the main markets, especially in the European market. Therefore, prominent world suppliers have started to cooperate with Turkish manufacturers in joint production in the home textile field.
According to the International Trade Center's (ITC) statistics, Turkey was the fourth largest exporting country in home textiles with a share of 6% and a value of US$ 1.7 billion in 2006. Turkey was in the world's top two suppliers in tulle and curtains with the shares of 11% and 6% respectively. In the same way, Turkey ranked third in exports of bed sheets and towels with the shares of 5% and 12% respectively. Now Turkey's main target in the world home textile market is to double her market share and to increase the existing number of Turkish brands.

The European countries are the most important markets for Turkey's home textile exports. A large quantity of home textiles is exported to Germany. The other main markets are the USA, the U.K., France, Russia, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.
In recent years, Turkish companies in many consumer goods sectors such as clothing, home textile, carpets, footwear, leather clothing and goods, furniture and jewellery have been very active in retailing sector abroad and had stores over 1,700 worldwide. The number of stores new-opened abroad has been increasing day by day and expected to reach 5,000 until the year 2010.

Home textile sector ranks second with 280 stores in terms of the number of stores abroad after clothing sector which has 1,350 stores. Until 2010, the number of stores abroad belongs to Turkish home textile companies, is expected to reach 600.
Turkey exhibits her full potential in home textiles in major specialized fairs both in Turkey and abroad. Major fairs in Turkish Home Textiles Industry in 2008 are as follows:

• DENiZLi EVTEK'08 - Denizli, March (Home Textiles and Wedding Preparation)
• EVTEKS 2008 - istanbul, May (Home Textiles) For Detailed information: www.itf-evteks.com
• Gaziantep Carpet, Furniture, Home Textiles and Durable Consumer Goods 2008 -Gaziantep, October
For Detailed information: www.halimobilya.com
• MERSiN HOME2008 - Mersin, October (Carpet, Furniture, Home Textiles and Durable Consumer Goods)
For Detailed information: www.mersinhome.com
• MOBTEKS 2008 - Bursa, November (Upholstery Fabrics, Home Textiles and Accessories)
For Detailed information: www.tuyap.com.tr/webpages/bursamobteks_eng/index.php
EVTEKS istanbul Home Textile Exhibition, held in istanbul in May each year, is the second largest fair in the world in home textile field. EVTEKS creates a platform that exhibits the competitive and high quality production of Turkey to the world. EVTEKS 2008 which was the 14th one this year and was held in 11 halls hosted 652 Turkish exhibitors and 98 foreign exhibitors with 1,340 brands from 21 countries such as Spain, Italy Germany, France, Belgium, the UK, the USA, India, Pakistan