Texhibition Istanbul Fabric and Textile Accessories Fair, held in March this year, aimed to further highlight the Turkish textile industry, and push it towards becoming the focal point of the European textile market.

The fair, which boasted a record 437 producers exhibiting their wares, managed to attract over 18,000 visitors, a 50% increase on last year’s show. The fair attracted mainly Turkish attendees; however, the organisers hope to make the sourcing fair more international in the future.

The organisers aim to increase exports of Turkish textiles and reach ambitious targets of accounting for 20% of the EU’s textile imports. This is despite current challenges, including inflation, upcoming elections, and the catastrophic effects of the earthquake in the southeast of Turkey, which affected the weaving and spinning mills in the area.

Nonetheless, companies like Bossa and Sasa, whose factories were not damaged, plan to keep production going, albeit at slightly lower levels.

However, cotton supplier Iskur was badly affected, losing a warehouse and 70% of its yarn factory. It is slowly restarting production.