Turkey’s Clothing Industrialists Association (TGSD) is confident that the textile sector will reach $18 billion or more in exports this year and $25 billion in the next five years. The sector made $17 billion exports last year. TGSD is now working to improve Turkey’s deteriorating image in the country’s and the sector’s top export market, the European Union. The country exported almost 72 per cent of its ready-made clothing to the bloc. The association has commenced proactive initiatives to boost its contract with NGOs in the EU countries, mainly in Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

The sector also plans to improve the quality of the labor force to increase its competitiveness in global markets. Its 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. The sector increased its exports by 10 per cent in the first five months of the year compared to the same period of 2017.