Turkish textile exports declined by 13.6% in the first half of 2023, reaching $5.9 billion. This was led by a 22.1% drop in exports to the European Union, the top export destination. Exports to African countries also declined by 18.9%.

In terms of product groups, woven fabric was the most exported product, followed by technical textiles and yarn. However, all three product groups saw declines in exports. Knitted fabric exports bucked the trend, rising by 0.9%.

The decline in textile exports was accompanied by a drop in capacity utilization and production. The capacity utilization rate in the textile product manufacturing sector fell to 70.7% in June 2023, from 79.5% in the same month of the previous year. The textile industry production index also declined by 11.2% in April 2023.

The decline in textile exports is likely due to a number of factors, including the rising cost of raw materials, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the global economic slowdown.