The February 2025 report on the ready-made garment and apparel sector was published by İHKİB (Istanbul Apparel Exporters’ Association), providing important information about the sector’s current situation and its projections for the future. During the period in question, the sector continued to rank third in the overall export ranking, following the automotive industry with a 14.3% share and the chemical products sector with a 12% share. This once again highlights the sector’s significant position in the global market and the competitiveness of Turkish ready-made garment products worldwide.

When a more detailed assessment of the sector’s exports is made, knitted products (Chapter 61) were identified as the product group with the highest exports in January–February 2025. The importance of this product group stems from the fact that it is one of the production areas of the Turkish ready-made garment sector that is recognized and in demand worldwide. Knitted products hold a large share of the world market thanks to both their durability and their compatibility with fashion, and Turkey has a strong production and export capacity in this field.

Worldwide, the USA, which ranks first in ready-made garment and apparel imports with a 19.1% share, maintains its position as the largest buyer in the sector. This demonstrates the influence of the Turkish ready-made garment sector in the US market. Turkey, on the other hand, ranks 6th worldwide in ready-made garment and apparel exports with a 3.5% share, and when exports to the European Union are taken into account, this rate rises to 12.6%, making Turkey the 3rd largest exporter. These figures reveal the advantage that Turkey’s strong export performance in the ready-made garment sector provides, particularly in the European market and other important regional markets.

The increases in production in the sector are also quite remarkable. While an increase of 9.3% was observed in the ready-made garment sector, it can be said that this increase is an indicator of the rising productivity and production capacity in the sector. On the other hand, increases of 6.8% in the manufacturing industry and 5.4% in the textile sector were recorded. The increases in production reflect the sector’s domestic economic dynamism and play an important role in creating employment and providing an economic contribution.

These successes achieved by the Turkish ready-made garment sector in global markets are milestones not only in economic terms but also in terms of sectoral transformation and innovation. Factors such as the improvement of production processes, investments in sustainability efforts, and the integration of new technologies are bringing the Turkish ready-made garment and apparel sector to a more competitive position worldwide. In addition, the increase in the sector’s export capacity enables Turkish brands to gain greater international recognition and to reach consumers around the world.

In summary, with the successes achieved as of February 2025, the Turkish ready-made garment and apparel sector continues to be an important player in global markets.