According to the data announced by the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TİM), Turkey's ready-to-wear and apparel exports in the first three months of January-March 2021 increased by 11.6% compared to the same period of 2020 and reached 4.7 billion dollars. The ready-to-wear and apparel industry became the third largest exporter industry after the automotive industry with its export value of 7.7 billion dollars, whose exports increased by 10.2% in the January-March 2021 period, and the chemicals industries with a decrease of 14%, with its export value of 5.3 billion dollars.
61% of exports to European Union Nations
In the January-March 2021 period, while the exports of ready-made clothing from Turkey to the Middle East Countries, Turkic Republics and Free Zones decreased between 8.8% and 18.8%; Ready-to-wear and apparel exports to EU countries, Former Eastern Bloc countries, African Countries, American Countries, Asian and Oceanian Countries and Other European Countries increased at rates varying between 3.8% and 55.5%. 61% of sectoral exports were made to EU Nations and there was an increase of 15.8% in this country classification. In the first three months of 2021, share of nations with the most ready-to-wear and apparel exports made from Turkey are Germany, Spain, England, Netherlands, France, USA and Italy. While there was a 7.2% decrease in exports to Iraq, among the top ten exporting countries, exports to nine countries increased by 3.1% to 36.4%. In this period, the highest rate of increase in exports was recorded in exports to the USA with 36.4%.
Knitting Group Impresses With Its Export Performance
The product group that predominates in Turkey's ready-to-wear and apparel exports has been knitted garments for years. In the January-March 2021 period, the share of knitted apparel products in total apparel and apparel exports is 47.9%; the share of woven apparel products was 36.5% and the share of ready-made goods was 14.4%. In the January-March 2021 period, exports increased by 5.4% to 34.5% in three main product groups of ready-made clothing and apparel. In this period, 2.3 billion dollars of knitted apparel products were exported with an increase of 10.7%, while exports of woven apparel products increased by 5.4% to 1.7 billion dollars, while ready-made goods exports increased by 34.5% to 677.
