Turkey’s Textile Sector Faces Job Losses and Economic Struggles
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Turkey’s textile industry faces a major crisis, with exports declining amid China and Bangladesh’s dominance of EU markets. Once central to Turkey’s economy, the sector now struggles, with wages below the poverty line and unpaid overtime common.
Official figures report 1.1 million workers, but unions argue that many more work off the books, including refugees and children. Companies are relocating to rural areas to cut costs, exploiting high unemployment to further depress wages.
Production costs and raw material costs stay high. Over the past three years, 380,000 jobs vanished. In 2025 alone, 4,500 firms shut down. Turkish textile exports to the EU declined by 5.1%, as market share was lost to China and Bangladesh, whose imports rose sharply.
Turkey’s market share in the EU clothing sector fell below 5% for the first time in three decades. It experienced similar losses globally. Industry leaders predict minimal improvement without changes in currency policy. They consider government measures, like subsidies and hiring freezes, insufficient.
Union representatives strongly criticise current political strategies. They warn that the industry is nearing collapse and express little faith in government intervention.
