Turkish textiles left their mark on the US market

Turkish exporters who participated in the Summer'25 Fancy Food Show held in New York left their mark outside the fair as well. According to the news by İmam Güneş from Dünya newspaper, companies from all over the country exhibited their products at the fair organized by the Turkish national participation organization, and a remarkable development that went beyond the food sector took place. Turkish towels and bathrobes found a place in New York's world-famous hotel chains.

TURKEY RANKS 6TH IN THE US ’S HOME TEXTILE IMPORTS

Representatives of the Turkish business world who went to New York to attend the fair took to social media to see Turkish-made towels and bathrobes they encountered at the hotels they stayed at. In particular, a visual sent to our newspaper by a participant staying at the Hyatt Regency showed bathrobes supplied by major US brands from Turkey. While Asian countries have continued to dominate the US market in ready-made clothing in recent years, Turkey's inclusion on the supply list of major chains, especially in home textiles , has drawn attention. Murat Şahinler, Board Member of the Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters' Association (İTHİB) and also Presidential Candidate of the Turkish Home Textile Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TETSİAD), made an assessment to the EKONOMİ newspaper on the subject.

Stating that Türkiye ranks 6th in home textile imports to the US, Şahinler said, “In 2024, we exported $267 million worth of home textiles to the US and our share in total imports was 1.8 percent. The product group we export the most is towels, toilet and kitchen linens. They are followed by bed linens and woven bathrobes. We do not find this share sufficient. However, the relationships established with US customers turn into long-term and loyal partnerships. For them, quality, innovation and sustainability are more important than price. We are also developing certification, training and experience sharing projects for all our members in order to achieve permanent success in this market.”

WAREHOUSE AND JOINT COMPANY ESTABLISHMENT PROJECTS MAY COME ON THE AGENDA

Şahinler, who stated that Turkish companies should act not only with product quality but also with strong collaborations and on-site structuring in order to be permanent in the US market, continued as follows: “For effective lobbying activities in the US, we should be in closer contact with Turkish contacts located in the US and use the connections correctly. By benefiting from the support of our Ministry of Trade’s Foreign Logistics Centers (YDLM), we can put projects to establish a warehouse or even a joint company in the US on the agenda. For example, we can create a collective sales model by bringing together 40-50 companies operating in products such as bathrobes, sheets and curtains. This only depends on interest and coordination. One of our goals will be to establish youth committees and conquer large importers in distant markets. Our goal is to have ‘Made in Türkiye’ in all high-level hotel chains. I believe that we can achieve success in this regard with patience and effort.