Return to Normalcy
Garment factories in the Turkish towns of Malatya, Elazıg and Sanliurfa are functioning again while the impact on textile mills in Kahramanmaras and Adiyaman is now ‘minor’, according to the Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Association. According to Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, two seismic events struck southeast Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, killing around 47,000 people in both countries.
According to a statement released this week by Cem Altan, president of the International Apparel Federation (IAF) and vice-chair of the Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Association, infrastructure in industrial zones was generally less impacted by this month’s earthquakes than in residential areas, and most plants are in relatively good condition (TGSD).
“We are working with our members and stakeholders to identify and fulfill actual needs in the region,” Altan said. ”Short-term production cuts are inevitable, however, all stakeholders are working together to restart plants for social reasons as well as economical reasons.”
Steeping the Production Curve
Altan noted that Turkey’s textile and garment sectors will utilise excess capacity created in 2021 and 2022 in the immediate term. For example, owing to fresh investments, the country increased yarn and fabric production capacity by 25% last year. As a result, capacity lost in earthquake-stricken areas is being replaced by capacity in cities beyond the afflicted zone, such as Bursa, Istanbul, Tekirdag, and Denizli.
The first earthquake struck in Gaziantep, a metropolis of more than two million people in Turkey’s Southeastern Anatolia Region. Though the Turkish fashion industry is mostly concentrated in Istanbul and Ankara, where major companies are based, and garment and textile manufacturers are located in the provinces of Bursa, Izmir, and Denizli, Gaziantep and other affected provinces in neighbouring regions are also important for the sector.
Government Interventions
The Turkish government has begun supplying water, power, and natural gas to several impacted cities, and airport operations have restarted. Container towns are being created around industrial zones to discourage labour migration.
According to a survey by consulting firm Ikada, the origin of the majority of Turkish textile exports in 2017 was Istanbul province, although the hard-hit Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras provinces are secondary centres for the sector, with Adana and Kayseri also having a substantial industrial presence.
Global businesses have relocated more of their sourcing and production to countries such as Turkey in recent years as part of their nearshoring efforts. H&M Group and Zara owner Index were among the several fashion firms that contributed to the country’s humanitarian crisis earlier this month.
According to Fibre2Fashion, Turkey’s textile sector exported $16.2 billion in 2021, making it the world’s fifth largest supplier, while the clothing industry exported $18.3 billion, making it the world’s fourth largest.