Turkiye's fabric imports fall 8.3% in January–July 2026 as Egypt slips to third-largest supplier

Turkiye's fabric imports fell 8.3% year on year to $978.5 million in January–July 2026, down from $1.067 billion in the same period of 2025, according to an analysis by Fibre2Fashion based on its TexPro trade data, published on 26 September.

China gains, Egypt loses ground

China remained Turkiye's largest fabric supplier and increased its shipments by 7.7%, raising its market share. Italy held second place despite lower shipments. Egypt, previously Turkiye's second-largest fabric supplier, saw its shipments fall significantly and dropped to third place, the analysis said. Detailed figures by supplier are available only to subscribers.

The decline comes as a growing number of Turkish garment producers have moved part of their manufacturing to Egypt in recent years, a shift Egytex has covered extensively.

What it means for Egyptian exporters

Egypt has been one of Turkiye's two biggest foreign fabric suppliers, so a smaller Turkish import bill hits Egyptian mills directly. With part of Turkish garment production relocating to Egypt itself, Egyptian fabric mills should expect weaker demand from Turkiye and potentially stronger demand from Turkish-owned factories now operating in Egypt. Mills that have relied on Turkish buyers should prioritise relationships with those local investors and with Egyptian garment exporters, and look harder at direct sales to European converters. China's gains also show that price competition in the Turkish market is intensifying.