As the textile industry continues to reshape itself amid an intense global agenda in the first months of the new year, Textilegence presents a panorama of the global industry in its first issue of 2026. Investment, technology and economy news from Türkiye and around the world in the textile and apparel sectors meet with you.
In 2025, Egypt once again emerged as the star of Turkish textile exports. Employment losses in the textile and apparel industry approached 100,000 in 10 months. Denizli maintained Türkiye’s leadership in towels, bathrobes and bed linen. Asteks preserved its market strength in 2025 and raised its targets for 2026. Durak Tekstil entered 2026 with positive momentum and strengthened its global market ambitions.
Following the European Union’s free trade agreements with Mercosur and India, market balances have shifted, indirectly affecting Türkiye, one of the leading textile producers. We discussed the issue with EURATEX Director General Dirk Vantyghem and İTHİB Chairman Ahmet Öksüz.
We have also compiled the first technology and investment news of the year for you:
Rieter completed the acquisition of Barmag. Saat & Saat, which acquired a Turkish textile giant, raised its targets in apparel. KARL MAYER introduced its cost-efficient RE 6 EL raschel machine. Terrot unveiled its T-Frame platform for circular knitting. Sleeping Yarn: A first in sleep-focused functional textiles. The new lightweight snap fastener launched by YKK provides approximately 16% reduction in thickness and around 14% reduction in weight. A first in DTF printing: a recyclable alternative to PET films from a Turkish company. Türkiye’s new cotton variety ‘Galaxy 351’ delivers high quality with early harvesting.
In our new editorial series, we rethink the limits of production and consumption
Conference of the Parties – COP will be held for the first time in Türkiye, in Antalya, this November. This presents an important opportunity for our country to raise awareness by addressing sustainability in depth. Therefore, as Textilegence, we are launching a new article series in the new year in which we will revisit “the limits of production and consumption in the textile and fashion industry.” In the first article of the series, titled “Sustainable Growth or Controlled Scaling?”, we outline the current global framework of the industry and examine forward-looking alternative approaches on a sectoral basis in light of shifting economic and political dynamics.
In addition, on our Green Times pages, we continue to bring you sustainability news from the textile industry, as always. Some of the headlines include: The Materials Matter Standard will strengthen systemic transformation in textiles. Three companies from the Turkish textile industry entered the 2025 CDP A List. The EU invested €6 million for a deposit-return system for used textiles. Excessive rainfall in the Aegean region reduced cotton yield expectations by 15%. It is possible to reduce energy costs in textiles by 15%.
All this and more in the new issue of Textilegence! Enjoy your reading.
You can find all of our issues here.