Turkey’s Aegean Textiles and Raw Materials Exporters’ Union has partnered with the country’s Dokuz Eylul University (DEU) to build a new research center for technical textiles in the city of Izmir.
The research center will be established in order to increase R&D and innovation in the sector as medical and technical textiles are expected to have the biggest export potential for the Aegean region, according to Turkey’s Haber 3.
Aegean Textiles and Raw Materials Exporters’ Union chairman Sabri Unluturk said at a press conference announcing the research center, that the country is working to provide the necessary resources and building the appropriate infrastructure in order to increase exports and make the region more competitive.
Because the price of technical textiles is higher than that of a non-performance garment, Unluturk said the added value of exporting this type of textile will contribute to the area’s development.
Turkey’s technical textile manufacturing has doubled in the last ten years and now accounts for 25 percent of the country’s apparel industry.
Investing in technical textiles has been at the forefront of Turkey’s strategic planning as the country looks to meet rising demand for the performance fabrics.
Turkey currently exports $26 billion in textile and apparel products each year, and Aegean Apparel Exporters’ Association (EHKIB) chairman Emre KızılgüneÅŸ has said the goal is to reach $72 billion by 2023 with technical textiles fueling that growth.