A 12.5% U.S. tariff on Turkish imports, in effect since July 25, has lifted the total tariff burden on Turkish textile and apparel products to 29% — against 16.5% for EU competitors — according to Seref Fayat, chairman of the apparel and clothing sector council at the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB).

Fayat said the disparity leaves Turkish suppliers weaker not only against European producers but also against Bangladesh, Vietnam and Indonesia. In his assessment, Türkiye has effectively lost its competitive advantage against those countries in the U.S. market.

The measure, signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, has triggered a coordinated backlash from Türkiye's main industry bodies, who are calling on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to intervene directly with Washington.

What are Turkish exporters saying?

Erdal Bahcivan, chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO), described the U.S. decision as a "clear injustice" against the Turkish textile and apparel sector. He argued the additional 12.5% tariff is inconsistent with principles of fair and reciprocal trade and noted that Türkiye is not among the countries that consistently run large trade surpluses with the United States.

In Istanbul's Laleli district, a major textile and apparel trading hub, reaction was sharper. Giyaseddin Eyyupkoca, chairman of the Laleli Industrialists and Businesspeople Association (LASIAD), told DW Turkish: "We got stabbed in the back by a friend" — a reference to Trump's repeated characterization of Türkiye as a friend. Eyyupkoca said he believes political considerations drove the decision and called for Erdogan to intervene at the highest level.

How exposed is Türkiye to the U.S. market?

Türkiye exported a combined $26.2 billion of textiles, apparel and clothing in 2025, according to Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) figures cited in the report. The breakdown:

• Apparel and clothing: $16.8 billion
• Textiles and raw materials: $9.4 billion
• Exports to the United States: $1.4 billion, a 5.3% share of total textile and clothing exports

The U.S. share remains modest on paper, but the market matters disproportionately. The United States imports more than $100 billion of textiles and clothing annually, and Fayat said the country has become Türkiye's second-largest export destination after Germany on the latest figures.

Globally, Türkiye ranked fifth among textile and raw material exporters last year, behind China, EU countries, India and the United States, holding a 3.3% share of a market that contracted 1.3% to $349.3 billion, according to the World Textile and Raw Materials Foreign Trade Report 2025. Technical textiles, woven fabrics, home textiles and knitted fabrics lead its export categories.

Why does the tariff hit now?

The measure lands on a sector already contracting sharply. Social Security Institution (SGK) figures show what happened between December 2024 and May 2026:

• 1,011 textile companies closed, cutting the sector to 18,450 operating firms
• Textile employment fell by 41,086
• 4,766 apparel companies closed
• Apparel employment fell by 80,686

Together, the two industries lost 5,777 companies and 121,772 jobs in 18 months. Employment losses across both industries have exceeded 300,000 over the past three years. More than 200 Turkish companies have relocated production to Egypt in search of lower operating costs, according to the report.

What happens next?

Turkish Trade Ministry and Foreign Ministry officials are already in contact with U.S. counterparts, Fayat said, and he expressed hope the talks would produce a result soon. The industry's minimum demand: parity with the 16.5% tariff rate applied to EU countries. For sourcing teams weighing Turkish capacity against Asian and European alternatives, the outcome of those negotiations will determine whether the 29% burden holds — and with it, Turkish price competitiveness in one of the world's largest import markets.