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Textile and Apparel Market Report - Turkey

Turkey

Market Report
Textiles, Apparel, Footwear, and Travel Goods

The following information is provided only as a guide and should be confirmed with the appropriate overseas market authorities before embarking on any export activities.

OFFICE OF TEXTILES AND APPAREL (OTEXA)

Import Tariffs and Customs Requirements

Turkey and the European Union (EU) have a customs union, under which non-agricultural imports from the member countries of the EU and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) enter Turkey duty free. Turkey applies the EU’s common customs tariffs on imports from third countries, such as the United States. For more detailed tariff information, see the European Commission’s Tarif Intégré de la Communauté (TARIC). See Turkey’s product classification - GTIP Customs Tariff Statistics Positions  information.

On January 1, 2021, Turkey enacted new customs duties on 4,815 products, including textiles, apparel, footwear, and travel goods. The new duties range between 1.9% to 50%. See the Decision 3351 published in the Official Gazette dated December 31, 2020 for the list of products and corresponding additional customs duty rates according to their HS (GTIP in Turkish). Note that the additional duties are not applied to imports originating from the EU, EFTA, and other countries that have preferential trade agreements with Turkey.

For more information on Turkey’s tariff rates, see OTEXA’s Foreign Market Reports page.

Exporter registration is required for imports of textile, apparel, footwear, and travel goods products. The Exporter Registry Form (ERF) must be filled out and authenticated by a competent authority, such as a local Chamber of Commerce, that is authorized to approve the genuineness of signatures and seals appearing on documents. The ERF must then be taken or sent to the nearest Turkish Consulate to be approved or it must have the Apostille Certificate attached. 

Certain goods may only be imported through specialized customs offices. For example, textile products must pass through customs directorates at Aksaray, Ankara, AHL Kargo, Europe Free Zone, Denizli, G.Antep, G.Antep Airport, Gemlik, Giresun, Halkali, Iskenderun, Izmir, Kayseri, Mersin, or Trakya.

See additional customs and import regulation information in the Country Commercial Guide for Turkey.

Standards

Products tested and certified in the United States to U.S. regulations and standards are likely to have to be retested and re-certified to Turkish requirements.

Because of the Customs Union agreement with the EU, Turkey has implemented many of the European CE marking directives. The CE mark indicates that a product has been assessed by the manufacturer and meets the essential health and safety requirements covered in the CE Mark Directives and Regulations. Certain textile, apparel, and footwear products are subject to CE marking and certification under the following EU directives: Safety of Toys, Medical Devices, Construction Products, and Personal Protective Equipment (see the European Commission’s Sector webpages). For more information, see the EU Legislation and CE Marking section in the Country Commercial Guide for the EU. 

Some relevant communiqués are listed below.

  • Communication of Product Safety and Inspection No. (2015/18), to regulate import controls of shoes regarding their phthalate content. (Official Gazette, 31/12/2014 and no. 29222)
  • Communication of Product Safety and Inspection No. (2015/10), import controls of toys are implemented as of 12/12/2005, coherent with the EU legislation. (Official Gazette, 31/12/2014 and no. 29222)
  • Communication of Product Safety and Inspection No. (2015/11), the safety controls for imports of the Personal Protective Equipment are implemented coherent with the EU legislation. (Official Gazette, 31/12/2014 and no. 29222)
  • Communication of Product Safety and Inspection No. (2015/16), which regulates import controls of Medical Devices such as in vitro, active implantable medical devices etc. (Official Gazette, 31/12/2014 and no 29222)
  • Communication of Product Safety and Inspection No. (2012/25), Communication on Export and Import Inspections of Cotton, which lays down principles and procedures relating to export, import, and internal market controls of cotton. (Official Gazette, 08/06/2012 and no. 28317)

The following are some relevant standards for children’s apparel:

  • TS EN 14682 Safety of children’s clothing - Cords and drawstrings on children’s clothing - Specifications
  • TS EN 14878 Textiles - Burning behaviour of children’s nightwear - Specification
  • TSE CEN/TR 16792 Safety of children’s clothing - Recommendations for the design and manufacture of children’s clothing - Mechanical safety

Turkey’s Regulation - KKDIK (Kimyasallarin Kaydi, Degerlendirilmesi, Izni Ve Kisitlanmasi Hakkinda Yönetmelik) for the management of hazardous substances is similar to the EU’s REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) regulation. The KKDIK is closely harmonized with the EU REACH provisions and requires companies to pre-register and register substances (on their own, in mixtures, or in articles) manufactured in Turkey or imported into Turkey with volumes equal to or above 1 ton per year.

Restricted hazardous substances in textiles, apparel, footwear, and travel goods include azo dyes, flame retardants, and phthalates. In addition, footwear is subject to restrictions on Chromium VI, Organotin, and Doctyltin (DOT). See the Official Gazette No. 27893 - Communique on Market Surveillance and Inspection Relating to Hazardous Chemical Content of Certain Consumer Products, which is based on the Official Gazette No. 27880 - Regulation of Restrictions About Production, Placing on the Market and Usage of Some Dangerous Substances, Preparations and Goods, Annex 1. 

Through the Risk-Based Trade Control System (TAREKS), the Turkish Ministry of Economy carries out safety and quality checks on imported goods, including footwear, personal protective equipment, toys, construction products, medical devices, some industrial inputs, raw materials, etc.

Communique on the Inspection of Some Textile, Clothing and Leather Products (2021/18) covers inspection regulations for certain textile, apparel, footwear, travel goods, and leather goods products specified by GTIP number. Product inspections cover azo dyes, and may also include one or more of the Phthalates, DOT, and Chromium VI tests in accordance with the KKDIK. As of January 2021, imports of these products will be subject to risk assessment through TAREKS. Before shipment, importers must upload all product related testing results and certifications to TAREKS. When deemed appropriate after the risk assessment, shipment samples will be taken by Customs to test the safety of the products and customs clearance will only be allowed after the testing.

For more information on Turkey’s national standards, accreditation bodies, national testing organizations, and conformity assessment bodies, see the Standards for Trade page of the Country Commercial Guide for Turkey.

Labeling

The Regulation on Textile Fiber Names and Related Labelling and Marking of the Fiber Composition of Textile Products, adopted in accordance with EU Regulation 1007/2011, requires that textile and apparel products be labeled to indicate fiber composition. Only the fiber names listed in Annex 1 of the regulation can be used. Care labeling of textile products is voluntary.

The Regulation on the Labelling of Materials Used in the Main Components of Footwear for Sale to the Consumer, adopted in accordance with EU Directive 94/11/EC, stipulates that at least one article of footwear in each pair be labeled to provide information on the materials that form the upper, the lining and the sock, and the outer sole. Industrial, protective footwear is regulated under Turkey’s Personal Protective Equipment Regulation.

In general, product labels should be in Turkish and include a phrase indicating “the name of the country” in which the product was produced or the phrases “import,” “imported product,” or “foreign” for the labels of imported products.

For an overview of the different labeling and marking requirements, including any restrictive advertising or labeling practices and where to get more information, see the Labeling and Marking Requirements page on the Country Commercial Guide for Turkey.

Market Resources

To explore key resources and events, contact the U.S. Commercial Service in Turkey.

Visit OTEXA’s Grow America webpage.

For more information on exporting textiles, apparel, footwear, and travel goods, go to the Additional Market Information Page on the OTEXA Website.