Turkey has crossed Italy in socks exports and rose to second place after China. The country
is the second largest exporter of socks, accounting for 10% of world socks imports in 2016,
following China, the world’s largest socks maker, which meets 40% of the world socks
exports alone, according to Ozkan Karaca.
Turkish socks industry is an important player in the world¡¯s socks market, with its modern
machinery park, and high production and export capacity. Istanbul is the main production
centre, with 85% of the factories operating in the city.
There are more than 300 socks factories in Turkey with medium and large-scale production
capabilities. In addition, there are many small-scale workshops that manufacture for the
internal market.
It is estimated that 2.2 billion pairs of socks and 300 million pieces of pantyhose are
produced annually in Turkey. Turkey’s largest socks manufacturers in 2016, according to the
Industrial Chamber for Istanbul (ISO), included: Penti Corap, with net sales of US$ 55
million, Beks Corap, with net sales of US$ 51 million, Altin Iplik Corap, with net sales of
US$ 41 million, and Bony Corap, with net sales of US$ 40 million.
Turkey exports 75% of its production
Turkish socks industry is an export-oriented sector, with 75% of socks produced in the country
being exported. The industry is exporting an average of US$ 86 million worth of socks every
month. The EU ranks first in exports, with 85% of socks going to EU countries in 2016. The
three largest buyers are UK, Germany and France.
According to records of the Turkish Statistical Institute, in 2016, Turkey exported 1.5 billion
pairs of socks and 146.5 million pieces of pantyhose, worth US$ 1 billion 36 million. Of these
socks, 1.2 billion pairs are made of cotton. When we look at the January-October period
of 2017, it is seen that total socks exports amount to US$ 862.5 million. In the same period of
the previous year, these exports amounted to US$ 866.9 million. In the first 10 months of this
year, a decrease of US$ 4.4 million has occurred.
The total exports of socks totalling US$ 1 billion 36 million in 2016 amounted to US$ 251.6
million. With these exports in 2016, UK is the first with a share of 24.3% in Turkey’s total sock
exports. United Kingdom was followed by Germany (21.6%) with exports of US$ 224 million.
France (10.7%) was in third place with US$ 110.8 million. The share of these three countries
in total sock exports was 56.6%.
Turkey reached the highest export figure in history, with the export of US$ 1.2 billion worth of
socks, in 2014. After this date, exports started to decline. In 2015, the number reached 1
billion 24 million. In 2016, it increased slightly to US$ 1 billion 36 million.
