IFCO Fair Boosts Türkiye Fashion Scene

The Istanbul Ready-to-Wear and Fashion Fair (IFCO), recognized as Europe’s largest ready-to-wear and fashion fair, opened its doors for the eighth time, bringing together approximately 30,000 professional buyers from over 100 countries in Istanbul. The event, organized by the Istanbul Ready-to-Wear and Garment Exporters’ Association (İHKİB), created a dynamic platform for new collaborations between international brands and Turkish manufacturers, brands, and designers.

Türkiye, which became the world’s seventh-largest ready-to-wear exporter in 2024, continues to maintain its position as the fourth-largest supplier to the European Union. The sector not only serves as a strong production partner for global brands but also carries the “Made in Türkiye” image worldwide with its own brands and designs.

Fair Demonstrates Consistent Growth and International Appeal

Emphasizing that the fair grows each year with carefully selected buyers and participants, Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) President Mustafa Gültepe stated: “Currently, 250 companies are participating. Participation increases every year; this year we have 20% growth. IFCO has now become an increasingly developing, growing, and evolving international fair.”

The global appeal of IFCO is evident in the intense international interest shown in the fair. Indonesia’s strong presence at the fair stands out as one of the most striking examples of this global attraction.

Indonesia participated in IFCO 2025 with a strategic vision, positioning the “modest wear” sector as the new growth engine of its creative economy and aiming to strengthen its global leadership in this field. According to the State of the Global Islamic Economy (SGIE) 2024/2025 Report, Indonesia holds a leading position in this sector.

With strong support from Bank Indonesia (BI), designers presented innovative collections that combine traditional Nusantara textiles with global trends through the In2motionfest (Indonesia International Modest Wear Festival) platform. Bank Indonesia Senior Deputy Governor Destry Damayanti expressed their ambitious goals:

“By adapting traditional heritage to modern fashion, it is believed that Indonesia can expand its market and attract international consumers from Istanbul to New York.”

Damayanti’s reference to the market target spanning “from Istanbul to New York” directly aligns with one of the fair’s main agenda items: the US market and competition with Asia. The new customs duty regulations announced by the US on August 1, with a 15% tax rate, positioned Türkiye at a significant advantage against its Asian competitors.

TİM President Mustafa Gültepe outlined this advantage with concrete figures: “When considering countries like Bangladesh (20%), Vietnam (20%), Sri Lanka (20%), Pakistan (19%), India (50%), and China (37.5%), Türkiye’s relative advantage is clearly visible. The increasing customs duty burden on these Asia-centered countries is forcing US buyers to diversify their supply chains; in this context, Türkiye stands out with its quality, reliability, and geographical advantages.”

Asia’s production power manifested itself differently at the fair. Indonesia National Curator Ali Charisma describes the relationship between Turkish and Indonesian industries as “complementary, not competitive”:

“Türkiye’s textile industry is indeed technologically advanced, but SMEs have lost their strength. This is our advantage. The SME products we bring are not competitors to the industry here, but complementary to it.”

This situation demonstrates that Türkiye’s technological infrastructure and new tariff advantages can complement Asia’s handicrafts and flexible SME production power in the global market.

IFCO 2025 proved to be more than just an event where collections are displayed; it became a strategic meeting where the new dynamics and power balances of the global textile market were discussed. The most concrete reflections of the fair’s success and positive atmosphere were seen in the views of designers in The Core Istanbul area, considered the heart of the organization.

Arzu Kaprol noted that the fair attracted intense foreign buyer interest, particularly from countries like Russia and the US, emphasizing that IFCO’s “unifying effect” is very important for the Turkish fashion industry.

Mert Erkan stated that compared to last season, the fair was much more active, and he was satisfied with buyers from their target markets in the Middle East and European countries, noting that suitable buyers were selected for them.

Ece Öney from the Viola & Vesper brand expressed that the fair went well and they met with buyers not only from the Middle East and Europe but also from the US. Öney added that the fair “brings different value to them in terms of networking and sales each season.”

Gönül Altunışık from the Alldenims brand said that the first day was particularly active and they established important contacts with buyers from the US. She also praised the spacious and beautiful design of The Core area.

Participating in the fair for the first time, Helin Aydoğan stated that she viewed IFCO more as a “networking venue” and that it was a very productive fair for her. Aydoğan mentioned that she met with buyers from a wide geography including the MENA Region, Europe, UK, and Russia, and that B2B meetings were productive.

The fair once again proved itself to be a global meeting point, demonstrating the evolving dynamics of international fashion trade and Türkiye’s strategic position in the global textile market.