Turkey’s Footwear Industry Sounds the Alarm: Record $315 Million Deficit Triggers Emergency Recovery Plan
footwear-industry-turkey
As Turkey’s textile and apparel industries face massive shutdowns, the footwear supply chain is now entering what industry leaders call a “make-or-break” phase. The Footwear Sub-Industry Association (AYSAD) has unveiled a four-step survival roadmap ahead of the 73rd International Footwear Sub-Industry Fair (AYSAF), set to take place in Istanbul from November 12–15, 2025.
An Industry on the Brink
AYSAD Chairman Sait Salıcı warned that the footwear industry, one of Turkey’s oldest manufacturing pillars, is now facing an existential crisis.
“More than 3,000 textile and apparel firms closed in just the first half of 2025, leaving tens of thousands unemployed,” said Salıcı. “Our industry could be next — if we don’t act swiftly. Uncontrolled imports and skyrocketing costs have pushed us into a ‘do-or-die’ period.”
He stressed that the coming months would be a turning point for the sector:
“Either we take bold measures with the support of our state, or we face irreversible losses in production and employment. At AYSAF, we will demonstrate our resolve to keep producing and exporting.”
Record-High Import Surge Pushes Industry into Deficit
AYSAD’s mid-year report paints a sobering picture.
In the first six months of 2025, Turkey’s footwear exports totaled $489.2 million, while imports surged to $804.3 million — a historic high. The result: a $315 million trade deficit, the largest in the industry’s history.
Salıcı explained that this marks a sharp reversal for a sector that had long been a net exporter:
“For years, Turkey’s footwear industry maintained a trade surplus. Now, with imports spiraling out of control, the balance has completely flipped. This $315 million gap shows how severely we’re struggling under the pressure of cheap imports, especially from China ($262.9 million) and Vietnam ($225.4 million).”
The Four-Pillar Rescue Roadmap
To stabilize the sector and restore competitiveness, AYSAD has developed a short- and mid-term action plan focused on four key pillars:
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Boost Domestic Production:
Encourage import substitution investments, particularly in high-import segments such as sports footwear, by introducing new incentive programs and supporting local manufacturing capacity. -
Tighten Import Controls:
Strengthen customs regulations to prevent false country-of-origin declarations and crack down on unregistered imports, ensuring fair competition and market integrity. -
Build Industry Solidarity:
Foster collaboration and joint initiatives between industry associations, NGOs, and sectoral stakeholders to develop a united strategy against the crisis. -
Leverage the AYSAF Fair for Export Growth:
Use the upcoming AYSAF 2025 as a global platform to connect Turkish manufacturers with international buyers, maximizing export potential and narrowing the trade deficit through new commercial partnerships.
A Call for Strategic Support
Salıcı emphasized that while the footwear industry still holds strong export potential, it cannot survive without a coordinated national policy.
“If we can limit unfair imports, support domestic production, and expand export channels, the industry can recover,” he said. “But if this moment is missed, we risk losing one of Turkey’s most established manufacturing bases.”
The AYSAF Fair, which brings together hundreds of global brands and local producers, is expected to serve as a critical milestone in determining whether Turkey’s footwear industry can reinvent itself or succumb to the same fate as thousands of shuttered textile firms.