A Strategic Roadmap to Circularization of the Turkish Textile and Ready-To-Wear Industry Within the Context of the European Green Deal

Abstract

The European Green Deal (EGD), introduced in 2019, aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The mandate to transition to a circular economy (CE) across the supply chain constitutes a major pillar of EGD. This shift impacts both EU member states and countries exporting to the EU. The textile and ready-to-wear sector, known for its significant environmental footprint, has been identified as a priority industry requiring urgent reforms. Against this background, this paper assesses the key barriers to CE transition for Türkiye's textile industry and proposes a structured and validated roadmap. Key barriers to circularization, identified through a Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM) method, include lack of awareness, short-term priorities, limited management support, inadequate culture, low demand for circular products, and ineffective legislation. In-depth expert interviews validated and provided additional insights on the barriers and their interlinkages from the FCM analysis, as well as the action items for the roadmap corresponding to barriers and their time horizons. The study underscores the need to plan collaborative actions of stakeholders in line with the 9 political patterns in the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, to align the Turkish textile and ready-to-wear industry with the EGD objectives, while protecting its competitiveness in global markets.