Türkiye’s furniture industry, which has demonstrated impressive growth among the world’s furniture exporters over the past 20 years, continues its efforts to become one of the rule-setting countries in the global furniture market without interruption. We met with Okan Özkan, Executive Committee Member responsible for International Markets at Weltew Group and Vice President of the İnegöl Furniture Exporters Association (İMİDER), to discuss Türkiye’s furniture sector, which stands out with its modern designs, high-quality products, and competitive prices. Özkan noted that the prominent export brands in Türkiye’s furniture industry are accelerating their branding efforts in markets where they are strong. He said, “In markets like Iraq, Libya, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan, while walking down streets filled with furniture shops, you might feel as if you are walking down a street in Türkiye.”

With its rich historical heritage and ever-evolving dynamic structure, Türkiye’s furniture industry continues to grow with innovative approaches and sustainable production policies while both making significant contributions to the national economy and also securing a strong position in the global market. We discussed the current state and future goals of the sector with Okan Özkan, Executive Committee Member responsible for International Markets at Weltew Group and Vice President of the İnegöl Furniture Exporters Association (İMİDER), who provided important insights regarding the markets.

  • Could you share numerical data regarding the current state of the Turkish furniture sector?

According to TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) data, Türkiye’s furniture sector is an employment-friendly industry that houses 45,217 manufacturing enterprises, provides employment for 242,000 people, generates a total value of 12 billion dollars, and exports more than 5 billion dollars of this value to nearly 200 countries, consistently maintaining a trade surplus. Particularly over the past 20 years, Türkiye’s furniture sector has demonstrated impressive growth, climbing from 0.3 billion dollars to 5 billion dollars in global furniture export rankings. Recent estimates indicate that Türkiye has become the 8th largest furniture exporter in the world, accounting for 1.8% of global exports.

  • What are the most important export markets for the Turkish furniture sector? Could you provide information about Türkiye’s performance in these markets?

According to 2023 data, the top 10 export markets for Türkiye’s furniture sector were Iraq, Germany, the United States, France, Romania, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. I find it useful to evaluate these markets under two different categories. The first category includes the world’s largest importing countries based on sectoral data (Germany, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands) and Türkiye’s exports. The second category includes countries with which we have cultural and geographical proximity (such as Iraq, Romania, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Israel, etc.) and Türkiye’s exports. In the first evaluation, unfortunately, the figures for Türkiye’s furniture sector are far below where they should be. The primary reason for this is the scale problem that Türkiye’s furniture sector is unable to overcome due to its structural characteristics. Large importers tend to prefer suppliers who can produce at high scales and at low costs. In the second evaluation, Türkiye’s furniture sector is predominantly made up of micro, small, and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises. The only advantage of this structure is that in smaller and closer markets, the sector can provide better service with more flexible production quantities and capacities, thereby gaining a competitive edge and achieving sales. In these markets, players in Türkiye’s furniture sector are very agile.

“In some countries, while walking down streets filled with furniture shops, you might feel as if you are walking down a street in Türkiye”
  • What types of initiatives is Türkiye undertaking to maintain its competitive advantage in markets where it is strong?

The leading export brands in Türkiye’s furniture sector are accelerating their branding efforts in markets where they have a strong presence. In countries such as Iraq, Libya, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan, while walking down streets filled with furniture shops, you might feel as if you are walking down a street in Türkiye. Additionally, the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) and sectoral associations are organizing B2B events and local trade fairs to increase our presence in these markets.

“China is undoubtedly the biggest competitor for Türkiye’s furniture sector”
  • Which countries are the major competitors for the Turkish furniture sector?

China is undoubtedly the largest competitor for Türkiye’s furniture sector. Following China, Vietnam has become a significant competitor due to its emergence as a major production hub. In Asia, Malaysia has also recently become one of the rising production centers. In Europe; Italy, known for its fashion, and Poland, with its large-scale production, are among the key competitors.

“Among recent trends, modern styles, minimalism, and Scandinavian design are prominent”
  • What are the recent trends you have observed in international furniture markets?

Recent trends in the international furniture market include a strong emphasis on modern styles, minimalism, and Scandinavian design. Styles are evolving with a modern touch, minimalism remains prevalent, and natural colors are gaining prominence. It has to be said that functionality is a key trend when it comes to living spaces.

  • What design and style features do you think highlight Türkiye’s furniture sector on the international stage?

Türkiye’s furniture sector has proven itself in labor-intensive styles such as Contemporary, Neoclassical, and Art Deco. Recently, the decline in Neoclassical and Classical trends has given way to Modernism and Postmodern styles.

“Türkiye’s furniture sector has a highly dynamic structure”
  • How do you adapt your design and production processes to changes in consumer demands?

Türkiye’s furniture sector has a highly dynamic structure. It also closely follows styles and trends in the industry and has a capability for rapid adaptation. Thanks to a network of designers and suppliers who keep a close eye on industry and related sector trends, Türkiye’s furniture sector leverages its agility to achieve successful outcomes.

“There’s an increasing momentum in the Turkish woodworking machinery sector”
  • What is your opinion on Turkish woodworking machines? What portion of your production is provided by domestic machines?

There is increasing momentum in the Turkish woodworking machinery sector. While this is not evident in the main machinery lines, we see a significant use of Turkish woodworking machines in smaller operational lines.

“Turkic Republics and Russia are the emerging markets of recent times”
  • What are the new and emerging markets in your sector?

Turkic Republics and Russia can be considered emerging markets in recent times; however, they are also markets experiencing significant regional political crises and resulting economic shocks. In Asia, new developments are occurring in India and Pakistan, but these markets have not yet reached a sufficient level. Recently, one of the encouraging and emerging markets is the United States, the world’s largest importer. However, special collections and pricing strategies should be developed for the U.S. market.