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Türkiye’s carpet industry generated $2.017 billion in export revenue from shipments totaling 391.984 million square meters to 186 countries and free zones in the first nine months of 2026, according to data compiled from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM).
Machine-made carpets accounted for the largest share of exports, bringing in $1.56 billion during the period. They were followed by tufted carpets with $352 million, handmade carpets with $92.2 million and kilims with $10.1 million.
On a regional basis, countries in the Americas were the largest export market, receiving $605.6 million worth of Turkish carpets. The Middle East ranked second with $515 million, while Europe placed third with $332 million.
The United States remained the largest single export destination, with sales rising 16.6 percent year-on-year to $448 million. It was followed by Saudi Arabia, where exports rose 9.4 percent to $181.3 million and the United Kingdom, where exports increased 23.4 percent to $114.2 million.
İskender Kaplan, chair of the carpet sector board of TİM, said exports had remained at last year’s levels despite global challenges.
Kaplan said raw materials, commodities and logistics issues had weighed on export performance and kept the industry from meeting its growth targets. He noted that conflicts affecting the Strait of Hormuz region and the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war had limited export growth.
He added that the sector had initially targeted $3.5 billion in exports for 2026 but later revised that goal downward because of logistical disruptions and rising transportation costs.
