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The recently announced new trade deal between Britain and Turkey means there's never been a better time to consider importing from Turkey, Europe's sixth largest economy. This rapidly growing economy, direct trade routes, a government keen to encourage trade and a strong geographical position linking Europe and Asia, all mean that Turkey has already positioned itself as a valuable trade partner to the UK, demonstrated by UK imports worth £9 billion during 2016. An increased focus on developing trade opportunities post- Brexit should see this boosted even further. If you're looking to import goods to the UK from Turkey, here's what you need to know.

What To Import from Turkey

Gems and precious metals top the list of what the UK imports from Turkey, with £2.3 billion worth imported during 2016. This is followed by £1.5 billion worth of vehicles - Turkey's automotive companies are among the world's largest van, bus and truck manufacturers. After that comes knit or crochet clothing, electronic equipment, machinery, clothing (other than knit or crochet), iron or steel products, plastics, fruits and nuts, and paper. If your business has a use for any of the above-listed products, then Turkey is a tried and tested exporter.

Fastest Growing Turkey Exports

Turkey's fastest growing exports during 2016 included man-made staple fibres (textiles), collector's items (such as art and antiques), live animals, wood pulp and lead.

Importing Into the UK

Currently, the UK is still a member of the EU, while Turkey is not, so this impacts the way in which the two countries can trade. You'll need to consider the following to import goods into the UK from Turkey:

Commodity Codes

Commodity codes are used to classify goods for import and export, and you'll need to match your items to the correct code. This can be done using the Trade Tariff tool at the Gov.uk website.

EORI Number

When trading goods outside of the EU, businesses need an EORI number. This can be applied for online at Gov.uk and takes up to three working days to arrive by email.

Commercial Invoices

The commercial invoice is an important document that's used by customs to declare imported goods. You'll need one for goods imported from Turkey.

Import Declarations

Goods coming from outside the EU must be declared to UK customs. This can be a complicated process, so most businesses use a freight forwarder to do this on their behalf.

VAT & Duty

Goods sent from outside the EU may be subject to VAT and Duty payments on entry to the UK. You may be able to apply for reduced or zero duty for goods coming from Turkey - this is known as 'preference'.

Restricted Goods

Some restricted goods (such as firearms) require a special import licence to be brought into the UK.

Banned Goods

Some products are prohibited altogether and will be seized by customs. These include offensive weapons, self-defence sprays and rough diamonds, among others.

Newly boosted trade cooperation between the two countries presents an exciting opportunity for UK businesses to develop trade partnerships with Turkey. An experienced freight forwarder like John Good Shipping can advise you further on the shipping process and logistical requirements of importing from Turkey, so don't let the logistics of importing from a non-EU member country discourage you from benefiting from this promising trade deal.

Importing from Turkey by Sea Freight

Typically, goods are imported to the UK from Turkey by road haulage, however, when using trailers to import goods into the UK by road, there is the inevitable crossing of the English Channel via Calais or Dover. Unfortunately, there have been reports of trailers broken into by migrants looking to gain entry to the UK, with cargo damaged as a result. To avoid these issues, it's worth considering sea freight to get your goods safely from Turkey to the UK as your goods will arrive directly at the Port of Felixstowe.

At John Good Shipping we offer weekly LCL services from Istanbul and Izmir, and we're the only UK Company to offer a direct LCL service to the UK by sea, making sea freight from Turkey a viable (and sometimes safer) alternative to road transport.

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A Guide to Importing from Turkey - what you need to know The recently announced new trade deal between Britain and Turkey means there's never been a better time to consider importing from Turkey, Europe's sixth largest economy.

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Factory Direct Versus Wholesale

The differences between factory direct and wholesale can be confusing, and when you are shopping around for a promotional product to represent your brand and help spread the word about your company, trying to decipher the differences can seem like one more issue you have to work through.

Straight from the Source Means You Get a Deal

Ordering a product directly from a factory eliminates the middle man. By working with the factory that produces the product, you can make sure you get exactly what you want. When you order your promotional gear from Factory Direct Promos you are working with the designer, manufacturer, distributor and retailer all in one. Since we handle the order from the very beginning through to the very end, we streamline the process and ensure your completely customized product gets to you exactly how you envisioned it and as soon as possible.

Factory direct purchasing also means you can take advantage of amazingly low prices since there is no middle man. Working directly with the manufacturer removes some of the links in the supply chain (and their overhead), so you can enjoy a bargain price without sacrificing quality.

Wholesale Deals?

There are more people and more steps involved under the wholesale model and this causes the price to increase. Typically the finished product passes from the factory to a distributor to a wholesaler and finally to a retailer who sells the item to a customer. Along the way there are additional costs that must be paid, such as transportation and storing the goods in warehouses.

The wholesale process can get costly and since all of these expenses have to be covered, the final price the customer pays has to account for all of these hidden costs, plus enough of a margin to turn a profit.

There are deals to be had when purchasing wholesale items but only if the retailer purchases exceedingly large quantities of a product. Only then are retailers able to secure a significantly lower price per item and possibly pass this savings on to their customers. The problem is that it most likely won't be the perfect, custom item your brand needs. Is it really a deal if it isn't what you want?

Do What Best Fits Your Brand and Budget

If you shop around you can find deals, but it is harder for retailers to offer deals under the wholesale system. Purchasing promotional products straight from Factory Direct Promos gives you the ability to completely design something custom that is sure to fit your bottom line.

Contact us today and design the perfect bag at the perfect factory direct price.

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What's The Difference Between Factory Direct and Wholesale?

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The differences between factory direct and wholesale can be confusing, and when you are shopping around for a promotional product to represent your brand and help spread the word about your company, trying to decipher the differences can seem like one more issue you have to work through.

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Turkey PESTEL Analysis, SWOT Analysis and Risk Analysis Market Research Report Launched - Press Release - Digital Journal

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These reports provide information about key macroeconomic indicators for Turkey.

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The world contains five primary textile production zones: China, Bangladesh/Pakistan, India, Italy and Turkey. While other countries also export garments, it is these five regions that dominate the industry. Here's the thing, though - each region offers it own unique advantages and disadvantages.

To be successful in fashion (especially if you are interested in starting your own brand), you need to understand the benefits and drawbacks to each of these regions. The assumption, of course, is that you are going to outsource your manufacturing. By the way, we highly recommend you do outsource!

Why Should You Outsource?

Before we get into the precise advantages and disadvantages for each world region, we want to quickly review the many reasons why you should consider outsourcing your fashion manufacturing.

Reduced Labour Costs: British workers must be paid the federal minimum wage, which at the moment (April 2014) is £6.50. Unfortunately, these costs get funnelled directly to you when you work with a UK manufacturer. When you outsource instead, however, you get to deal with manufacturers that aren't limited by such regulations. As a result, you incur lower costs.

Reduced Overhead Costs: Manufacturers must also contend with costs for electricity, gasoline, water, etc. And not surprisingly, the costs for these utilities are much higher in the UK than they are in countries/regions like China and India, to name a few.

Improved Quality: This may surprise you, but many offshore manufacturers offer even better quality products than their onshore counterparts. Why? They have been manufacturing for decades. Furthermore, because of the reduced costs in their respective countries, they have more money to dedicate to quality assurance.

Reduced Risk: Outsourcing can also result in reduced risks, assuming you do it right. The key lies in outsourcing your manufacturing to SEVERAL offshore suppliers and manufacturers. This case you have backup solutions available immediately in case something goes wrong, e.g., a manufacturer suddenly goes out of business.

What Are The Pros/Cons Of Working With China?

China represents the largest exporter of textile goods in the world. In fact, the Chinese manufacturer Esquel just happens to be the largest producer of standard cotton t-shirts, with yearly output levels exceeding 60 million.

Unfortunately, China is not as up to date on trends and fashion as it should be. Suffice it to say, it's better at producing sportswear and technical garments than it is at producing genuinely fashionable items.

One great benefit to China, however, is that it offers incredible prices courtesy its incredibly low labour and overhead costs. Keep in mind that workers in China are starting to call for better working conditions and wages. As this movement continues (which it should), the prices will likely increase.

Other things to know about China include the fact that its manufacturing firms tend to be extraordinary large. Also, it's lead times tend to be extraordinarily long. The average time is 90 days, excluding 30 days of freight. Plus, Chinese manufacturers demand high minimum order quantities (MOQs) in the 1000 to 10,000 range.

What Are The Pros/Cons Of Working With Bangladesh/Pakistan?

Bangladesh and Pakistan offer some of the lowest prices in the textile industry. This is because while 38% of the entire work force in this region is involved in textiles, a large majority of that workforce is compromised of unskilled labourers. Plus, these countries rely on poor material handling techniques and outdated equipment.

Because of these factors, the quality of goods from Bangladesh and Pakistan is that all that great. Suffice it to say, it's not a good idea to use one of these two countries for more sophisticated designs.

Other things to know is that the lead time from this region is as bad as the lead time from China. Plus, the MOQs are just as high.

What Are The Pros/Cons Of Working With India?

Let's start with some basics. India offers mid-level MOQs and long production lead times. Furthermore, its prices are lower than that of China, but not as low as that of Pakistan and Bangladesh.

India also lacks when it comes to sophisticated fashion items, though it does perform well with hand-based items (think beads).

Keep in mind that India contains a rich base of raw materials. Plus, its workers are able to handle a variety of materials, from cotton to wol, silk and jute.

What Are The Pros/Cons Of Working With Italy?

Italy has really nice MOQs and a decent freight time of 60 days, including 10 days freight. Also, Italy is equipped to produce high-quality fashion items, from blouses to dresses, suits and more. Plus, the Italian people themselves are very appreciative of aesthetics. It shows in their work!

Italy also happens to be a first world country. As a result, it makes sure to enforce fair working practices. This means that its manufacturers must contend with much higher labour and overhead costs, which in turn means that the prices for goods are significantly higher in Italy than they are in its Far East and Southeast peers.

What Are The Pros/Cons Of Working With Turkey?

Turkey represents the best of the best, and for many good reasons:

It hosts a quick and powerful production capacity courtesy.

It offers relatively cheap labour (workers earn £1.47 per hour).

It's lead time is only 60 days, including 10 days freight.

It follows all international environmental standards.

It's known for fairly low MOQs around 100 to 300.

It utilizes a unified monetary policy.

Plus, Turkish manufacturers can make anything, including t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, jeans, knitwear and more. All of these can be had at prices that aren't as low as China, but that surely aren't as high as Italy either! This makes Turkey the perfect middle-of-the-ground region for textile manufacturers.

Is There Anything Else To Know?

There is a lot more to know. If you are serious about outsourcing, make sure you take the time to learn a lot more about the region that most interests you. Do not just trust our summary. You need to be equipped with as much knowledge as possible if you want a chance in hell of succeeding in this very tough industry!

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An Overview Of The World's Top Regional Textile Producers

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The world contains five primary textile production zones: China, Bangladesh/Pakistan, India, Italy and Turkey. While other countries also export garments, it is these five regions that dominate the industry. Here's the thing, though - each region offers it own unique advantages and disadvantages.