Shipping Clothing From Turkey

Road freight: the default for Europe

Trucks leave Istanbul for European destinations daily, and transit to most of the EU takes 3-7 days: typically around 3-5 days to Central Europe and Germany, and toward the upper end for Iberia, Scandinavia and the UK. For apparel volumes from a few cartons to full trailers, road freight is usually the best balance of speed, cost and reliability, which is why it carries the bulk of Turkey's garment exports to Europe.

Smaller orders travel as groupage, sharing trailer space with other cargo at a per-pallet or per-cubic-metre rate; larger orders book dedicated space or a full trailer. Groupage adds a day or two of consolidation but cuts cost sharply for 300-1,000 piece orders, which typically occupy only a few pallets.

Air freight: speed when the calendar demands it

Air freight from Istanbul reaches most of Europe, the UK and the US East Coast within 2-5 days door to door including handling and clearance. Istanbul is a major air cargo hub with dense flight frequency, so capacity is rarely the problem; cost is. Air is priced on chargeable weight, and garments are relatively light for their value, which makes air more viable for apparel than for most goods.

The rational uses of air are launch deadlines, replenishing a bestseller mid-season, and splitting an order: an air portion to hit the launch date while the balance follows by road or sea. As an indication, air can multiply freight cost per unit several times over road, but on a hoodie retailing at ten times its production cost, a launch missed is more expensive than a flight.

Sea freight: bulk economics for far markets

For the US, and for large-volume EU shipments where a week of extra transit does not matter, sea freight offers the lowest cost per unit. From Turkish ports, plan roughly 3-5 weeks to the US East Coast and longer to the West Coast, including port handling; exact times vary by routing and season. Options are FCL, a full container for large orders, or LCL, sharing container space at a per-cubic-metre rate.

Sea rewards planning: it suits core replenishment programs and predictable seasonal buys rather than reactive drops. Many US clients run a hybrid model with us, launching by air and replenishing by sea, which averages freight cost down while protecting launch dates.

What actually drives your freight cost

Freight is priced on the greater of actual and volumetric weight, so packing density matters: well-folded, tightly cartoned garments cost visibly less to ship per unit than air-filled boxes. The other drivers are mode, distance, service level, and whether your shipment fills its own truck or container or shares space. Fuel surcharges and seasonal demand move rates through the year, so quotes carry validity windows.

As a planning rule, freight is normally a small share of landed cost on road shipments to Europe, a larger share for air, and the smallest per unit for full sea containers. We quote freight alongside production so you compare landed cost per unit, not just the ex-factory price, before choosing a mode.

• Chargeable weight: the greater of actual and volumetric weight
• Mode and service level: road groupage to express air
• Consolidation: shared trailer or container space cuts small-order cost
• Season and fuel: rates move, so freight quotes have validity windows

DDP, FOB, EXW: who does what and who pays

Incoterms decide where the seller's job ends and yours begins. EXW, ex works: you take over at the factory door and handle everything, best for experienced importers with their own logistics. FOB: the goods are delivered loaded for main carriage, and you control and pay for the international leg, the most common professional mid-point. DDP, delivered duty paid: one price to your door with freight, clearance and duties handled, the simplest option for first-time importers.

The same order has three different prices under these three terms, which is why quotes must state their Incoterm to be comparable at all. We offer all three and will recommend one honestly based on your experience and volumes; DDP for early orders and a move toward FOB as your volumes and confidence grow is the common path.

How shipping fits your production timeline

Freight is booked before production ends, not after: cartons, weights and dimensions are known from the packing plan, so space is reserved while the final inspection runs. From our Istanbul base we coordinate factory handover, export clearance and the transport documents, and you receive tracking plus the document set for your import entry.

Combined with production, the full picture for an EU brand is typically 4-6 weeks of bulk manufacturing plus 3-7 days on the road: stock in your warehouse inside two months of sample approval, and faster on reorders. That replenishment speed, more than any single price, is why European brands build their supply chains around Turkey.