The small Turkish town of Söke is located on the A 525 between Kuşadası and Milas. Located as both a city and a district in the province of Aydın on the Turkish Aegean coast, the district had a population of 115,490 in 2008.

If you want to swap the tourist hustle and bustle of Kuşdası for provincial "normal" Turkish life for a day, we recommend visiting Söke. Although the town has nothing really exciting to offer except for the weekly market, which attracts people from the neighbourhood on Wednesdays.

Commercial cotton production in Söke

Even on the way, coming from Kuşdası, you will be surprised at the magic hidden in the hinterland of the coast. Most holidaymakers arrive in Turkey by plane and leave again without ever having experienced the "real" Turkey, which is actually a shame. Visiting Söke is an opportunity to marvel at everyday Turkish life.

The town lies on the edge of the Meander Plain, a fertile valley in which the population largely lives from growing cotton. Numerous cotton processing companies have now settled here, turning the agricultural product into a common commercial product. The probability that you will be wearing a T-shirt from Söke is not that low.

The fashion industry is changing quickly

As Europe strives for a circular economy, it is becoming clear that cotton will not meet future requirements. Cotton production consumes immense resources and harms the environment.

"Fashion United" reports that around 10,000 litres of water and one litre of chemicals are needed to produce one kilogram of cotton. These chemicals make it difficult to use the cultivated land sustainably, which regenerates only slowly.

In addition, cotton does not meet the European targets for 2030. By then, 50 percent of the materials should be recyclable and 25 percent fully circular.

However, the cotton fibre is too small and too weak to be fully circular.

The European Union has set itself the goal of fully recycling all materials by 2050. This increases the pressure on the fashion industry. Strict guidelines such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) place obligations on companies, but leave open the question of whether these measures are sufficient. Without concrete measures, efforts remain fragmented and ineffective.

A cotton ban may be necessary in the long term

There are already promising alternatives such as innovative textile fibres and advanced recycling technologies. The environmental and social damage of cotton has now been clearly proven. However, the transition to a circular economy requires decisive action and a clear strategy.

Just a few kilometres away from Milet or Priene

So, use your stay in Turkey to get to know the country and its people off the beaten track. It's worth it.

Since there are also a number of tourist attractions in the immediate vicinity of Söke, the town can also be easily included in a longer day trip.

It is only a few kilometres to Milet, Priene or the beautifully restored Greek village of Doganbey.

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