Around three thousand workers—including men, women, and children—were employed in Bulgaria’s textile and weaving industries at the beginning of the 20th century. The country owned about seven million sheep, which produced roughly 120,000 kilograms of wool each year.
However, this amount of wool was not enough to meet the growing needs of Bulgaria’s factories. To continue production, manufacturers had to import wool from foreign markets. Over the years, the importation of wool increased steadily, as shown in the table below.
Imports of Wool (1893–1904)
The table below summarizes the import of natural, washed, and carded wool in kilograms and francs:
Year Natural Wool (kg) Value (Frs) Washed Wool (kg) Value (Frs) Carded Wool (kg) Value (Frs)
1904 468,676 561,295 8,881 23,042 1,322 2,540
1903 299,082 359,082 11,613 39,414 4,088 17,869
1902 311,128 369,578 21,626 62,164 20,994 54,491
1901 237,447 279,832 92,376 258,421 2,056 7,193
1900 52,337 55,134 22,362 79,510 22 79
1899 37,042 42,607 15,139 43,616 105 425
1898 54,621 52,112 79,455 225,379 14 45
1897 138,875 155,029 17,174 52,574 7,154 21,640
1896 107,861 123,641 11,728 37,219 40 335
1895 313,216 351,428 37,633 110,835 9 45
1894 540,063 605,317 38,615 60,636 5,164 17,643
1893 328,162 295,804 9,216 9,297 1,128 2,599
Most natural wool imported came from Romania, while washed wool was mainly supplied by Austria, Germany, France, and Belgium.
Growth in Bulgarian Textile Exports
As expected, with the expansion of Bulgaria’s weaving and spinning industries, the export of finished cloth and textile products increased every year. Bulgarian cloths, serges, braids, and dyed fabrics became well known in neighboring markets Sightseeing Sofia.
The following table shows the rise in exports between 1893 and 1904:
Year Coarse Cloths (kg) Value (Frs) Serges (kg) Value (Frs)
1904 51,319 121,843 264,870 1,130,528
1903 57,015 133,999 329,510 1,631,860
1902 81,475 161,266 397,661 1,601,639
1901 62,149 173,324 391,705 1,577,497
1900 57,793 143,309 335,778 1,376,896
Exports of braids and dyed cloths also rose steadily, reaching markets across the Balkan region and Western Europe.
A Rising Industrial Power
These figures clearly show that Bulgaria’s textile industry was rapidly developing at the start of the 20th century. Despite limited natural resources, the industry grew through imported raw materials, local skill, and hard work. The combination of national effort and international trade helped Bulgaria become a major weaving center in the Balkans.
If supported by continued investment and improved technology, the Bulgarian textile sector could soon compete with other European industries in both quality and production capacity.