Turkistan is getting another textile project that runs from raw cotton to finished fabric. In mid-September the Turkistan regional administration said a mill producing cotton yarn and denim is under construction in the TURAN special economic zone. The investor is Hygeia Textile Kazakhstan LLP, and the project is valued at KZT 25.8 billion.
According to the administration, the site covers 20 hectares and the first phase is scheduled to start operating before the end of 2026. At full capacity the mill is expected to employ around 1,000 people. Production and auxiliary buildings are still going up, while the region is connecting power, gas, water and other utilities. The contractor is local firm Qaz Build Elements.
The company has Chinese owners. Business registry data show Hygeia Textile Kazakhstan was registered in July 2025, with Hong Kong Chang Sheng Textile Limited and a Chinese national as its founders.
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The point of the project is deeper cotton processing: local fibre is spun into yarn and then woven into denim, so the output is finished fabric rather than raw cotton. Turkistan region and its southern neighbours form Kazakhstan's cotton belt, which has long exported mostly fibre and basic yarn. This month a spinning mill backed by Xinjiang's Lihua group was also added to the official list of SEZ projects.
For Chinese firms looking at textiles in the region, a few takeaways: the regional administration brings utilities to TURAN sites; SEZ participants get tax and customs incentives, with exact terms to be confirmed with the zone's management company and the law itself; and the path from registration to construction can be short. Launch dates are best checked against the administration's latest statements, since early reports cited different years.
Sources:
Kapital.kz (citing the Turkistan regional administration press service), https://kapital.kz/economic/152875/v-turkestane-zapustyat-proizvodstvo-dzhinsovoj-tkani-za-258-mlrd-tenge.html
Kazakhstan Today, https://www.kt.kz/rus/ekonomika/v_turkestane_nachnut_vypuskat_dzhinsovuyu_tkan_1377999995.html
Ratel.kz, https://www.ratel.kz/kaz/dzhinsovaja_tkan_na_258_mlrd_tenge
infohub.kz (founder data), https://infohub.kz/ru/article/kitaiskie-investory-djinsovaia-tkan-turkestan
Key facts
- The cotton yarn and denim factory in the Turan Economic Zone is under construction.
- The total project investment of Hygeia Textile Kazakhstan Limited Liability Company is 25.8 billion tenge.
- The factory occupies 20 hectares, and Phase I is planned to go into operation by the end of 2026.
- Once full production is reached, the factory is expected to provide approximately 1,000 jobs.
- Hygeia Textile Kazakhstan is Chinese-backed. Its shareholders are a Hong Kong company and an individual of Chinese nationality.
- The project will spin locally sourced cotton into yarn and then weave it into finished denim fabric.
FAQ
What project is being built in the Turan Economic Zone?
The project under construction is a cotton yarn and denim factory. The investor is Hygeia Textile Kazakhstan Limited Liability Company, with a total project investment of 25.8 billion tenge.
When will Phase I go into operation, and how many jobs will be created once full production is reached?
According to the Turkistan regional government, Phase I is planned to go into operation by the end of 2026, and approximately 1,000 jobs are expected to be created once full production is reached.
Who are the project's shareholders?
Hygeia Textile Kazakhstan is Chinese-backed. Its shareholders are Hong Kong Chang Sheng Textile Limited, a Hong Kong company, and an individual of Chinese nationality.
What is the current construction status of the factory?
The factory occupies 20 hectares. Construction of the main plant and supporting facilities is still underway, while the regional government is concurrently facilitating electricity, gas, water and other utility connections.
What supporting infrastructure and incentives are available for projects in the Turan Economic Zone?
The regional government is concurrently facilitating electricity, gas, water and other utility connections for the plant. Projects in the zone may benefit from economic zone tax and customs duty incentives. Specific conditions are subject to the zone management company and the laws of Kazakhstan.
