Statistics from the Jordan Chamber of Industry show that exports from the leather and apparel sector reached JD 1.428 billion during the first ten months of 2025, compared with JD 1.453 billion for the same period in 2024.
اضافة اعلان
The data indicate a slight decline of 2% in total sector exports, attributed to external pressures, most notably changes in the U.S. market, while several high value-added subcategories continued to grow.
Ehab Qadri, the sector representative at the Jordan Chamber of Industry, said that clothing and accessories remain the leading export items, benefiting from the sector’s past expansion and growth in global markets, with exports reaching more than 82 markets worldwide.
The United States continues to be the primary destination for Jordanian clothing, accounting for over 80% of total clothing exports. Despite recent challenges related to tariffs, exports to the U.S. grew slightly by 1%, alongside significant expansion into European markets, particularly the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, demonstrating the sector’s flexibility and its ability to diversify export markets.
Qadri explained that the overall decline in exports was influenced by the U.S. imposing a 15% tariff in early August under the emergency law, which directly affected the pace of exports for manufactured clothing, the category most linked to the U.S. market.
Performance varied across sector subcategories: clothing and its manufactured derivatives fell by 2% to JD 1.342 billion, while non-manufactured clothing rose 16% to JD 39 million. Exports of carpets and textile floor coverings increased by 15% to JD 35 million.
Some items showed remarkable growth, including padding, felt, nonwoven fabrics, and specialty threads, which grew by 172%, as well as leather goods, luggage, and handbags, which increased by 76%. Natural and traditional leather and related products rose by 52%, reflecting improved performance in specialized, higher value-added products.
In contrast, footwear and its parts declined by 28%, raw and tanned leather by 41%, along with some other textile categories.
Qadri highlighted that the leather and apparel sector is one of the most value-added intensive industries, contributing nearly 42% of total production. The sector includes about 1,000 industrial establishments employing approximately 96,000 workers, making it a key pillar of industrial activity and employment in Jordan.
Looking ahead, Qadri noted positive indicators and expectations for clothing exports in 2026, especially as the sector is included among the priorities of the Economic Modernization Vision, which aims to enhance the competitiveness of leather and apparel industries and position Jordan as a regional hub for fast fashion with a global presence.
He added that the National Strategy for the Leather and Apparel Sector, launched by the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply, is currently being implemented, alongside the development of a specialized apparel cluster as a strategic project to enhance value chains, address raw material shortages, and open new investment opportunities for the sector.
Despite challenges, the sector continues to expand its global export presence, maintaining its U.S. market share, increasing its reach in Europe, and opening up to Middle Eastern, Gulf, and Asian markets, strengthening the adaptability and sustainable growth of Jordanian industry.
According to the Jordan Chamber of Industry, the leather and apparel sector still holds untapped export opportunities valued at approximately USD 846 million, spanning clothing, carpets, rugs, home textiles, and other textile products.
